Ballet Philippines is now 43 years old and its humble beginnings cannot be told without its founder, choreographer-dancer Alice Reyes, who is in town for the ongoing run of her “Rama, Hari” until Dec. 9.
In high heels, statuesque businesswoman, Nina Halley pitches her head back. Her eyes are shut in rapture. Her partner maneuvers her seamlessly around the floor, to the somber strains of tango music.
It may not be as popular as hip-hop, but ballet, assures Margie Moran Floirendo, remains very much alive and in demand. As president of the long-standing premier dance company Ballet Philippines (BP) for three years, Floirendo has been instrumental in keeping the classical dance form in the consciousness of Filipinos. That’s a tough assignment when [...]
When Ballet Philippines trustee Kathleen Liechtenstein tapped Margie Moran-Floirendo to join her, the former beauty queen-turned-civic leader thought her job as president merely entailed weekly visits. She ended up spending more time making BP more financially viable. Upon joining BP in 2009, Floirendo recalled that the company’s morale was sagging after a series of conflicts [...]
