He started out as a young protégé of ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and was a pioneer member of her new company, Ballet Manila (BM), when it was launched in 1995. Twenty years later, Christopher Mohnani exchanged his leotards and tights for a business suit.
He is now the executive director whose task is unprecedented in the company’s history: to set a firm footing both financially and artistically for BM’s future.
In an interview with Inquirer Lifestyle, Mohnani, 39, expressed his enthusiasm on the challenge of establishing structure and order to a company that was run informally like a mom-and-pop operation for two decades.
BM began as an idealistic bunch of 12 kids eager to perform regardless of income. The company’s vision was “ballet for the dancers and by the dancers.” Hence, most of the earnings went to the dancers’ fees while the modest balance was set aside for organization.
Over time, BM ballooned into a formidable company with 60 dancers, built a repertoire that included works of top international choreographers, and collaborated with foreign companies and guest artists. Still, the company’s finances have been dependent on the generosity of Macuja-Elizalde’s husband, Fred Elizalde, aside from corporate sponsorships and ticket sales.
Macuja-Elizalde, BM artistic director, and Mohnani envision the company to be run like a professional arts organization like those in developed countries. The plan also includes the “redevelopment” of the BM headquarters in Pasay City with more offices, a reception area and a new studio.
“It’s not going to be easy,” said Mohnani on BM’s restructuring. “The company was able to last for 20 years but what it’s been doing is not applicable anymore. Times have changed and circumstances are different now. We’re not going to entirely discard the system. We are going to add on to move forward.”
Daily grind
Mohnani knows whereof he speaks. American choreographer Paul Vasterling, artistic director and CEO of Nashville Ballet, had set “Dracula” for BM and cast him in the title role. Impressed with Mohnani’s dramatic gifts and impeccable technique, Vasterling invited him to his company in Tennessee.
In 2001 Mohnani left BM and his law studies at Arellano University to join Nashville Ballet.
After 10 seasons, Mohnani, weary of the daily grind, retired in 2009 while he was still at the peak of his career as a principal dancer. With his earnings, he finished his law studies. But instead of taking the bar exams, he took up courses on performing arts management.
His contacts from Nashville Ballet helped him put up funds for a school and eventually a small company, Dance Theatre of Tennessee (DTT), in 2009.
With an ensemble of 12 full-time dancers and eight artists who were paid per performance, DTT stirred up interest in dance in the community. Mohnani followed BM’s model of performing in schools and public spaces and pioneered Ballet in the Park.
Aside from being artistic director, CEO and ballet master, Mohnani wrote proposals for grants and sponsorships and promoted DTT. From a budget of zero, he raised $250,000 in 18 months to run it. DTT attracted such big-time supporters as Bridgestone tire manufacturer and plane maker Boeing.
Crash course
Despite DTT’s artistic impact in Nashville, it folded up after five seasons due to America’s economic crisis and donor fatigue.
Mohnani was set to take up a job as artistic director for a company in Connecticut when Macuja-Elizalde told him of her vision of restructuring BM to make it self-sustaining.
“Lisa wanted to professionalize the company. She was already working with a consultant who mapped out a plan which needed an executive director to head the reorganization. She didn’t want to do it. She wanted to be the artistic director,” said Mohnani.
Before returning to Manila, he took a crash course with Vasterling on running a bigger company. For one, BM needed an organizational chart and job descriptions. “People should know not only their places but they must learn accountability,” said Mohnani. “There is now a hierarchy. In the past, everybody went to Lisa. When she starts dancing, everybody starts to decide on their own. It ends up with an organization where everybody is a decision maker but there is no coherent structure.”
Handbook
BM needed a handbook to communicate workplace policies and contracts to provide legal protection for both BM and the dancers and standardization of fees based on performances.
For so long, dancers worked with flexible performance schedules and were paid per show. It was wonderful in December when they did several shows a day for Star City’s holiday programs. However, it left them with meager earnings during the first quarter of the season with only a couple of shows in February.
Standardization
Mohnani is applying the international standards where dancers sign contracts indicating their salaries according to the set number of performances, and additional fees for extra shows. They will be paid according to the length tenure and merits not simply because of their title.
As in most companies, dancers will undergo employee evaluation with Macuja-Elizalde and associate artistic director Osias Barroso. They are also faced with the tough job of whittling the number of dancers to streamline its operations.
Then the shows will be carefully planned to give dancers time to prepare and promote the show. “It’s about planning the season ahead of time instead of thinking about doing a show a month before,” said Mohnani.
He pointed out that BM’s strength lies in the artistic product, the dancers. “But it can be better if it was a support system that is as great as the artistic product. Now I have to push it so that the backbone of the organization and artistic side are supported.”
Focus needed
The plan involves making the staff focus on their specialization instead of multitasking and hiring in-house professionals such as a development director, human resources manager, a public relations officer and a marketing team.
Previously, BM could use its theaters anytime. Now has to apply for request forms and pay utility bills and overtime for the Elizalde-owned Aliw and Star theatres. “Even the theater has to make money,” Mohnani said.
Social media awareness
To raise BM’s public profile, Mohnani beefed up its social media platform. Last season, he produced short promotional videos of “Swan Lake” which featured the three leads in rehearsal sharing their insights on Odette/Odile.
The videos not only garnered 6,000 views but the program attracted the largest audience in its season outside of Macuja-Elizalde’s 50th birthday show, “Gold.”
For BM’s 20th anniversary, Mohnani promises a trimmer organization with a more programming and community involvement. “It will be streamlined so that the organization can focus on developing the number of male and female dancers. The contracts will help them realize that the jobs can sustain them…”
With bullish marketing efforts, BM will be more visible not only during performance time. It will offer master classes and workshops with guest artists.
“BM will be active all year round, not just when it has a show,” Mohnani said. “We will reach out to the community instead of being exclusive. Ballet Manila will be opening up. As a performing arts organization, that’s what your core should be. You need to open up because you are offering your art to the people.”