Ballet Philippines to perform in Doha

The Philippine Embassy in Doha, in coordination with Katara Cultural Village, is organising a performance of Ballet Philippines’ “Master Pieces: Celebrating the Tapestry of Filipino Culture & Friendship” on August 12 at Katara’s Drama Theatre.“Master Pieces” presents a collection of Ballet Philippines’ acclaimed works created and performed throughout its 46-year history.As a testament to the company’s versatility, the works are an assortment of classical ballets, neo-classical works, modern and contemporary dance pieces, and excerpts from full-length modern and classical ballets.Bringing this widely toured show to select countries in the Middle East presents a tapestry of culture and friendship, from which both nations can find commonalities and understanding through dance, according to the embassy. Ballet Philippines was founded in 1969 and is widely recognised today as a cornerstone of the Filipino cultural identity.Its official school, the Cultural Centre of the Philippines (CCP) Dance School, continues to produce dancers of international calibre.As the dance company in residence at CCP, Ballet Philippines is globally recognised as the country’s flagship company in ballet and contemporary dance.“This by-invitation performance of Ballet Philippines is a recognition of the key role of cultural diplomacy as an important pillar of Philippine foreign policy. We strive to present a different side to Philippine artistry for a largely Middle Eastern audience,” Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Wilfredo C Santos said.The event is expected to be attended by prominent members of the Qatari society both from the government and private sector, diplomatic corps, and selected members of the Filipino community.This Middle East tour of Ballet Philippines will have them perform in Qatar, Jordan, UAE and Bahrain.