Cover Ballet Manila company artists Samantha Garay, Rodney Catubay and Ana Graciela Andes; with principal dancers Abigail Oliveiro and Junmark Sumaylo; and company artists Ana Katharina Andes, Jos David Andes and Celine Astrologo (Photo: Ballet Manila)
Ballet Manila company artists Samantha Garay, Rodney Catubay and Ana Graciela Andes; with principal dancers Abigail Oliveiro and Junmark Sumaylo; and company artists Ana Katharina Andes, Jos David Andes and Celine Astrologo (Photo: Ballet Manila)
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To mark her 40th homecoming anniversary, Lisa Macuja Elizalde stages a season of Vaganova staples with Ballet Manila—and a high-octane collaboration with rock icons, The Dawn
In 1986, Lisa Macuja Elizalde made a decision that defied the conventional trajectory of a rising star. At the peak of a blossoming tenure with the Kirov Ballet—the Leningrad institution now known as the Mariinsky—she turned away from the gilded stages of Moscow to return to the Philippines. It was a pivot from personal stardom toward a new mission: to weave classical dance into the fabric of Filipino identity.
Forty years on, that homecoming remains the defining act of her career. To mark this anniversary, Ballet Manila announces its Prima Performance Season, a programme designed to honour the company’s rigorous Vaganova foundations while maintaining the accessibility that has become Elizalde’s hallmark.
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Above Joshua Enciso, Shamira Drapete, Jessica Pearl Dames, Abigail Oliveiro, Junmark Sumaylo; Bim Yance, Rommel Sanchez, Jun Boy Leonor, Francis Reyes and Jett Pangan; Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, Gerardo Francisco Jr and Martin Lawrence; Maan Hontiveros and Maestro Marlon Chen (Photo: Ballet Manila)
Joshua Enciso, Shamira Drapete, Jessica Pearl Dames, Abigail Oliveiro, Junmark Sumaylo; Bim Yance, Rommel Sanchez, Jun Boy Leonor, Francis Reyes and Jett Pangan; Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, Gerardo Francisco Jr and Martin Lawrence; Maan Hontiveros and Maestro Marlon Chen (Photo: Ballet Manila)
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The season’s opening gambit is an unexpected collision of subcultures. On February 20 and 21 at Aliw Theater, the company joins forces with Philippine rock icons The Dawn. Both entities share a forty-year history, emerging as cultural pillars in the mid-Eighties. This collaboration reimagines The Dawn’s rock anthems through the lens of classical choreography.
The initiative, originally conceived by Fred J Elizalde, serves as a bridge between the high-art intensity of the studio and the raw energy of the mainstream. By pairing dancers with popular musicians, the company continues its pursuit of demystifying an art form often perceived as gatekept.
Above Ballet Manila principal dancer Jessica Pearl Dames with company artists Rafael Perez and Nanami Hasegawa (Photo: Ballet Manila)
Ballet Manila principal dancer Jessica Pearl Dames with company artists Rafael Perez and Nanami Hasegawa (Photo: Ballet Manila)
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As the season progresses, the focus shifts to the rigorous demands of the classical repertoire. In March, the company stages Sleeping Beauty, accompanied by the Manila Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Alexander Vikulov.
This is followed in June by Paquita, a production intended to display the company’s adherence to the Vaganova method and its commitment to technical excellence.
The season culminates in August with La Bayadère, featuring the return of Mariinsky Ballet stars Renata Shakirova and Kimin Kim, whose presence serves as a full-circle tribute to the Russian training that launched Elizalde’s own career four decades ago.
Beyond the capital, the anniversary year is defined by a heavy touring schedule that includes performances of Ibong Adarna in Dumaguete and at Ateneo’s Areté, as well as an international engagement in Kuala Lumpur.
For Elizalde, the year represents the completion of a cultural cycle and the fulfilment of a promise made upon her return from Moscow. It serves the idea that classical dance can endure and adapt within the Philippine context. Through this curated season, the ballerina who chose to come home at the peak of international success continues to ensure that the stage remains open to everyone.
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Angela Nicole Regis Guiral is the assistant digital editor of Tatler Philippines. She studied journalism and has since written features that look closely at how culture, lifestyle and social impact converge, while occasionally wandering into the worlds of style and travel.
