Project Ballet Futures makes much-awaited comeback with 30 scholars
Teacher Marinette Franco (right side) helps conduct the final auditions, along with Teacher Sofie Sangco-Peralta, as school director Lisa Macuja Elizalde assesses the students.
Thirty young students – 21 girls and nine boys – have taken their first steps towards a possible career in dance.
After conducting final auditions on March 28 with chosen participants from three public schools, the Lisa Macuja School of Ballet has welcomed a new batch of Project Ballet Scholars (PBF) who, in the future, may just become ballerinas and danseurs of Ballet Manila.
Lisa Macuja Elizalde and Sofia Sangco-Peralta (center, back) welcome Batch 2025 of Project Ballet Futures, consisting of 21 girls and 9 boys.
Lisa Macuja Elizalde, school director and artistic director of Ballet Manila, said resuming the PBF program was a much-awaited development as it had been sidelined the past few years due to the pandemic and the fire that affected school and company operations.
“It was definitely time to bring it back. Our past PBF scholars are already apprentices in the company and we needed to start training anew. After the pandemic and reopening, the time was right,” Macuja Elizalde said.
Initial auditions were held in three public elementary schools in the vicinity of Ballet Manila’s studios in Pasay City. At the Andres Bonifacio Elementary School and Padre Zamora Elementary School, Sofia Sangco Peralta and Rissa May Camaclang – LMSB assistant to the directress and BM soloist, respectively – conducted the auditions. At Gotamco Elementary School, Macuja Elizalde joined Teacher Sofie in holding the auditions.
After being assessed for their physical qualities and for their potential, a total of 75 students from the three schools were chosen to move on to the final auditions. Only 52 students, however, showed up at Studio 1 for the next step in the process. The 30 scholars were then chosen from that number.
At Gotamco Elementary School, Teacher Lisa supervises as students get instructions from Teacher Sofie.
PBF’s Batch 2025 is composed of: Princess Adante, Jade Alabata, Elina Banawa, Eve Boyles, Franchezka Briones, Reinne Maurice Dela Cruz, Jenna Escopete, Eljane Farena, Hailey Gele, Khallly Marie Hernandez, Rayne Angeline Kok, Carlyn Rose Llaneta, Andrea Mae Marfe, Hyuna Euthkhia Mendoza, Sofia Kate Pacheco, Janine Peralta, Macy Marie Pita, Amiah Ponciano, Sophia Kryshna Racines, Alexa Andrea Sabrido, Desiry Samson, Suniel Caranguin, Tony Donaire, Tyrone James Elanga, Enrique Marshall Lopez, Julio James Pabit, Dave Albert Palacio, Paul Roquiz, Sky Sebastian Serafico and Francis Andrei Umali.
The scholars are expected to attend ballet classes and undergo training from April 22 to June 28 as their first introduction to the Russian Vaganova method of ballet.
“My hope is that many of them will stick to the program and get strong and good. We always start with more than 30 scholars in the past and quite often end up with four to five professional dancers after five to six years. So I just hope that the most talented and hardworking and deserving of these scholars last the program and become professional dancers in the future,” said Macuja Elizalde.
Rissa May Camaclang (standing, leftmost) and (standing, rightmost) pose with successful auditionees at Padre Zamora Elementary School.
In keeping with its belief that ballet education should be made accessible to those who cannot afford it, Ballet Manila launched Project Ballet Futures in 2008. The dance scholarship program was opened to elementary and high school students from public schools. Those who passed the auditions would receive ballet lessons, a regular supply of ballet shoes and apparel, and even milk, vitamins and nutritious meals to help make them stronger for the rigorous demands of their training.
Several batches of scholars have been accepted into the program through the years, with those who persisted winning in international ballet competitions and eventually becoming part of Ballet Manila.
Photos courtesy of Rissa May Camaclang
