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.
Just when Sean Pelegrin thought that his 2023 would return to the usual chill off-season days after doing guestings with dance schools, he gets a career-changing phone call from Ballet Manila’s co-artistic associate Gerardo Francisco Jr. one Thursday morning.
Dancing the lead part in a full-length performance is what Shaira Comeros had been looking forward to since she was promoted to principal artist in late 2022.
Combining romance, humor and magic in one thrilling package, Cinderella returns to Aliw Theater on December 25 to 30, with daily shows starting at 4 p.m.
Even in retirement, The Nutcracker has remained an indelible part of Lisa Macuja-Elizalde’s life. Moreso this year when it has turned out to be a special Nutcracker season for Ballet Manila and the Lisa Macuja School of Ballet, comprised of performances in Taoyuan in Taiwan, and in Manila and in Baguio in the Philippines.
Ballet Manila scholar Juan Angelo De Leon scooped the Youth Grand Prix Award at the Asian Grand Prix International Ballet Competition (AGP) that concluded Saturday evening in Hong Kong.
Dancing makes me see everything clearer and it is a challenge that you make with yourself to keep improving every day. In ballet you are never good enough, you are constantly trying to be better, I love that!
Ballet Manila’s first full-length The Nutcracker, staged at the GSIS Theater in December 1998, was the completion of “another one of life’s full cycles” for then artistic associate and principal dancer – now artistic director – Lisa Macuja-Elizalde.
In this clip is an excerpt of Lata Ang Aming Tambol featuring soloist Anselmo Dictado, and company artists Rodney Catubay, John Carl Concepcion, Alvin Dictado and Raymond Salcedo.
In classical ballet there are certain rules. I can’t be an ordinary contemporary woman. I can only be a princess.
Ballet is not just movement, not simply abstract. It’s something beautiful.
This dancer had the athlete’s reflexes, the muscle mass to lift just about any female partner, and most importantly, the disposition to listen and be obedient towards coaches whose counterparts in ballet are the teachers in the studio and anyone else more experienced than him.
Magical. Entertaining. Funny. These were the items that Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde ticked off her list as she was making the choreography for Cinderella in 2016.
As we celebrate National Poetry Day (November 22), we bring back a poem dedicated to Ballet Manila dancers, pairing it with videos of performances that underscore the meaning behind the lines.
I think most dancers would agree that the art of ballet chooses the dancer, not the other way around.
Ever since Romeo Peralta Jr. decided that he’d like to take ballet more seriously, his teenage self knew that he should be able to do two things well: lifting and partnering.
