𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐁𝐀𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐎 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐒 𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐌𝐍𝐋 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐗

BONIFACIO GLOBAL CITY, September 02, 2026 - Ballet Baguio brought home an impressive collection of honors at the 2026 MNL Dance Prix, earning two Gold Medals, one Silver Medal, two Bronze Medals, the Best Classical Ballet Ensemble title, and two Outstanding Teacher Awards.

Held over four days in Bonifacio Global City, the prestigious competition gathered more than a thousand dancers representing dance schools from across the country.

“JUNE” NAMED BEST CLASSICAL BALLET ENSEMBLE

Leading Ballet Baguio’s triumph was “June,” a classical ballet ensemble celebrating the romance, elegance, and charm of the June bride.

Choreographed by Ballet Baguio Artistic Director Jacqueline Go Ramon, the piece also pays tribute to Baguio City as a beloved wedding destination, capturing the city’s timeless charm as a beautiful setting for love and new beginnings.

“June” was awarded Best Classical Ballet Ensemble (Overall) and 1st Place in the Senior B Classical Ensemble Category, earning a Gold Medal.

The piece features Ballet Baguio dancers Phoeboa Buen, Keri Villegas, Janelle Mestito, Quisha Babas, Angellyn Lorenzo, Lara Namoca, and Yesha Alimondo.

The achievement adds to Ramon’s recent recognition as a choreographer. In June, she was named recipient of the Tony Fabella Emerging Choreographer Award at the ABAP Emerging Choreographer’s Competition.

𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐀𝐋𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐎 𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

Ballet Baguio also celebrated outstanding achievements in the Classical Solo divisions.

Jiyana Viel Audrei Maymaya, 16, a student of the University of Baguio Science High School, captured the Gold Medal in the Senior A Classical Solo Category with her performance of the Kitri Wedding Variation from Don Quixote.

Her achievement also earned her a scholarship to the ABAP International Dance Competition 2027.

Making her debut as a solo competitor, Theona Amira Subala, 17, a student of Small World Christian School Foundation, earned the Silver Medal in the Senior A Classical Solo Category for her performance of the Cupid Variation from Don Quixote.

In the Senior B Classical Solo Category, Ballet Baguio secured two Bronze Medals. Keri Kasandra Villegas was recognized for her performance of the 2nd Shade Variation from La Bayadère, while Lara Annika Paula Namoca earned a Bronze Medal for her rendition of the Medora Variation from Act III of Le Corsaire.

𝐀 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐄

Ballet Baguio was also set to compete in the Contemporary Ensemble Category on August 31 with “Sleepless,” choreographed by Gab Alinio.

The piece had been awarded a scholarship to compete at the MNL Dance Prix during the ABAP Emerging Choreographer’s Competition in June.

Unfortunately, the group was unable to make it to the competition due to weather conditions and severe traffic along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). The Ballet Baguio contingent was reportedly stuck in traffic for seven hours before deciding to return to Baguio.

Reflecting on the experience, Ballet Baguio Artistic Director Jacqueline Go Ramon said:

“𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 2026 𝘔𝘕𝘓 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘹 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘉𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 1,000 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘺. 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘜𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺, 𝘥𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘰𝘯 𝘕𝘓𝘌𝘟, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘌𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘰 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺’𝘴 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘕𝘓 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘹.”

Despite missing their scheduled performance, the dancers and creative team remain proud of having been selected to participate in the prestigious competition.