Alice Reyes' Dance Company Premieres All-Filipino Christmas Ballet in December

(SPOT.ph) When one thinks of ballet performances during the Christmas season, what probably comes to mind is The Nutcracker. The stage is transformed into a winter wonderland, where dancers pirouette amid the musical score of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It's a Western experience of the holidays, so a Filipino dance performance would be very much welcome. Enter Puso ng Pasko—a full-length, all-Filipino Christmas ballet to be staged by the Alice Reyes Dance Philippines from December 2 to 4 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater in Pasay City.

Also read:
Theater in Manila: Exciting Shows to See Onstage This November
Art Exhibits by Toym Imao, Jomike Tejido + More to Check Out This November

Conceptualized by Ronelson Yadao with musical arrangement by National Artist for Music, Ryan Cayabyab, Puso ng Pasko is an expansion of the 2020 dance film production Tuloy ang Pasko. It features the story of Lolo Val who reminisces about Paskong Pinoy and passes them on to his granddaughter, Angelita. The memories are told in song and dance, which includes beloved scenes of Simbang Gabi, eating bibingka and puto bumbong after the dawn mass, and decorating the plaza with big parols.

Erl Sorilla, John Ababon, AL Abraham, Dan Dayo, Bonnie Guerrero, and Lester Reguindin join Yadao in choreographing this full-length dance. Other collaborators are Eric Cruz for production design, Barbara Tan-Tiongo for lighting design, co-librettist Eljay Castro Deldoc, and Carlos Siguion-Reyna for inputs on the filmed scenes.

Puso ng Pasko is one of the last few performances at the Main Theater before the main building of the Cultural Center of the Philippines shuts its doors for renovation.

Alice Reyes Dance Philippines was founded by National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes in 2022. It was incorporated on May 17. This move comes after Reyes founded 53-year-old Ballet Philippines, which is currently under the artistic direction of Russian dancer Mikhail “Misha” Martynyuk.

Puso ng Pasko runs from December 2 to 4 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater, CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City. Tickets, priced from P500 to P1,000, are available through Ticketworld.