In Their Own Words: Lisa Macuja-Elizalde on performing Giselle
In their own words, the artists of Ballet Manila share their thoughts and experiences on not merely surviving but flourishing in the very challenging world of dance. This series is a collection of personal anecdotes, as well as words of wisdom that can be heartwarming, funny or dramatic, but always inspiring regardless of what field one is pursuing.
I only understood how to dance Giselle maybe after my tenth or twelfth time of dancing the role. Because before, when I danced Giselle… first of all, I had never had my heart broken so I couldn’t really relate to going mad from a broken heart.
Second, Act 2 is very, very calm with very stretchy poses so it was a challenge for me to dance her, although I had the lightness that was required of the role of a ghost. And I had the speed and I had the jump for Giselle but it took a while before I had her heart.
But I grew to love the role because after all of the experiences dancing her and the coaching, I learned how to express her especially in Act 2. Giselle was a role I performed again and again and never got tired of because there are just so many different ways of interpreting her. It’s just the same as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. There are so many ways of interpreting the role that you can perform it a hundred or two hundred times and you will have a new discovery each time you’re on stage in that role.
Top photo: In 1986, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde performed Giselle with the Kirov Ballet opposite Ravil Bagautdinov. Photo from the Ballet Manila Archives collection
Lisa Macuja-Elizalde performed her last Giselle in 2012 as part of her Swan Song Series. Photo by Jojo Mamangun
