MANILA, Philippines - When Candice Adea, 25 years old, and Jean Marc Cordero, 26, arrived home from their spectacular win at the 2012 Helsinki International Ballet Competition, they wasted no time resting. After a day, they were back in the studio, rehearsing for “Songs,” their upcoming show with Ballet Philippines, for which they are principal dancers.
In “Songs,” from July 6 to 8 at the CCP Main Theater, they will premier a new ballet by choreographer Augustus “Bam” Damian III titled “4C&J: Rossini Grand Pas de Deux.”
When Damian took up the offer of BP’s artistic director Paul Alexander Morales to do a new piece for the company, he right away thought of creating something special for them. The piece is dedicated to the two dancers, his “love letter via choreography.”
Damian and the two dancers have a special bond. From 2005 to 2008, Damian was Ballet Philippines’ artistic director, and watched Candice and JM emerge before his very eyes. At the time, Candice was already doing solos and lead roles for BP despite her young age. He fondly nicknamed her “Junior” and made many dances on her. He handpicked her (and her equally talented sister Carissa) to dance his show-stopping pas de deux “Evacuation” in the Philippines. JM was Candice’s boyfriend who was taking ballet lessons to occupy his time while waiting for her to finish late-night rehearsals.
Those years were filled with highs and lows. When she first learned “Evacuation” in 2005, Candice would be in tears and panting heavily towards the end of the very difficult six-minute dance. JM would only watch rehearsals and try to work on basic partnering techniques with her during lulls between classes. Today, “Evacuation” is one of Candice and JM’s contemporary competition pieces that never fail to wow the audience — and JM won a special award for Best Pas de Deux Technique in Helsinki.
Candice and JM have validated the fact that the homegrown Filipino can be the best in the world. In fact, Jorma Uotinen, Helsinki IBC’s president, introduced Candice and JM as “two extraordinary artists” and described their interpretation of Diana and Acteon as “noble, highly sophisticated… which fulfills all the demands of classical ballet of today.”
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“Songs” is Ballet Philippines’ season-opening gala, which will run from July 6 to 8 at the CCP Main Theater. To see Candice and JM for the whole BP season, you can subscribe for all four performances this year. Call Ballet Philippines at 551-1003, Ticketworld at 891-9999 or visit www.ballet.ph.