MANILA, Philippines - Dance has always been in the blood and culture of Filipinos and the Spanish people. This year, Ballet David Campos of Barcelona will bring two of its major productions, The Sleeping Beauty and Giselle (The Legend) to the Philippines in celebration of this artistic “connection.”
From March 22 to 25, ballet dancers from the Philippines and Spain will unite under one instructor and tutelage to perform two major productions as part of the Philippine Spanish Dance Connection Project 2012 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
Sleeping Beauty (The Dream), showing on March 22 and 23, is a darker version of the fairytale that looks into the hundred years of Princess Aurora’s sleep and what she might have dreamed of. Elline Damian plays the role of Princess Aurora while Vincent Gros plays the role of the Prince.
A tale about deceit, violence and incomprehensible male superiority over women, Giselle (The Legend), showing on March 24 and 25, tells of the journey of young Giselle (Aileen Gallinera) from a carefree girl to one who has been dragged into and tangled in foul play. It’s a cross between a tragic romance that has fringes of horror and despair.
Filipina Irene Sabas will serve as ballet mistress and repetiteur while Spaniard David Campos will be in charge of choreography for both The Sleeping Beauty and Giselle (The Legend).
Sabas and Campos both became part of the dance company in Hagen City, Germany. The two made a 180-degree career change from being ballet dancers to training young dancers in their private school EScola Ballet David Campos in Barcelona in 1987. One of their students is Karina Campos, a Barcelona-born dancer who is also part of the two productions.
The Philippine-Spanish Dance Connection project is jointly presented by the Ballet David Campos of Barcelona, the Spanish Embassy of the Philippines, Instituto Cervantes and the Institut Ramon Llull, a consortium formed by the governments of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.