Philstage honored Ballet Manila with 15 Gawad Buhay! citations for its performances held in the fourth quarter of 2015. Recognized with 10 citations was Romeo and Juliet which was lauded for both the performances and the production. It earned citations for Outstanding Classical Dance Production and Outstanding Ensemble Performance for Classical Dance. Also cited were Katherine Barkman (Female Lead Performance in Classical Dance), Rudy De Dios and Brian Williamson (Male Lead Performance in Classical Dance), Dawna Mangahas and Pia Dames (Female Featured Performance in Classical Dance), and Gerardo Francisco, Rudolph Capongcol and Mark Sumaylo (Male Featured Performance in Classical Dance).
“Being cited for my performance as Juliet is a very humbling compliment to receive,” said Katherine Barkman. “It is just my first year as a professional dancer so being mentioned is a huge honor. It is always my mission to touch my audience, not just with clean technique but with my soul and spirit, as I am performing.”
“I spent hours and hours living in the studio and researching at home in order to create the most authentic Juliet possible,” Barkman explained. “I wanted my movements to speak on stage and resonate with anyone who watched. The preparation process required a lot of sacrifice and full dedication to the role. Being cited for this performance is a reminder to me that all the hard work, frustration, and sacrifice I went through was worth it because I fulfilled my mission to reach my audience and share with them a story through my art. For me, that is everything. It will inspire me to work even harder and keep improving as an artist and as a ballerina.”
Gerardo Francisco echoed her sentiments.
“The citation means a lot to me. It means to say that there is something that I did right or exemplary that everyone noticed and acknowledged. It is an honor, at the same time, because every single effort that I put in my dance was recognized and appreciated,” he said.
Pinocchio and Tatlong Kuwento Ni Lola Basyang were both cited for Outstanding Production for Children. Pinocchio, choreographed by Ballet Manila’s co-artistic director Osias Barroso, also received citations for the performances of Alvin Santos (Male Lead Performance in Classical Dance) and Michael Divinagracia (Male Featured Performance in Classical Dance). Picking up a second citation was Pia Dames (Female Featured Performance in Classical Dance) for Pinocchio.
“This really means a lot to me,” said Divinagracia. “To be recognized for doing what you love most is something I must be proud of. This will serve as my trophy for all the hard work that I’ve done, and also to inspire my fellow dancers to always be on their very best every time they go on stage.”
The Gawad Buhay! is presented by Philstage, an alliance of performing arts organizations in the Philippines. This is its eighth year of recognizing outstanding performances of local productions.