PBT's Sarimanok ballet flies to the US
By Marivir R. Montebon
New York - Mark your date this October 2025, in celebration of the Philippine History Month in the US.
The multi-awarded Philippine Ballet Theatre brings to the US "Sarimanok," a ballet performance of the mythical colorful bird of Mindanao and a symbol of good fortune.
Performed on ballet, the Sarimanok (directed by Ron Jaynario) will be in New York on October 4, 2025 at the La Guardia Performing Arts Center at 6PM. Tickets are at $50 and $98. (Email filartists@gmail.com for inquiries and purchase.)
Presented by the Foundation for Filipino Artists and the Reginald Lewis Foundation, local artists in NYC will perform alongside Sarimanok, under the musical direction of Rogelio Penaverde, Jr.
The PBT, headed by its president Marilou Magsaysay, is on its 4th annual US tour. It trailblazes in using ballet to express Philippine folk and pop culture. In 2024, it became the first National Performing Arts Company for Dance by the National Commission for Culture and Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
After New York, Sarimanok will fly off to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Beaverton. The US tour is co-sponsored by the NCCA, CCP, Philippine Airlines, and TFC. Awesome Media, Ltd. is actively promoting it in New York.
The PBT was founded in 1986 after the EDSA Uprising, as ballet artists asked for government support. The CCP Dance Company was the only group which the deposed Marcos government had supported.
The Aquino administration agreed to provide a small funding a seasonal home to PBT at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo.
The new company's founders were National Artist Leonor Orosa Goquinco, Felicitas Radaic, Julie Borromeo, Eddie Elejar, Maria Luisa "Inday" Gaston Manosa, Sony Lopez-Gonzales, Vella Damian, Basilio Willaruz, Gener Caringal, Tony Fabella, and Eric V. Cruz.
Four active dance companies, known as the “Festival Four,” composed the PBT. These are Totoy de Oteyza and Inday Manosa's Hariraya Ballet Company; Eddie Elejar and Tony Fabella's Manila Metropolis Ballet; Tita Radaic, Eddie Elejar, and Julie Borromeo's Dante Theater Philippines; Eric Cruz and Vella Damian' Dance Concert company.
The company's first studio was at the Classic Ballet Academy of Inday Gaston-Maiosa in Makati. In 1989, the group was invited by the Lopez Group to move to Meralco Theater in Pasig.
PBT has preserved and showcased classical full-length ballets and commissioned Filipino heritage masterpieces. It harnessed the extraordinary talent of Filipino artists, not only as performers but also as choreographers. It has supported many talented youths with training through scholarships from the support of its benefactors.
Magsaysay had said that PBT has intentionally quelled the impression that ballet is an elitist art form by making its dance lessons accessible to young talented Filipinos through regular free workshops.#
