Ilonggo choreographer brings ‘Ibong Adarna’ ballet home to Iloilo

ILOILO CITY — Ballet Manila will bring its ballet adaptation of the Filipino literary classic “Ibong Adarna” to Iloilo City on Friday, Oct. 23, marking a homecoming for its Ilonggo choreographer, Gerardo Francisco Jr.

The ballet will be staged at Central Philippine University’s Rose Memorial Auditorium at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The performances are part of the Iloilo Arts Festival and the university’s 121st anniversary celebration.

Directed by Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, the full-length ballet reimagines the epic tale through dance, music, and theatrical effects.

Macuja-Elizalde founded Ballet Manila in 1995.

For Francisco, the production is an opportunity to preserve Filipino cultural heritage and introduce the story to younger generations.

“When I created Ibong Adarna, I really wanted to preserve our culture while teaching the younger generation, because somehow, with technology, our culture is being taken for granted,” he said at a press conference Tuesday.

The ballet follows the journey of three princes — Pedro, Diego, and Juan — who set out to find the mythical Adarna bird, whose healing song can cure their ailing father, the king.

“Ibong Adarna” is a korido, a form of Philippine metrical romance, and a staple of the country’s school literature lessons.

Francisco said the production does not simply translate the original text into dance but reinterprets the story for the stage.

Macuja-Elizalde said the touring production has evolved since its 2017 world premiere, with a tighter presentation and a clearer storyline for audiences.

She added that watching ballet live offers something digital entertainment cannot fully replicate, particularly for young people accustomed to viewing performances on screens.

“Once they get themselves into the theater, sitting down and feeling that kind of energy between the performers and the audience, it’s something you will never forget,” she said.

She described the immediacy of live performance as essential, allowing audiences to connect directly with the dancers’ emotions, physical expressions, and raw energy onstage.

The ballet also offers an entry point to the art form for students and first-time theatergoers.

The company gives a short introductory lecture before performances to help viewers understand the story and follow key cues throughout the show.

The Iloilo staging also highlights Ballet Manila’s collaboration with Sayaw PD (Dance for Parkinson’s), an initiative founded by Ilonggo dancer and choreographer Novy Bereber.

In 2018, Ballet Manila brought the production to Israel’s Karmiel Dance Festival, making it the first full-length Filipino ballet presented at the international arts event.