Soundbites: ‘Our thrust is, and will always be, ballet for the people’
Ballet Manila was a newsmaker from the very beginning. Over the years, as it grew and reached milestones, it has been the subject of countless stories in media. With the company celebrating its Pearl Anniversary in 2025, we mine the Archives for published tidbits describing moments from its 30-year history, as spoken by its own leaders and dancers or as said by those writing about them.
Ballet Manila’s first official photograph: Artistic director Eric V. Cruz surrounded by the Pioneer 12 led by principal dancers Lisa Macuja (seated to his left) and Osias Barroso Jr. (standing behind him, in white). Completing the group are: (counter-clockwise from bottom left) Pamela Asprer, Elline Damian, Sandralynn Huang, Kristine Dabao, Ianne Damian, Eduardo Espejo, Jeffrey Espejo, Christopher Mohnani, Eileen Lopez, and Aileen Gallinera. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
“We’re only a month old, but what an exciting, fulfilling month it has been. This early, we are already faced with the challenge of representing our country in the Second International Music Festival of the Asia-Pacific Region to be held in Russia this July. We’re going to be bringing ballet down South to Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat, where they’ve probably never seen professional dancers before. We may dance for soldiers at the AFP camp soon… Who can say what will happen next? Our thrust is, and will always be, ballet for the people.”
—LISA MACUJA
Principal dancer
February 9, 1995
Ballet Manila takes wing
Malaya