Story and photos by Jude Bautista
DANCE MNL’s week of performances kicks off with The Winners Circle on June 21 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Main Theater. The event will bring together Filipino dance artists who have won recognition and awards locally and internationally.
Among the dancers coming home for the event are Candice Adea of BalletMet, Christine Rocas of Joffrey Ballet, Jared Tan of Atlanta Ballet, Nazer Salgado of Singapore Dance Theatre and Jasmine Cruz of Westlake School of Performing Arts.
The Winners Circle will also feature the world premiere of Martin Lawrence’s Amid Shadows, a work made especially for Rocas and the Ballet Manila principals.
The dancers have represented the Philippines in various ballet competitions, such as the Asian Grand Prix, Beijing International Ballet and Choreography Competition, Boston International Ballet Competition, Helsinki International Ballet Competition, Japan International Ballet & Modern Dance Competition, New York International Ballet Competition, Rudolf Nureyev Ballet International Competition, Seoul International Dance Competition, USA International Ballet Competition, World Ballet Competition and Youth America Grand Prix.
They have also won local recognition in the CCP National Dance Competition and the National Music Competition for Young Artists.
Presented by the CCP and Ballet Philippines, in cooperation with Philippine Ballet Theatre and Ballet Manila, Dance MNL is focused on uniting and celebrating the Filipino dance community.
Supported by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the inaugural festival will feature 11 performances, a two-week dance intensive calendar, and a conference gathering more than 500 dance professionals. The activities will be held at the CCP, Aliw Theater and Star Theater.
Image credits: Jude Bautista