Movement has always been central to ballet, but in Ballet Philippines’ Paglalakbay: The Journey of the Sea People, it carries a different weight. Premiering April 10–12, 2026 at The Theatre at Solaire, the company’s new full-length work turns to one of the region’s oldest narratives: the Austronesian migration, and the long passage toward what is now the Philippines. Choreographed by Artistic Director Mikhail Martynyuk, with a libretto by Sheree Chua, the piece traces the journey of early sea-faring communities as they move toward Batanes, the northernmost islands of the country. Rather than rely on literal imagery, Martynyuk builds a movement language shaped by environment—by wind, terrain, and the open line of the sea. What emerges is less a linear narrative than a sustained act of returning. In Paglalakbay, the past travels with the dancers, carried in shifts of balance and repetition of gesture. Light and scenography extend this idea, creating..
