Star Powerhouse

Ballet Manila always has this specific performance for specific audience. The careful selections of its program always makes the watching experience more enjoyable and exciting. Below are my personal point of view why you should catch the upcoming performance week of Ballet Manila's Cinderella.

"If we are to go by the dictionary definition of "iconic" as something that is "widely recognized and well -established" and is "acknowledged especially for distinctive excellence," then we could honestly say that we have many such jewels in our collection. It wouldn't be possible - or even fair -- to fit them all in one production. So how about two?

After a much-needed break, Ballet Manila Artistic Director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde takes center stage in “BM 21” on March 19, 2016, 8:00 p.m. at Aliw Theater. The concert gala ends its current performance season; as it marks a new and exciting season for Ballet Manila. With show pieces handpicked by Lisa herself, "BM 21" is a testament to the group's unrivaled discipline and versatility, being the only company in the Philippines trained in the Russian Vaganova method. Lisa explains,  "The  ballet technique was devised by Russian dancer Agrippina Vaganova in the 1800s.  Vaganova involves the whole body in every movement, with equal attention paid to the upper body, legs and feet. This approach increases consciousness of the body, creating a harmony of movement".

Ballet Manila' REBEL EDSA30 Last February 25, 8:00 PM in the evening, at Aliw Theatre, Ballet Manila presents “The Rebel” a full-length ballet performance in celebration for the 30th year anniversary of EDSA Revolution.

Ballet Manila Artistic Director and CEO Lisa Macuja-Elizalde joins the 30th anniversary celebration of the People Power Revolution with "Rebel" a full-length ballet about a hero’s journey to freedom. Inspired by the story of “Spartacus” and set against the backdrop of the 1986 Edsa Revolution, “Rebel” is Lisa’s dream project.  "I’ve had this in mind since 2010,” says the prima ballerina.  “I was waiting for the right choreographer to share my ideas with and when I met Mr. Lawrance two years ago, the concept resonated well with him. I knew he was the one so we shook hands and went to work right away.” she said.

Ballet Manila's 20th anniversary show, "BM 2.0" is not just a celebration of classical and well-loved dance pieces. It is a recognition of hard work, passion and dedication armed by the vision to bring ballet appreciation to people from all walks of life. Principal dancer Lisa Macuja -Elizalde fondly remembers back in 1995, when the company had only 12 dancers. "We did not have our own studio. We had a makeshift rehearsal area in my parents’ house in Quezon City, but it was not big enough. Every time we had to rehearse as a group, we had to move from one studio to another. There were days when our dancers would warm-up six at a time, kasi hindi kasya, walang space. It had a mirror pero kalahati lang, we couldn't see our feet," Lisa happily shared. Nurturing a dance company from the ground, entailed challenges of all types. But the burning passion for performance excellence was so strong, it kept the dance company intact through the decades.