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.
Retiré Passe describes a position where the working leg is bent and turned out with the knee facing to the side.
To say that the world’s most romantic ballet classic has become a company staple is an understatement. After all, Ballet Manila has performed Swan Lake as part of its repertoire in eleven of its 22 seasons so far.
With Ballet Manila’s numerous engagements leading up to its Swan Lake show dates, it’s easy to picture Jonathan Janolo and Eileen Lopez fidgeting around, wondering how they would be able to put together all the elements of this ever-demanding ballet classic. But such is not the case!
It will be a sentimental return to Russia for Lisa Macuja-Elizalde as she heads the Philippine delegation participating in Days of Philippine Culture in Russia, with shows being held at Theater Russkaya Pesnya Moscow State Folklore Theater in Moscow on September 27 and at Kolizey Theatre in St. Petersburg on September 29.
Ballet Manila received a silver prize for Gerardo Francisco’s Muro-Ami and the Best Dance Artist award for Nicole Barroso in the International Dance Festival 2017 held in Ninh Binh Province, Vietnam.
Swan Lake “bombed” when it was first presented at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow on March 4, 1877.
It was a role she was repeatedly told was not meant for her. But like her entire career, prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde proved the ballet world wrong.
The Filipino film Muro-Ami made a big impression on Gerardo Francisco when he saw it on the big screen in 1999.
Ballet Manila brings back one of the world’s most enduring classical tales, the four-act Swan Lake, as the second offering in its 22nd performance season dubbed Flights of Fantasy.
When Ballet Manila first performed the classical warhorse that is Swan Lake, it had to “import” a Russian company to make a full cast.
Ballet Manila is headed to Vietnam to participate in the Vietnam International Dance Festival to be held from September 15 to 23 in Ninh Binh Province.
For Marinette Franco, High Strung accurately captures the challenges of being a ballet dancer – how hard it is to get in, to maintain what one has and to do everything just to be able to do what one loves.
Living up to its foundation as a touring company, Ballet Manila managed to hold two performance tours to Mindanao in its first year.
After the last applause, final cheer, and ultimate curtain call, Ballet Manila brings to a close its first offering for the 22nd performance season, Gerardo Francisco's Ibong Adarna.
No matter how many times she’s done it, stepping on stage still brings jitters to Gia Macuja-Atchison.
Just two years old, Ballet Manila decided to field seven soloists to the 6th Asian Pacific International Ballet Competition held from August 13 to 17, 1997 in Tokyo, Japan.
We rediscover this beloved Filipino classic tale in this excerpt featuring that memorable scene with principal dancer Rudy De Dios as Don Juan attempting to capture soloist Abigail Oliveiro as Ibong Adarna
More known by his nickname “Elmoe,” this ever-smiling Ballet Manila soloist performs so effortlessly that one would think that he’s been dancing ballet all his life. But the truth is the subject only entered ballet when he was 18.
