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Magandulan: An Original Ballet

Magandulan (ma-GAN-doo-lahn) is about a young woman named Maganda who discovers a tree with the face of a man. She believes this to be the man she is destined to fall in love with, and begins to pray to it daily in hopes that he becomes real. Unbeknownst to her, this infatuation has awakened the attention of a creature known as the Kapre. After she mistakes a sleeping medicine man for an incarnation of the tree, the Kapre becomes jealous and traps their souls within the tree trunk. With the help of various spirits previously captured by the Kapre, Maganda must summon her bravery to free the three captives as well as her beloved.

I chose to explore the relationship between illustration and theater by creating concepts for an original ballet. Using various figures and symbols within Filipino folklore, Magandulan is a humble tale about love, desire, and the encounters between humans and spiritual beings. Accompanied by music from various composers, audiences are placed within the front row of an experience that pays homage to the classical art of dance while developing an appreciation for the beauty of Filipino culture that is rarely ever featured in its repertoire.

Bio

Tristyn Stone is a Filipino-American illustrator and musician based out of Waialua, Hawaii. Her experiences living overseas have heavily influenced the cultures and themes depicted within her work today. After graduating with a BFA in Illustration at Maine College of Art & Design, Tristyn now dedicates her time to working with animals and creating stories. With a love for comics and horses, her narratives explore the odd spaces of love, faith, culture, home, and identity.