The elements of Carlo Calma’s masterpiece presented in unison will be a sight to behold. Ballet Philippines welcomes both new and regular audiences to see this and looks forward to the conversations and exchanges it will surely inspire afterwards.

Text and images courtesy of Tedrick Yau
March 15, 2023

Set in the mythical world of Philippine gods and goddesses, Carlo Calma’s DIYOSA is Ballet Philippine’s latest original production that juxtaposes elements from our rich culture with a call to action on the global environmental crisis. 

Choreographed by Ballet Philippines’ Artistic Director Mikhail Martynyuk, DIYOSA takes audiences on an unique sensorial journey where dance, design, fashion, electronic music, and art come together to inspire future generations. In the realm created by Carlo Calma, “the gods and goddess are reinterpreted as elements in architecture—creating these metaphysical worlds.”

Calma’s libretto takes place in a dreamy, mythical world not typically found in physical spaces and linear time frames. It follows a sensory journey towards humankind’s awakening and metamorphosis. Integrating culture, history, myth, legend and Filipino humor, DIYOSA sparks a new conversation on sustainability that endeavors to remain relevant throughout the ages. 

In the adaptation, Philippine gods and goddesses are characterized through distinctive elements of local life—sunrise in the countryside, crowded alleys, the chorus of tricycles and jeepneys, just to name a few. In interpreting Calma’s concept of modern day deities on stage, Martynyuk shares a precise picture of how every god or goddess moves. He shares, “The concept of gods and goddesses in this ballet is very abstract. In Diyosa, we want to modernize our experience of a god or goddess. So, we had to create a dance for each character. This performance will see a fresh new combination of classical, neo classical and modern dance styles.”

In the DIYOSA universe, dance, art, design, architecture, digital projections, and fashion move in unison to send a clear message about climate change. The performance also highlights new and never-before-seen methods for bringing characters and story lines to life. Sequences follow stages of a dream where gods and goddess transport take on both the human and abstract form.

The elements of Carlo Calma’s masterpiece presented in unison will be a sight to behold. Ballet Philippines welcomes both new and regular audiences to see this and looks forward to the conversations and exchanges it will surely inspire afterwards.

Carlo Calma’s Diyosa by Ballet Philippines will make its debut on April 14, Friday at the Theatre at Solaire at 8:00PM with shows on April 15 and 16 at 2pm and 7pm. Purchase tickets at https://www.ballet.ph/diyosa/