Three decades of dedication and passion for excellence
Reflecting on the journey, Lisa Macuja Elizalde, Ballet Manila's CEO and artistic director, shares that Ballet Manila has built a legacy that speaks for itself and at its core are values instilled by its first artistic director, Eric V. Cruz, and her co-artistic director of many years, the late Osias Barroso Jr.
“Taking company class every day and jumping until the end of class is a must-do for everyone in the company. The rule really was no class, no rehearsal. No rehearsal, no performance. All part of the discipline needed to stay in top form to be able to dance well,” recounts Lisa. She emphasized daily class, discipline, and prioritizing dancers' welfare have been a cornerstone of the company's success.
These values have helped Ballet Manila achieve numerous milestones over the past three decades. She fondly highlights classical ballets like “Swan Lake” and La Bayadere” with an exceptionally strong female corps de ballet as well as “Reconfigured” and “Bloom” that showcased the prowess of their male ensemble. Their specialized performances, such as "Circus De Ballet" and "Ballet and Ballads," have captivated mass audiences, while the Lisa Macuja Swan Song series celebrated a ballerina's illustrious career with live orchestral accompaniment.
A particularly proud moment for the company was the international premiere of "Ibong Adarna" at the Karmiel Festival in Israel in 2014, marking the first Filipino full-length ballet to achieve such a feat.
These highly acclaimed shows prove that Ballet Manila’s dancers are a product of the company’s commitment to excellence and artistry.
Many of its alumni have gone on to achieve great success in their careers. Christine Rocas, for instance, retired after being a principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago, Illinois for over 15 seasons. Katherine Barkman is currently a soloist with the San Francisco Ballet, and Chris Mohnani, now Managing Director of the Samsung Performing Arts Center, was a principal dancer of Nashville Ballet and former artistic director of Dance Theater of Tennessee. Jeffrey and Pamela Espejo both serve as faculty at Steps and Academy One, while Elline Damian, Aileen Gallinera, and Eduardo Espejo were principal dancers with Ballet David Campos in Barcelona, Spain. Ea Torrado has established herself as the artistic director of her dance company, Daloy.
Lisa also highlights the thriving current crop of teachers and dancers at Ballet Manila and the Lisa Macuja School of Ballet, including Romeo and Sofia Peralta, Eileen Lopez, and Gerardo Francisco Jr. Among all, Lisa considers the late Osias Barroso Jr., co-artistic director of Ballet Manila before his passing, her best and most successful student: “He has taught so many dancers and has basically changed the landscape of male ballet dancers in the Philippines,” she says.
While its dancers remain to be the backbone of Ballet Manila, Lisa also acknowledges the pivotal role of technology in keeping the dance company on top of the game. Lisa shares, “I think we would not have survived the pandemic if we didn't have the technology to connect with other dancers and teachers through online learning.” It has also helped in recalling choreography and re-staging ballets through filming and recording rehearsals and performances. However, she also emphasized the importance of face-to-face instruction, adding, “I still believe that face to face instruction and meeting inside the sacred walls of the studio is still the most effective way of learning as a dance student and teaching as a dance instructor.”
Dancing into the future
As Ballet Manila celebrates is 30th year, Lisa has so many reasons to be excited about. As a mentor, performer, and artistic director, she hopes to continue finding joy in her work. And it’s all set to happen with the many plans and projects already in the pipeline.
Currently, she’s hard at work for “PEARLS,” a new choreography for the Pearl Gala to celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary. Aside from this, she is also eager for her Princess Trilogy by adding a fourth Princess Ballet. She also envisions extending their Filipino series, which includes "Ibong Adarna" and "Florante at Laura," to incorporate other literary works studied in high school and college.
She also hopes to follow up her "La Traviata" with another ballet based on an opera emphasizing that the possibilities for new creations are endless. Excitement is also building for their upcoming international and local tours in 2025, which will see Ballet Manila blockbuster ballets "Ibong Adarna" and "Cinderella" brought to various locations here and abroad.
The best is yet to come!
Ballet Manila remains dedicated to its mission of "bringing ballet to the people and people to the ballet." Lisa's strategy is simple yet powerful: "To keep on dancing, one high-quality performance at a time. Every time I talk to my dancers during our Green Room before the performance begins, I always tell them to dance so well that the audience will want to come back again and again. That’s the way to keep on bringing ballet to the people and more people to the ballet. One great performance at a time that people will not want to miss!"
With this rousing outlook, Ballet Manila is heading into a bright future, driven by a strong foundation and continuous innovation. With a school regularly training and feeding the company with professional dancers, a strong social media presence, local and international tours, and support from its patron Fred J. Elizalde, Ballet Manila is well-positioned for continued success.
As Ballet Manila celebrates this monumental milestone, the company reaffirms its dedication to excellence, creativity, and bringing the beauty of ballet to the hearts of all. The journey may have begun 30 years ago, but the story of Ballet Manila is far from over. As Lisa passionately declares, "The best is always yet to come!"
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