The Ballet Manila Archives is the repository of documents, print, photographic, audio and video materials and memorabilia relating to the history of Ballet Manila and the life and career of its founder, prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde. This site is powered by Ms. Elizalde and Project Art, Inc.
Dance helps us dream bigger dreams and understand our connectedness. When we close our eyes and dream, we are all brothers.
“Doon ko nare-realize na kailangan kong tumayo ulit at lumaban.”
“I was never really supposed to be in ballet,” says Ballet Manila apprentice Maxeene Castillo.
On June 11, 1998, the eve of the Philippine Centennial, Ballet Manila joined eight other companies in a show to cap an unprecendented six-week, 100-performance series.
The Ballet Manila Archives shares the article in full in memory of Mrs. Radaic, an institution in Philippine dance and a teacher to generations of ballet artists, who passed away on June 2, 2026.
In celebration of Father’s Day, we focus the spotlight on three dads of differing temperaments who have graced the Ballet Manila stage.
What Shamira is trying to stitch together is the duality to Paquita – a person who enjoys dancing with Iñigo’s traveling group but at the same time feels she doesn’t quite belong.
After his full-length debut as Prince Désiré in the return of Lisa Macuja Elizalde’s Sleeping Beauty last March, soloist Jos David Andes has been preparing for his next major role: Lucien in Paquita.
Keisha’s decision to move from Jakarta to Manila had been an easy one.
We caught up with the artistic director at the press launch of Paquita and asked her to flesh out the elements that make this ballet a must-watch.
We look back on three such gems – choreographies that are as iconic to Tito Tony as they are to Ballet Manila.
Asked what particular element about the making of Paquita she finds fun, Abi points to being able to present her own version of playful.
Since Iñigo is very nuanced character, Mark is conscious about not turning him into a typical villain, who just spends a lot of time disrupting the lovers in a story.
With opening night drawing near, Lisa is thrilled to be sharing the ballet that has been keeping her on her toes since March.
In this clip from The Legends and the Classics Encore (2013), Lisa danced as Paquita for the last time with her then dance partner, principal artist Rudy De Dios.
“Parati lang niyang sinasabi sa akin na once binigyan ka ng opportunity, i-grab mo po talaga ’yon.”
