Ballet - From The Wings

Watching a ballet performance from the wings can be a totally different experience from what you get being in the audience, although isn't necessarily a bad thing. True, the view is skewed roughly 90 degrees, but what I found fascinating was seeing the dancers switch to and from their performance and offstage states. Seeing a strong performer go from all-smiles to breathing heavily and sweating profusely within 2 seconds of exiting stage gives one a more profound respect of how hard it actually is to dance. On the same note, seeing how dancers with character roles meditate and prepare for their entrance is almost like watching a prayer unfold before you, on the altar of grace.

Mananayaw Stills

I finally got to shooting some photos for the documentary. I must say, it's a bit of a refreshing break to go into the CCP with the purpose of stills in mind. 

Above are two of the main characters in Mananayaw - JM Cordero and Biag Gaongen. JM is the current male principal dancer for Ballet Philippines, a position which Biag once held before got injured a few years back. 

The plan was to shoot them performing different styles of dance - JM doing classical ballet, and Biag for modern. Add dramatic lighting and two really pretty ballerinas, and our pegs were set.

The Princess

Princess Monica, moments before the stage. 

Just being immersed in the world of ballet has given me a new well of inspiration to draw from. I have as of late, been furiously filling my books with photo ideas that I plan to shoot in the near future. Truly, no one is creative who does not constantly expose himself to new experiences and ideas, for they are the fuel for the fire of the imagination.

Before the Curtains Rise

I was filming the Ballet Philippines dancers earlier today for the documentary, and I managed to take this photo of Katrene, as she was doing runs for her show the next day.

It's hard to imagine the blood, sweat, and tears that dancers go through for their performances, just because they are good enough to make it look so easy. The dancers at Ballet Philippines are some of the most hardworking and dedicated artists I know, and what they do is anything but a walk in the park. People like them serve as an inspiration to me every day that I pursue my own passion, and as long as they exist, the world will always be a better place for it.