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.
San Francisco Ballet principal artist Esteban Hernandez got on a plane that took him halfway across the globe and, upon reaching the Philippines, was pleasantly surprised to find himself feeling like he was back in Guadalajara, Mexico where he was born and raised and first dreamt of becoming a ballet dancer at age 7.
In this clip from 2010, the entire corps of Ballet Manila opens Pistang Pinoy with a dance highlighting assorted Filipino games – from luksong baka to bato-bato-pik.
With the performance dates of Don Quixote coming up, the two are living for every rehearsal, hoping to make everyone fall in love with the passionate couple known as Mercedes and Espada.
To celebrate Mother’s Day today, we asked seven Ballet Manila artists to talk about the most important female figure in their lives growing up.
Much of a ballerina’s life has to do with being able to adapt to changes, and this seems to be what principal dancer Jasmine Pia Dames has been experiencing this performance season.
If there is one thing that Ballet Manila principal dancer Mark Sumaylo cannot resist, it is the crackling sound of deep-fried pork beckoning him to eat.
With just three weeks to go before opening night, rehearsals are intensifying in Ballet Manila’s Studio 1 with artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde at the helm.
The use of fans definitely adds to that Spanish verve in Don Quixote.
In keeping with the festive tradition known as Flores de Mayo, we remember the moments when flowers appeared on the Ballet Manila stage – propelling the story along, underscoring key themes or simply livening up the scene, making each show bloom with limitless possibilities.
In this clip, the kind and hardworking Rodrigo is BM principal dancer Gerardo Francisco Jr. while the oppressive Ahab is played by soloist John Ralp Balagot. Here, we see Rodrigo toiling for months only to be paid a tiny fraction of what he should have earned.
As we celebrate International Dance Day, we pay tribute to every single dancer who went on stage and performed their part to the best of their abilities in Ballet Manila’s productions over the years. In this clip are excerpts from the company’s productions of Giselle, Swan Lake and Don Quixote featuring scenes that highlight the beauty of the ballet and the alchemists – all the dancers moving in harmony – who make the magic happen.
In the original Marius Petipa choreography, the scene known as The Dream showed Don Quixote in his shining armor fighting monsters, including a giant spider.
An ally to Ballet Manila since it debuted in 1995, the Friends for Cultural Concerns of the Philippines (FCCP) chose to feature the company in a cocktail musical called Artists & Friends on April 29, 2004 that celebrated the group’s 25th anniversary.
Discover the many roles of Anselmo Dictado, soloist of Ballet Manila.
Don Quixote has many exhilarating highlights. One ballet move that is most associated with it is the fish dive.
In this clip, BM ballet mistress Eileen Lopez partners with Harold Salgado as the old couple, with Anna Kateri Gelvoria, Zaira Cosico and Mylene Aggabao as the three sisters, and Alvin Santos as Pedro.
Realizing that ballet opened up so many opportunities for him, Alvin chose to continue his training, even when some studio days involved a lot of mistakes and shouting of corrections from mentors.
Marius Petipa’s Don Quixote (1869) represents the choreographer’s knowledge of Spanish dance and culture which he gleaned from three years spent in Spain.
