Movement to Memory: Ballet Philippines’ “Paglalakbay” This Weekend

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 a visual field that suggests wind and earth.

“We wanted the stage design to emulate the key visuals and movement of the Batanes landscape — waves crashing on the shore, jagged rock beaches, wild winds hitting the grass eroding soil from cliffs,” says Filipino contemporary fine artist Leeroy New, Production Designer of the ballet. 

Expect the staging to echo present Filipino life, tracing long histories of migration to the more immediate patterns of departure and return for our fellow countrymen.

Tickets are available by filling out this form, at Ticketworld, through the box office at the Solaire Theater, Level 2, or through Ballet Philippines at +639063723393 or +639692828308