The American Ballet Theater (ABT) has always been known for staging diverse dance genres, from classical to modern, some with eclectic scores. In the recent International Dance Day Festival held April 22-26, 2026 at Samsung Performing Arts Theater, which ABT ushered in, we saw a repertoire blast that was performed with such energy and grit that it left the audience in K-pop applause mode, the standing ovation lasting longer than usual.
Again, the performance proved how dancing—its energy and graceful athleticism—is anchored on classical dance techniques. Somehow, it cannot go unnoticed that this is unmistakably attributed to this current generation’s influences, primarily high-speed digital integrations, awareness and initiative-driven characteristics.
The traditional classics La Bayadere pas d’action, The Nutcracker Pas e Deux, the pas de deux from Sylvia, choreographed by the classical masters Marius Petipa, Frederick Ashton and a younger master, Alexei Ratmansky, respectively, maintain the traditional level of energy. However, in this performance, in signature dance phrases, specifically, where the ballerina performed 36 fouettés, it was outstanding how the ballerina hardly moved forward doing multiple single leg turns, from the appointed turning spot, without “travelling,” as it should be move. In many performances, the ballerina’s repeated turns tend to move her forward, eliciting the applause for the feat. In this case, the fouettés were steadily en pointe.
Twyla Tharp’s Cornbread restaged by Kaithlyn Gilliard was interpreted by Kayla Mark and Elijah Geolina. Tharp’s hybrid technique of classical ballet, jazz and modern dance is peppered by American folksy flavor and country music. Tharp choreographed the piece in 2014 to the music of Rhianon Giddons and the Carolina Chocolate Drops at age 74. Her brand of jazz-infused ballet choreography, which she introduced in 1965, was a breakthrough innovation so that even a classical dancer like Mikhail Baryshnikov took pleasure in dancing her early piece, Push Comes To Shove, for a television special, Baryshnikov by Tharp.
Ms. Mark and Mr. Geolina did not disappoint in their interpretation of the fast-paced, intricate, loose-limbed movements characteristic of Tharp’s dance genre. For this number, the costumes were designed by Tharp’s “resident” designer, Santo Loquasto.
A young choreographer and member of ABT, Brady Farrar, at 21, was not intimidated by Frederic Chopin’s Cerulean Skies danced by six company members. Two other young choreographers, Yannick Lebrun and Tiller Peck, gave the classics a “with it” flavor while still respecting the classical genre.
The ABT performance clearly exhibited the current generation’s takeover with their brand of dance execution, so much so that when ABT principal dancers Christine Shevchenko and Thomas Forster took center stage for the pas de deux from The Nutcracker and Sylvia, it was almost like a pleasant breather as we watched the pair execute the classics with their matching long limbs and elegant demeanor.
The International Dance Day Festival featured dance galas—a showcase of genres and performers from all over the country.
Folk dance companies in International Dance Day Festival
The Folk Dance Gala saw “gold standard” performances by some of the country’s leading folk dance companies. We hadn’t watched folk dance shows for a while, and seeing the richness of Philippine culture in the elegant moves and graceful costumes, danced to familiar sympathetic beats, brought back thoughts of nationalistic fervor, the kind of sentimentality that only home-bred tunes and movements could draw—that nostalgia and love for country.
The Ballet Gala’s line-up of dance companies included Ballet Manila, Ballet Philippines, Steps Dance Studio and Alice Reyes Dance Philippines, each living up to expectations.
However, I am always left in awe of Steps Dance Studio, which is composed of very young student dancers, daring to face up to professional companies and certainly coming up to par.
Contemporary dance companies in International Dance Day Festival
The Contemporary Dance Gala featured a variety of conceptual pieces led by forward-thinking choroegraphers: Hiraya Contemporary Dance Company, Daloy Dance Company led by the ever-innovative Ea Torrado, Patrick Rebullida’s Galaw Co, Airdance and Benilde Experimental Dance.
Street dance groups in International Dance Day Festival
Perhaps the ultimate audience-pleasing genre was the Street Dance Gala, for the plain and simple reason that their music was of the foot-stomping variety, the choreography a mix of dance, athletics and gymnastics. The members of each dance company were livewires, dancing in unison, syncopation, backbeat, cross-rhythm and more. This genre truly defines the length and breadth of where dance has arrived today. Outstanding amog these groups were Unrlvd, W3, Mixed Nuts and Eleven 11.
The International Dance Day Festival has always been a week of smiles and continuous applause, proving the saying that truly, “dance is life”….and beyond.
