From Cory’s signature yellow to Imelda’s iconic terno, bold colors and designs play a huge part in breathing life into Ballet Manila’s latest production, Rebel.
Rebel is a dream project of Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, in collaboration with British choreographer Martin Lawrance. For this modern retelling of Spartacus — transplanted to the Philippines and deriving characters from the historic EDSA People Power Revolution of 1986 — Ballet Manila turned to designer Jeffrey Rogador for costumes that will not only help tell the story but make an impact visually.
Rogador, who has made his mark in the local fashion scene for his distinctive urban wear collections, was admittedly daunted by the challenge in the beginning. First told that the show was an interpretation of Spartacus, his immediate thoughts were on gladiators in their warrior gear and maidens in filmy, flowing creations.
But once Macuja-Elizalde explained that Rebel also adapts the People Power story, Rogador’s vision for an appropriate costume design became clearer.
Rebel revolves on six main characters — the warring couples Benigno and Corazon on one hand and Ferdinand and Imelda on the other, along with Juan Dela Cruz (representing the Filipino everyman) and Inang Bayan (Motherland). The lead cast composed of Ballet Manila artists is supported by forty-six other dancers of the company who play supporters of the two couples and an array of Filipino citizens.
For Ferdinand and Imelda, Rogador thought of stylizing the barong Tagalog (a vivid red) and the terno (a rich royal blue). Their followers will be similarly dressed but with more muted tones for the loyalist men (blues and grays) and blues for the loyalist women (a takeoff from the former First Lady’s “Blue Ladies.”)
For Benigno and Corazon, colors also become the identifying elements. Benigno is in all white, while Corazon is swathed in yellow. Their followers echo these tones, with costumes in yellow, white and gray.
“I think that the design and color palette will look so striking on stage,” notes choreographer Lawrance. “The designs are elaborate for Act 1 and then toned down for Act 2, but are still the same designs with different fabrics, distressed and simplified.”
Rogador reflects the darker tone of the second act in the colors. “They become deeper. The yellow becomes mustard, the red becomes maroon, and so on.”
What was uppermost in his mind was creating designs that would work for the dancers. “Since they are performing, their clothes shouldn’t interfere with their movements. Dapat flexible. It’s the same consideration in the choice of materials, so we used a lot of stretched fabrics, also cottons, knits and jerseys that would move well with the body,” he describes.
It worked to Rogador’s favor that as a fine arts student at the University of Santo Tomas, he was also a member of the school’s Salinggawi Dance Troupe. Back then, he also helped design costumes for the group’s cheer dance competitions. So he understood fully well the costume requisites for people who have to move a lot under the spotlight.
Inspired to widen his knowledge in fashion design, Rogador subsequently pursued this line of study at the Fashion Institute of the Philippines. Since becoming a finalist in the 6th Mega Young Designers Competition in 2004, he has been notching achievements in the industry.
In 2012, he represented the Philippines in the “Jeansensation 2 Awards” in Monte Carlo, Monaco, where he would win the Best Jeans Award from among 90 designers from 22 countries.
Since 2007, his streetwear collections have become much awaited at the annual Philippine Fashion Week. Recently, he has made headlines for his JR by Jeffrey Rogador “Super Pinoy” collection and his ready-to-wear JPNY Pilipinas collection.
With Ballet Manila’s Rebel, the designer is grateful and excited to have been given an opportunity to work on a fresh challenge. “I enjoy taking on different kinds of projects. This time, for ballet naman. I hope the audience will like what they see.”