By Meg Prado
Being part of the Philippine Ballet Theatre’s 2025 U.S. tour of Sarimanok was an honor and a dream come true.
The company began its annual U.S. tours in 2019 and resumed them in 2022. This year marked my first as a company apprentice, and I could hardly believe it was real. Flying to New York, Florida, Oregon, and Los Angeles felt beyond anything I had imagined as a ballet dancer. My younger self would have been astonished to know she would one day perform in such renowned cities.
We performed Sarimanok, an original ballet inspired by a Mindanaoan myth about a legendary bird that symbolizes prosperity and abundance. Each performance moved me deeply, especially as audiences, Filipino and non-Filipino alike, responded with pride and joy at seeing our culture, dance, and artistry on stage.
Our shows at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, and Royce Hall at UCLA brought us warm and enthusiastic crowds. The Filipino community, in particular, welcomed us with open arms, grateful for a chance to reconnect with their roots. Between rehearsals and performances, the company explored each city with a sense of wonder and gratitude. It was surreal to live out dreams that once felt distant and unreachable.
I am proud to have represented the Philippines with the Philippine Ballet Theatre and to have shared our heritage and passion with audiences on the other side of the world.
Meg Prado is a first-year BA Humanities student and a Company Apprentice of the Philippine Ballet Theatre.
Leave a Reply