Ballet Manila Archives

Mar 9

Mar 9 A time to bloom: Artistic associates Gerardo Francisco Jr. and Eileen Lopez look back on the lessons of 2025 as ‘Prima’ season begins

Taking a long view of the situation, the pair is now using their observations to assess the abilities of the dancers and better assist BM artistic director Lisa Macuja Elizalde in managing the company.

Mar 7

Mar 7 Soundbites: ‘Ibong Adarna took flight and soared high without hesitation’

Ballet Manila Archives

Soundbites

“Overall, the Ibong Adarna took flight and soared high without hesitation.”

Mar 5

Mar 5 For soloist Rafael Perez, building good habits is key to staying fit

Ballet Manila Archives

Keeping Fit

He puts forward that being a soloist comes with the awareness that one is inevitably going to be someone whom the younger dancers look up to, “kaya kailangan good example ako lagi.”

Mar 2

Mar 2 ‘The Dawn of Ballet’ revisited

Ballet Manila Archives

Videos

In this clip are photos from the show, highlighting the seamless merging of The Dawn’s percussive sound with Ballet Manila’s artistry and technique.

Feb 27

Feb 27 This Month in BM History: February 2007

Ballet Manila Archives

This Month In BM History

Sergey Vikulov’s three-act Romeo & Juliet which Ballet Manila restaged in February 2007 at Star Theater is Lisa Macuja Elizalde’s favorite among all the versions she had danced of the ballet.

Feb 24

Feb 24 From friends to ‘fifis’: Ballet Manila couple Sean Pelegrin and Pearl Dames ready for more years of love, laughter and dancing

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

Recently engaged principal dancer Jessica Pearl Dames and soloist Sean Pelegrin had been girlfriend and boyfriend even before they joined Ballet Manila in 2015.

Feb 23

Feb 23 Ballet Manila’s ‘Ibong Adarna’ flexes its wings in Dumaguete

Ballet Manila Archives

Features

After winning raves for the purely classical Swan Lake last year, Ballet Manila is all set to return to Dumaguete with its award-winning blockbuster ballet – Ibong Adarna.

Feb 20

Feb 20 Ballet Manila dances with The Dawn

Ballet Manila Archives

Features

The Dawn of Ballet is a special edition of Ballet Manila’s long-running Ballet & Ballads series, a brainchild of Manila Broadcasting Company chairman Fred J. Elizalde.

Feb 19

Feb 19 Philippine-based for 40 years, Lisa Macuja Elizalde celebrates with ‘Prima’ season for Ballet Manila

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

Looking back now, Macuja Elizalde believes everything that has happened in her career was destiny, particularly the detour in 1986 which brought her back to the land where was born and raised – and got her first taste of ballet.

Feb 18

Feb 18 Dance partners for life

Ballet Manila Archives

Videos

In this video, we celebrate Valentines’ month featuring four pairs of BM dancers with relationships that began as partners in dance.

Feb 17

Feb 17 Galloping into the Year of the Horse

Ballet Manila Archives

Features

As we gallop into the Year of the Horse, we revisit a trio of Ballet Manila productions that have featured the equine image and the role it played in each story.

Feb 14

Feb 14 Ballet Manila in Full Color: Red-letter days

Ballet Manila Archives

Features

Ballet Manila is sultry in red.

Feb 12

Feb 12 How company artist Idelle Buhia finally fell in love with ballet

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

This ballerina officially joined Ballet Manila as a company artist when they were in the middle of their preparations for Swan Lake in Dumaguete tour.

Feb 9

Feb 9 Talk About Dance: Zeynep Okcu

Ballet Manila Archives

Talk About Dance

Birds use their wings to fly, because they do not know how to dance.

Feb 3

Feb 3 Putting on weight is soloist Rodney Catubay’s biggest challenge

Ballet Manila Archives

Keeping Fit

Rodney reminds himself that it’s okay to rest and enjoy doing other things.

Jan 31

Jan 31 This Month in BM History: January 2009

Ballet Manila Archives

This Month In BM History

“It was one of our most ambitious projects and we are glad that the gamble paid off,” enthused Ballet Manila artistic director and then principal dancer Lisa Macuja Elizalde.