Last night, my mom, sister and I trooped to the Aliw Theater to catch the beginning of Lisa Macuja's Swan Song Series. A "swan song series" is a ballet dancer's last performances of his/her signature ballets. Lisa, one of the Philippines' prima ballerina, is set to ease into retirement within the period of three years, with swan performances of Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Don Quixote and Giselle. You can read more about it here.
Few people know that I was once a budding ballet dancer myself. I studied ballet from age five to 12, and with all modesty aside (which I have so little of), I was one of the top students of my class. I was just about to transition to point shoes when my teacher in JASMS left and I was forced to enroll in another ballet school where, I guess in hindsight, I was not able to adjust very well. It was also about this time that my interest and talent in playing volleyball blossomed and so I let go of dancing ballet. Although I don't regret any of this, I find myself smiling when I imagine what my life would have been if I continued on my ballet journey. We'll never know, I guess.
So, it goes without saying that, my interest in the art of ballet is deeply rooted in my heart. My mom also took us to see Maniya Barredo's (Philippine's first prima ballerina) final performance of Giselle. I also had the privilege of meeting Lisa Macuja when I was 10 or 11 after her performance of Darna at the CCP. So, when I heard about Lisa's swan song series, I vowed to catch every performance.
I'm not really in the mood nor do I have the ability to give a full review. But let me say this: Lisa Macuja is divine in her performance of the twin roles of White and Black Swan. She deserved every second the overly-extended curtain call at the end of the performance. If there was anything to start her swan song series with, she did it right by starting with Swan Lake.
Her next performance is on October 21 and 22 for Romeo and Juliet.
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Here is Lisa Macuja's own account of her Swan Lake experience throughout her career.
Very interesting read!
Very interesting read!
Goodbye, Swan Lake... Hello, Swan Song Series
