Anna Pavlova, Live in Manila!: The Globalization of Ballet and its Localization in the Philippines

Abstract

Anna Pavlova was the first ballerina to tour the world, effectively globalizing ballet and transforming it from a European/Russian art form into a universal one. The places that she performed in, exotic, war-torn or on the brink of a civil revolt, with either unbearably hot or achingly cold climates, all received her differently, according to the local culture, affecting the ballerina as much as she had an effect on the people who came to see her dance. In most places, such as Cuba, Argentina, the US, Australia, and the Philippines, Pavlova had inspired the localization of ballet in their respective cultures, where appropriation had turned into tradition. This paper looks at how Anna Pavlova accomplished the globalization of ballet as a universal art form, and how it had successfully embedded itself as a local tradition in several countries, specifically in the Philippines, where there exist three professional ballet companies that are still currently active. This paper analyzes Pavlova’s contribution using the concepts of globalization, culture contact, and localization or indigenization.