MANILA, Philippines - I thought the inevitable question would never be asked, but it was: “What advice would you give a young dancer who wants to make it?” To which Alan Hineline replied rather drolly, “Train, train, train.” It wasn’t any different from the answer a young Liza Minelli got when she asked:

How do I get to Broadway?” The answer: “Practice!”

From what I have witnessed in the sweat-and-rosin infused rehearsal hall at the basement of the CCP, where 22 or so dancers and apprentices of Ballet Philippines go at it day after day, there is no question about wanting to make it. Rather, the question more apt to ask would be: Who are they dancing for?

For a few years now, a handful of patrons have faithfully come season after season, watching the heaves and ho’s, the ups and downs of this dance company that refuses to make a final curtsey. And with good reason. There is too much talent to be wasted, too much heart and soul expended, passion that cannot be ignored. With each season, hopes run high that perhaps this time, the bottom line figure would match the muscle aches.

The cocktail party launching Ballet Philippines’ Season of New Beginnings was graciously hosted by British Ambassador Peter Beckingham and his wife, Jill. The ambassador, who sits on the Ballet Philippines board, has been a supporter of ballet companies in the countries where he has been posted: Australia, Sweden, and his native America, where watching the New York City Ballet was a favored pastime.

There was an obvious tingle in the air during the reception; it almost felt like Christmas. You could tell when Maan Hontiveros got on the microphone to introduce the season for the nth time, in her long-running stint as president of Ballet Philippines, and when she introduced the company’s new artistic directors.

Hineline

Alan Hineline’s dance career runs the gamut from dancer to choreographer to trainer.

His dance affiliations include companies that range from the classical with the Eglevsky Ballet, modern with Joyce Trisler Danscompany and even the post modern Laura Dean Dancers and Musicians. His body of work can be seen in the repertories of American Ballet Studio Company, Pennsylvania Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, among others. They have been performing in prestigious dance competitions, among them the Aoyama International Ballet Festival in Tokyo and the International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi.

Luna

Max Luna III became a member of Ballet Philippines at the age of 16 after training with Eddie Elejar at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. After leaving Manila, he went on to an international dance career with Ballet International de Caracas, Ballet Hispanico, Joyce Trisler Dance company, Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal, followed by six brilliant years with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. His 20 year teaching career and work as a choreographer has taken him all over the world including Teatro Nuovo di Torino, Bartholin International Ballet Seminar in Copenhagen, Baardar Dance Academy in Norway, the Actor’s Studio and Peridance in New York, among many more.

High on enthusiasm

Hineline and Luna, now faced with the task of guiding the 39-year-old ballet company as its artistic directors, are hitting high on enthusiasm, matched only with dedication, hard work, foresight and even hindsight, with a season’s repertoire that includes new works by both of them and BP resident choreographer, Alden Lugnasin, as well as re-mounting of company classics by choreographers past, as in Agnes Locsin’s powerful Centennial masterpiece, “La Revolucion Filipina” as its first offering, and sometime within the season, Alice Reyes’s “Amada”, based on Nick Joaquin’s works, “Tadtarin” and “Summer Solstice”.

Outreach

Luna expounds that his and Hineline’s vision is to see Ballet Philippines as a mothership for satellite schools to be founded all over the nation.

Already, a nationwide tour is in the making, with the intentions of exposing young would-be dancers all over the Philippines to the possibility of a serious dance career.

Hineline is strong on the exposure element of an outreach program, himself having come from a small town in America. It was inspiring for him, he says, when he watched a ballet as a young boy. And thus he knows what he speaks of when he rallies his point of bringing ballet performances out of the theater and into the provinces.

Although this is not a new notion to the ballet company, recent years have deprived the company that pleasure of extending the art to far flung places. The reasons have sadly been economic.

Sofia Elizalde

Dovetailing the artistic team was yet the presence of a third party in the person of Sofia Zobel Elizalde, newly-elected member of the board, heading the Resource Committee.

Being who she is cannot be ignored, but perhaps more than being the namesake of great malls and a main avenue, is the fact that Sofia’s ballet pedigree is impeccably hundred percent Ballet Philippines, dyed-in-the-wool so to speak.

Having literally grown up in the dance company’s ballet studios, she worked her way up from student to apprentice, then finally principal dancer. In the years following her retirement as a dancer, she nurtured the dream that one day we would “see a company that shines in the Philippines.”

Her drive is contagious, becoming as she has been teased, a “professional panhandler for dance”. She gamely laughs this off, single-mindedly carrying on to bring this dream to fruition. Her desire to “bring back the glamour and glitz” of going to the ballet will be realized by a black tie fund raising ball, the New Beginnings Gala in October, co-hosted by honorary gala chairperson, Elizabeth Roxas, former dancer of Ballet Philippines and Alvin Ailey in New York.

The “dress up” part is not to be mistaken for an elitist snub, but really to give the fund raising event an air of importance and respect for a worthy cause.

Sofia is keen on the ballet company’s new tagline, “Your soul in motion,” which connotes an afficionado’s passionate support and oneness with the dance.

Already, there has been a show of support for Filipino artistry and the ballet company from the Philippine Tatler, Sofitel Philippine Plaza, BMW, Globe, Cathay Pacific, Ayala Land Premiere, Fiore di M and hopefully many more to come. ”Moneybag” John Silva, Ballet Philippines board treasurer is optimistic that the ball has started rolling.

Preview

As a preview to the season’s programme, three pairs of dancers all in black, slinked their way amidst the cocktail crowd with excerpts from Max Luna’s
“American Rhapsody”, a fresh trilogy of American standards reminiscent, but not at all like Twyla Tharp’s Sinatra Suite. “How Long has This been Going On” was danced by Candice Adea and Biag Gaongen; “I Love You Porgy” by Georgette Sanchez and R9ADD MOREonelson Yadao, and ” Embraceable You” by the sultry Carissa Adea and newly-anointed company member, Bacolod born Lucky Vincentino.

All six danced confidently barefooted even on the marble floor. The well applauded number hushed the audience at the start. Whether or not it was because of the familiarity of the music, it didn’t matter, because the dancers danced and the audience watched, and that hopefully was a good omen for a season of new beginnings.

For season subscription inquiries, call (6-32) 551-0221. 551-1003. For tickets and information of the New Beginnings Gala, call Steps Dance Studio (6-32) 757-2984 or 843-8472.