Lesson 2:

BALLET page 107

 BALLET
• The word ballet (pronounced bah lay’ or bah’ lay) came
from the French word ballette. The French word
originated from the Italian balletto, which means “a
dance.” The music form ballet developed from a simple
complement of the dance to a more particular form of
composition with equal importance. Well-known ballet
music composers include Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky of
Russia and Jean-Baptiste Lully of France.
• Unlike operas and musical plays, ballet uses bodily
movements and facial expressions to portray and interpret
stories, novels, and folktales. The communications is
through the graceful and creative motion of the limbs and
body to express the specific emotion as the spoken words
and sung lyrics of operas and musical plays do.
• Furthermore, it is a performance in which the story
portrayed is heightened by its extravagant costumes and
stage designs. In a ballet company, a male ballet dancer is
called a danseur (dan ‘ser), and a female ballet dancer is
called a ballerina or danseuse.
 PRIMA BALLERINA
and PREMIER
DANSEUR
 Prima Ballerina the lead female
dancer, and the lead male
dancer is called premier
danseur.
 In the Philippines, ballets perform
stories based on legendary stories of
supernatural happenings.
 Example of these are the following:
 TATLONG KUWENTO NI LOLA
BASYANG
• Lola Basyang is a ballet version of the
various folktales written by Severino Reyes
from his Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang. It
teaches the beauty of Philippine literature.
It depicts a grandmother on her rocking
chair with little children surrounding her in
amazement of her stories. These are two
episodes of these stories presented by
 Liza Macuja-Elizalde is the first Filipina
prima ballerina. Aside from that, she is
also the first foreign soloist to join the
Kirov Ballet. She founded the Ballet
Manila of which she is the Artistic
Director. She trains ballet dancers using
the Russian Vaganova method.

DID YOU KNOW

THAT…………
• The first episode titled “Tatlong
Kuwento ni Lola Basyang”
portrayed the following stories:
 ANG KAPATID ANG MAHIWAGANG ANG PRINSIPE NG MGA
NG TATLONG BIYULIN IBON
MARYA
 TYPE FANTASY FANTASY STORY • LOVE STORY
STORY
 MUSIC CONTEMPORAR COMPOSED BY RYAN • MUSIC FROM DIFFERENT
Y ETHNIC CAYABYAB; ARRANGED BY COMPOSITIONS OF
MUSIC ARNOLD BUENA NATIONAL ARTISTS;
COMPOSED BY ARRANGED BY MON
JOEY AYALA FAUSTINO
 CHOREOGRAPH CHOREOGRAPHED BY • CHOREOGRAPHED BY
CHOREOGRAP ED BY LIZA- TONY FABELLA BALLET MANILA DANSEUR
HY MACUJA- OSIAS BARROSO.
ELIZALDE
 STORYLINE THIS FANTASY THIS STORY TELLS ABOUT • THIS LOVE STORY TELLS OF
TELLS ABOUT THE MAIN CHARACTER WHO A PRINCESS WHO FELL IN
THE JOURNEY OF ENCHANTS PEOPLE WITH THE LOVE WITH A BIRD.
A HERO TO MUSIC FROM HIS VIOLIN.
DIFFERENT
KINGDOMS
FOLLOWING HIS
• The second episode, “Tatlo Pang
Kuwento ni Lola Basyang,” featured the
following stories:
 ANG PALASYO NG LABINDALAWANG ANTING-ANTING
MGA DWENDE MASASAYANG
PRINSESA
ROMANTIC ROMANTIC FANTASY HORROR COMEDY
TYPE ADVENTURE
MUSIC COMPOSED BY THE MUSIC INCLUDES MUSIC ARRANGED BY
MUSIC DIWA DE LEON OPM SONGS LIKE JUAN CARLO
“KAILANGAN KITA” MAGSALIN
AND “IKAW ANG
LAHAT SA AKIN”
ARRANGED BY
ARNOLD BUENA
CHOREOGRAPHED BY CHOREOGRAPHED BY CHOREOGRAPHED BY
CHOREOGRA GERARDO FRANCISCO LIZA MACUJA- OSIAS BARROSO
PHY WITH KRIS-BELLE ELIZALDE, WITH WITH MICHAEL
MAMANGUN, NAOMI FRANCIS JAENA, SOFIA DIVINAGRACIA
JAENA, AND ROMEO PERALTA, RUDY DE
PERALTA DIOS, AND THE
BALLET MANILA
DANCERS
THIS STORY TELLS THIS ROMANTIC THIS COMEDY TELLS
STORYLINE
 RAMA HARI
• RAMA HARI literally means “King Rama.” In the
Philippines, it is the modified version of Ramayana, an
Indian epic. It was first shown in 1980 by the following
brilliant people:
 RYAN CAYABYAB (MUSIC)
ALICE REYES (CHOREOGRAPHY)
BIENVINIDO LUMBERA (SCRIPT)
SALVADOR BERNAL (THEATER DESIGN)
• According to the Hindu culture, one is expected to perform
his dharma, and Ramayana teaches how it should be done.
• Dharma is the kind of attitude or behavior that a person
should do in his or her entire life. It serves as the guiding
principles that govern everyday life like performing
responsibilities and obligations, practicing appropriate
deportment, considering the previledges of other people,
and living righteous life.
• Rama Hari is about Prince Rama, the eldest son of King
Dasaratha of Ayodha who had three wives and four sons---
RAMA, BHARATA, LAKSHMANA, and SATRUGHNA.
• Once the king decides to retire, Rama is the rightful
successor to be throne. However, Rama’s stepmother
demands that the King should fulfill his promise that she
be granted two wishes. So, this succession did not happen
because the stepmother wants Rama to be exiled to the
forest for 14 years, and her son Bharata to be crowned
king.
• Rama submitted to the will of his stepmother and
went to Panchavati forest where he was escorted by
Sita, his wife, and Lakshamana , his younger brother.
When Bharata knew about what his mother did, he
looked for Rama and told him that he should be the
king, but Rama refused. So, Bharata asked for Rama’s
sandals instead to be positioned on the king’s throne
to serve as his authority until he returns.
• Rama, his wife, and his younger brother were
having good lives in the forest when an evil
creature, Ravana, came. Ravana took Sita by
force to be his wife. Rama fought fiercely to kill
Ravana and rescue Sita. They finally went back
to Ayodha and Rama gained his rightful place.
They all behaved according to their Dharma.
 RECAPITULATION….

• Ballet is both a dance form and a music

form.
• Lola Basyang is a ballet version of Severino
Reyes’ folktales from his Mga Kuwento ni
Lola Basyang.
• Rama Hari is the Philippine modified version
of Ramayana, an Indian epic, that teaches
about performing one’s Dharma.
 Activity: Inspired by Ballet
Performances
• Directions: Watch the ballet performances.
Write your reflection below.