MANILA, Philippines - Three major ballet companies followed up their successful season openers with notable productions.

Ballet Manila's "La Fille Mal Gardee" (The Naughty Daughter) took its material from one of the "oldest and most important works in modern ballet repertory." Set in rural France, it's about young Lise who is in love with favored suitor Colas. But her widowed mother, Simone, has arranged for her to marry dim-witted but extremely rich Alain, son of Thomas.

Sergey Vikulov, BM guest choreographer, banked on a big cast, three excellent lead couples, and a pointe shoe-wearing Simone (replacing the usual clogs) to successfully restage the two-act comic ballet at Aliw Theater.

The first two factors were well called for: BM's corps de ballet (women and men in colorful farm wear) were always a welcome treat for being classy and clean, while Lise-Colas alternates Mylene Aggabao and Gerard Francisco, and Jennifer Olayvar and Jerome Espejo equaled the confidence and festive cheer brought about by the principal tandem, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and Rudy de Dios.

Jonathan Janolo's Simone, made this writer squirm. Male dancers in drag have been in various repertoires since Frederick Ashton's Ugly Stepsisters in "Cinderella." And Janolo's adeptness with what was supposed to be a skill exclusive to female dancers is a feat comparable to that of the danseurs of the world-renowned Les Ballet Trockaderos. It made the audience laugh, but the frequent butt-wriggling and shoulder-to-chest heaving made the show too much about the "naughty mother," who is obviously very into Marcus Tolentino's goofy Thomas, instead of the naughty daughter.

Passage

Philippine Ballet Theater's "Pamana" consisted of works of Gener Caringal, Felicitas Radaic, Basilio (Esteban Villaruz), and Tony Fabella-which, as the title indicated, were being handed down to a younger generation of dancers at PBT.

The production was made a timely tribute to the late Lucrecia Kasilag, National Artist for Music, specifically Caringal's work that used her music.

Jared Tan looked strong and lithe wooing the princess in Caringal's tragic "Ang Sultan," while older sister Abigail Tan exuded the right amount of haughtiness as lead for the artistic director's powerful "Vinta."

Radaic's comic and light-toned "Tanan," whose story is very similar to "The Naughty Daughter," was effective with Bianca Trocino and Peter San Juan as the mischievous couple Maria and Kardo.

PBT dancers solemnly performed Basilio's "Misa Filipina," in which parts of the Catholic Mass were interspersed with scenes illustrating Ninoy Aquino's martyrdom.

Fabella's "Mantones de Manila" showed the various uses of the mantones cloth during the Spanish era.

"Pamana" was heavily dependent on exquisite dancing, an impression underscored by a costume mishap during one performance and the generally unremarkable sets.

Fresh start?

Much was expected from Ballet Philippines, especially with the highly publicized launch of works by its new artistic directors Alan Hineline's "Thresholds" and Max Luna III's "Mga Awit" and "The Hurt We Embrace," which were first performed abroad.

First-time audiences were beside themselves with glee during the second-night performance, but some balletomanes were less happy with the not-so-new repertoire.

Nevertheless, superb dancing by the company members should not be ignored as they made the pieces their own. Georgette Sanchez was the star of the evening in the anticlimactic "Thresholds" and the sassy Alvin Ailey classic "Night Creatures," restaged for BP by Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish, the first Pinay to join Alvin Ailey when the dance company was opened to non-African-American performers over a decade ago.

A live and romantic ensemble by Pablo Molina (tenor), J. Greg Zuniega (piano), and Ed Pasamba (cello) joined Biag Gaongen and JM Cordero as the two craftily led male dancers in the Luna piece about how men express their feelings in relationships.

Carissa Adea and Angel Gabriel got the audience all emotional with their repetitive adagio movements in the other Luna piece about "hanging on to something that is not there anymore."

For a company more known for breaking rules in traditional ballet, it seems audiences will have to get used to BP's new image.

Both directors stressed that more "challenging international works," a "balanced number" of traditional and contemporary shows-not to mention local tours-will be made "for the dancers' further development."

Delightful

Meanwhile, Agnes Locsin's critically acclaimed "La Revolucion Filipina" (first shown in 1997) was a delightful kick-off for BP's 39th season.

The Davao-based choreographer's slight tweak in some steps and warmer lights by Mio Infante meshed with Ryan Cayabyab's neo-ethnic music and Victor Ursabia's modern take on traditional Filipino wear, making this vivid insight on Philippine independence an even bigger success this time. Together with the cast, the Davao-based choreographer received a standing ovation from the audience and profuse compliments from Bienvenido Lumbera, National Artist for Literature.

Gaongen, as Apolinario Mabini, must especially be lauded. The Sublime Paralytic's suffering showed through the dancer's soulful eyes and dramatic dancing. (Perhaps the pain was real since Gaongen suffered a minor knee injury at the time of the performance.)

BM continues its 13th season with "Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang" on Dec. 5-14 and "All Tchaikovsky Challenge," Feb. 13-22. BP's 39th season includes "Coppelia" on Dec. 11-14 and "Neo-Filipino," Mar. 12-15. PBT concludes its 29th season with Caringal's "Andres Bonifacio" on Nov. 28-30.