Maniya Barredo is the first and youngest prima ballerina of her country, the Philippines. A prima ballerina is a female dancer in chief, usually known to be the best within their companies and chosen to be the leading role. As a Filipino, I wanted to focus on someone who also has the same background as me. I chose Maniya Barredo because I was very inspired to learn that someone who was from a small country, small town, and had very little, she was able to receive recognition and opportunities that are life changing, all because of her talent. She wasn’t born with a stable financial life or anyone that could give her shortcuts to become what she’s always dreamed of, a successful ballet dancer. However, with her mindset and goals, she paved her way through in order to become and live the life she’s living today. I was even more inspired to learn that once she accepted the opportunities she received, she chose not to live out the “American” dream she could have. Instead, she chose to live on the bare minimum. This way, she was able to support and provide for her family back home, as they were watching her dreams come true. (Photo to the left, Maniya Barredo in one of her popular performances, as Black Swan, taken by unknown photographer)
(Video of Maniya Barredo, variations of her performing both as the White Swan and Black Swan.)
Barredo was born and raised in the Philippines. She was the fourth child born out of eight children. Around family and friends she was known as “Honey”. When Barredo was three years old, she was inspired and interested in dancing as she would watch her older sister perform, along with the fact that her mother was also a dancer growing up. With seven other siblings, her family had a rough time with money. According to, “Tiny Dancer,” by Gale O’neill, he stated, “Everyone in the family saw themselves as part of the solution..”. At a young age, Barredo and her siblings had to learn to take responsibilities and pull strings to keep their families financial life stable. At the age of four, 1955, Barredo began to take lessons through her aunt. As she continued to dance throughout her childhood, she paved her way to star in a small children’s show, which was filmed in the Philippines. During this time, she wasn’t making much as a nine year old, however, she was able to use this in order to be part of the solution in providing for her and her siblings school tuition, along with other basic needs. She continued to train with her aunt until 1970, at the age of nineteen, she was offered a scholarship to attend Joffrey Ballet. Barredo had to move to a foreign country, a big city, New York to be exact, which wasn’t easy, as she stated in an article called, “Maniya Barredo, the Prima Ballerina of the Philippines, reflects on her Past 60 Years in Ballet,” by Summer Evans, they said, “She lived on the bare minimum while attending school, in order to send money back to her family in the Philippines.” Even though she received a scholarship to move to a foreign country to become professional, and she was given an opportunity that can give her a life she never thought she could have, she always put her family first, and made sure to give back to them. (Photo on the top right, taken by a family member, in Manila, Philippines, Barredo at the age of seven)
Once Barredo was finished with Joffrey Ballet school, about three years later, she was given the opportunity of her first dance job, which was with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. She became a resident with this company for about four years, until, in 1976, the artistic director of Atlanta Ballet watched her perform in the Swan Lake, where she then left Les Grands Ballet Canadiens and began a relationship with Atlanta Ballet. Barredo was a part of Atlanta Ballet for about twenty years. According to a periodical review, by the MetroPolitian Ballet Theatre, “ … dance with Mikhail Baryshnikov, has been the only dancer outside New York and Europe invited to tour with the stars of world ballet…”. She received many opportunities with Atlanta Ballet, and that is where she was really starting to have a name for herself. During Barredo’s years of performing, she’s done Giselle, Swan Lake, the Nutcracker, Raymonda, etc. With Atlanta Ballet, she was able to travel to different places around the world, as people were in awe of her talent on stage. While she no longer performs, she isn’t done dancing. She still enjoys dancing on her own and living with her husband and horses in North Georgia. She retired from Atlanta Ballet after years of performing with them, and she then started and opened the Metropolitan Dance Theatre, which is still running today. She now trains young dancers who are dedicated in what they do and hope to become professional ballet dancers. (Photo above to the left, Philippine Ballet Theatre public photo, 2004, unknown photographer, Maniya Barredo and Osias Barroso, rehearsing as Juliet and Romeo.) (13 years ago, Maniya Barredo as Juliet and Nonoy Frolian as Romeo, performing Romeo and Juliet)
With all of Barredo’s success as a professional dancer, an interesting fact I found was from a book called, “Treading Through 45 Years of Philippine Dance,” by Basillo Esteban S. Villaruz. It stated that, “No one has ever before sold out the house with an unscheduled performance, and to think it was held by the ungodly hour of eleven in the morning.” This performance was when Barredo was on tour and had a show back home, in the Philippines. This interests me because it’s crazy to think how proud her country must be for her, to have made it that far. It also shows how much support Filipinos have and carry for each other. Another interesting fact was that Maniya was originally named after the capital of the Philippines, which is Manila. However, when she went to New York to study with Joffrey Ballet, Robert Joffrey decided to call her Maniya, which she then decided to switch. Barredo grew up, with choice, to train and become what she is today. Once she retired, she decided to be more outdoors, rather than constantly being inside and training every hour of the day. With her husband, she owns three horses, and enjoys being outside and in nature where she lives today. (Photo above to the right, taken by Keiko Guest, Maniya Barredo alongside one of three horses, Elwood.)
(Maniya Barredo performing Sleeping Beauty, one of her many popular roles/performances.)
While Maniya Barredo is now a ballet teacher, enjoying her outdoor life in Georgia, I believe people who learn her story will always be inspired. She went from having so little, to breaking barriers all because of her talent and dedication. As a Filipino, she’s set records and been the first of many, especially within the ballet dancing field. I chose this dancer mainly because I focused on the idea that she is a Filipino, but also, I’ve been inspired after learning how much family means to her. At nineteen, where she could have chosen to live the American dream life, she chose to take a step back in order to provide for her family. Despite the fact that she took a step back, she was still just as dedicated and motivated to work hard and strive for her dream of becoming the professional she is today. (Photo above, to the left, taken by Emily Canter-Amthor, Maniya Barredo, at her studio training young ballet dancers.)
Works Cited:
Basilio Esteban S. Villaruz. "Trending Through 45 Years of Philippine Dance,"
Comments
Post a Comment