The power behind the pirouette

Lisa Macuja-Elizalde reflects on ballet, legacy, and Ballet Manila's Pearl anniversary

- JOHN ROLAND LEGASPI

Ballet is a dance, an art, that requires a lot of discipline. Its beauty lies in the dichotomy of grace and strength, fluidity and power, elegance and endurance. Prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde can attest to that.

Through the years, she has danced both here and abroad, gaining applause and accolades along the way, making her a luminary in the ballet scene. But she knows that dancers must put in the work to achieve success.

"A ballet dancer needs to have the discipline to take ballet class every day, train, and strengthen their body because their body is their instrument," she says. "It starts with warming up properly, a good and healthy diet, and enough sleep to take care of your instrument."

Since founding Ballet Manila in 1995, Lisa has made it her mission to make ballet accessible to wider audiences. That continues today as the company celebrates its 30th year with a roster of spectacular performances, including the recently concluded "Swan Lake" and "Don Quixote" in August.