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.
Le Corsaire has a special place in the history of Ballet Manila. The company was the first to perform the full-length Russian classic in Southeast Asia in 1998.
While talented and determined to put in the hours, this ballet-loving teenager never expected to take home the prestigious award in December 2023.
Aside from Lisa Macuja-Elizalde’s real-life story, also fascinating is his account of how her scholar Jessa Balote emerged from the slums to become a professional ballerina with BM.
Ballet is created on beautiful lines and shapes. If what you hear and what you see mesh, there's a very thrilling experience.
In this slideshow, Cinderella is revisited through over 80 photographs capturing the highlights of the fairytale romance, along with the hilarious moments with Cinderella’s stepfamily as well.
John Balagot is no stranger to dancing on stages outside the Philippines. Before
Ballet Manila had reason to celebrate in 2023, as it was the year the company was finally able to stage a full season again – live and in the theater – after a three-year drought caused by the pandemic and the loss of its performance venue and home, Aliw Theater, to a fire in 2019.
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.
