In her dancing career, prima ballerina and Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde performed four versions of Romeo and Juliet – by Malcolm Burns with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, by Tom Pazik of the Atlanta Ballet and two by People’s Artist of Russia Sergei Vikulov. The fourth version, a three-act retelling of William Shakespeare’s tale of romance and tragedy choreographed on her and co-artistic director Osias Barroso, is the one that has become a constant in Ballet Manila’s repertoire. She performed her final Juliet as part of her Swan Song Series in 2011.

Juliet is a dream role for any ballerina. She is playful and carefree in the beginning but soon evolves into a passionate, obstinate – even desperate – child-woman the minute she falls in love. Dancing Juliet is quite challenging because it is technically demanding while at the same time, emotionally charged. While the character itself is very young, the role requires maturity and precision from the ballerina.

Moreover, Juliet is the sole female lead in a cast dominated by men! All eyes will be on her because she provides that light, fragile yet defining energy amidst all the feuding and swordplay going on around her.

For me, the biggest challenge in dancing Juliet is showing her age from a shy, young teenager to a knowing woman to a human being so desperately in love that she kills herself. I just love exploring the many facets of Juliet: From how she reacts to Romeo’s first touch and their first kiss, to how she pulls open the bottle of potion and drinks the drug that puts her into a deep sleep. And I love dying onstage. I have practiced “dying” so many times and experimented with so many of Life’s last lingering looks. Up to now though, I still can’t decide what happens in correct chronology – is it the closing of the eyes, the last gasp of breath, or is it the slump and relaxing of the hand that grips Romeo in a final embrace?

Top photo: Dancing Juliet, says Lisa Macuja-Elizalde (in a 2007 performance), is technically demanding and emotionally charged. Photo by Ocs Alvarez