Lisa Macuja’s unique contribution to Philippine culture and the arts is fully enhanced as she celebrates in this year her 25th year of professional performances throughout the Philippines and in more than fifty cities in 5 continents around the world.

Virtually unerring in technique and style, yet unassailable in musicality and artistry, Lisa Macuja has aptly been called “The Filipino ballerina at her best”.

As an artist and a Filipino, Macuja has received numerous citations attesting to her world-class achievements. These include: The Order of International Friendship awarded by Russian President Vladimir Putin (2001); The Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP U.S.A.) in 1997; The Outstanding Young Filipino (TOYF) in 1995; The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS) in 1989; the special Prize for Artistry by the House of Diaghilev (Moscow) in 1992; Quezon City’s Outstanding Citizen Award in 1989; and Manila’s Patnubay ng Kalinangan at Sining in 1988. In 2008 she received the special citatin from the Catholic Mas Media Award for her nationwide radio program, Art 2 Art.

Macuja was the first Filipino ballerina to bring home a laureate prize – a silver medal from the 1987 Asia-Pacific Ballet Competition in Tokyo. She also completed the semi-finals (senior division) at the 1990 USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, and won the fifth place at the 1992 International Diaghilev Ballet Competition in Moscow, Russia.

As a scholar of the USSR Ministry of Culture, Lisa Macuja entered the Vaganova Choreographic Institute (now the Academy of Russian Ballet) in Saint Petersburg in 1982, where she trained under former Kirov ballerina Tatiana A. Udalenkova. 

Graduating at the top of her class in 1984, she became the first foreigner to be invited to join the Kirov Ballet – a 260-year old institution in Dance. At the Kirov, Macuja came under the tutelage of the formidable ballet mistress Galina P. Kekisheva. It was the historical Maryinsky Theatre that Macuja first premiered as principal ballerina in The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, and Giselle.

Wishing to share her love for dance with fellow Filipinos, Macuja returned to Manila in 1986 and became artist-in-residence of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.  She has since remained Philippine-based, performing as principal ballerina in major local productions and as international guest artist in Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, the United States, Cuba, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and New Zealand.

To date, Macuja has performed the principal roles in over 300 full-length and contemporary ballets in some 81 cities, spanning five continents. Her repertoire as principal includes: Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Giselle, La Bayadere, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Le Corsaire, La Fille Mal Gardee, Coppelia, La Sylphide, Romeo and Juliet, Les Sylphides, Carmen, Pineapple Poll, El Amor Brujo, Serenade, and the role of Cio-Cio San in the world premiere of Thomas Pazik’s Madame Butterfly.  Several contemporary Filipino ballets have also featured her in the lead role, or have been created especially for her.

Hailed as the “ballerina of the people”, Macuja is committed to bringing ballet closer to the hearts of the Filipino masses – the same inspiration that continues to spur Ballet Manila, which she helped create in 1995. The Ballet Manila Foundation has recently published the biography of Lisa Macuja-Elizalde aptly titled Ballerina of the People.

During the first 10 years of Ballet Manila’s touring, Lisa Macuja has led the Company on four performance tours of 16 cities in Russia, four performance tours of 15 cities in the U.S.A., and in Arts Festivals such as the Aberdeen Youth Festival in Scotland, and the Folk Arts Festival in South Korea, the Asia Arts Festival in Beijing, China, the Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo in Angkor-Wat, Cambodia and the Philippine Fiesta in Japan. She also led her Company in Outreach performance tours of more than 45 cities and towns throughout the Philippines.

Lisa has also served as Commissioner of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women; and is currently completing her elected term as Vice-Chairman of the Philippine UNESCO National Commission. She also serves as founding treasurer of the Artists Welfare Project.

Being the artistic director of Ballet Manila as well as the Ballet Manila School, she has also done choreographies for the school’s summer workshop recitals. She has done The Princess And The Frog, Valse Classique and her own version of The Nutcracker Suite for the Just Dance recitals. 

For the first time, she has also choreographed for the company’s Christmas ballet trilogy, Tatlong Kuwento Ni Loa Basyang. In October 2009, Lisa celebrated her 25th season as a ballerina with a 3-day spectacle entitled Lisa @ 25. She was joined onstage by her dance partners Nonoy Froilan and Osias Barroso, and danced to the singing of her sister Gia Macuja Atchison and Tenor Reymond Sajor, and was accompanied on the violin by Robert Atchison.

Macuja is married to Fred J. Elizalde, with whom she has two children, Michelle Elizabeth and Manuel Cesar. She received an Associate of Arts degree in General Studies in 2004, and her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management (with honors) in 2007, from the University of Phoenix, U.S.A.

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One of the finest danseurs of his generations, Osias Barroso has been hailed as a “ballerina’s Prince” for his exceptional skill in partnering, as well as for his impressive accomplishments as a solo artist. He was a dance achieve ‘84, Arts Monthly cited by Steve Villaruz and received the Outstanding High School Alumnus Award from San Sebastian College March 1997. He also received a plaque of recognition as an Outstanding Alumnus for Arts & Culture of San Sebastian College during its 50th year Anniversary in 1997 and an awardee for Arts & Culture for the 7th Annual Young Achievers Awards in 1991.

Since 1990, Osias Barroso has performed the lead roles in both local and international productions of major full-length ballets, including La Fille Mal Gardee, Petrushka, Le Corsaire, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Giselle, La Bayadere, The Nutcracker, Coppelia, La Sylphide, Romeo and Juliet, Les Sylphides, Carmen, El Amor Brujo, Pineapple Poll, Serenade, Firebird and several contemporary Filipino works.

He has performed as guest artist in Russia, the united States, Mexico, Cuba, japan, South Korea and Singapore. Performed his first Don Quixote & Giselle in Russia with Lisa Macuja the only Filipino danseur who has this achievement.

Critics have called Barroso the “true heir” to the line of Filipino premier danseurs for his ability to come up with the right combination of technique and panache in every performance. His dancing has been described as secure and meticulous, yet exciting to watch. “Passion and genius”, wrote one reviewer, ”are the gods responsible for his transformation into a dancing eloquence”.

In 1993, Barroso became the first Filipino classical Danseur to reach the semi-final round of the First International Ballet and Modern Dance Competition held in Nagoya, japan.

He completed the special Vaganova Method Master Class program conducted by visiting teacher Tatiana A. Udalenkova of the Academy of Russian Ballet (Vaganova Choreographic Institute) from 1996-2003, worked with Sergey Vikulov, Viktor Saveliev and Evgeny Scherbakov.

In 2004, Barroso and Macuja celebrated their 16 years of dance partnership with a farewell performance of their signature Don Quixote. For the past fourteen years, they have been teaching young scholars in ballet, many of whom have now reached professional status. Proving himself to be an excellent teacher, Barroso has coached since 1997 artists from Ballet Manila to compete for International Ballet Competitions in the 1997, 2003 and 2005 Asia Pacific International Ballet Competitions in Tokyo, the 5th Japan Ballet Competition in Nagoya, the 5th Helsinki International Ballet Competition in Finland, the Xth International Ballet Competition and Contest of Choreographers in Moscow, and the 7th and 8th New York International Ballet Competitions, where these dancers became semi-finalists, finalists and medalist in these competitions.

In October 2005, Barroso led the BM delegation to the 2005 Andong International Mask Dance and Folk Arts Festival in South Korea, 2005 Russia Tour and the 2006 Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo in Cambodia.

With astonishing ease, Barroso has likewise ventured into choreography. His first neo-classical piece, In Quest, premiered in Ballet Manila’s debut performance in 1995. Other works include Gabriela ng Vigan, which was especially crafted to commemorate the Centennial of the Philippine Revolution, and choreographed the well received Philippine Premiere of Pinocchio in November, 2002.  He also choreographed Classical Impromptus, The Enchanted Garden, Ecole de Ballet, The Magical Bird & Masquerade which were presented during Ballet Manila’s Summer Workshops from 1997-2003, he created Masquerade for the fifth Ballet Manila Dance Workshop. He choreographed and directed the very popular Belen, Can Can, Princess of the Moon and Munting Anghel for Star City. In June 2006, Barroso received from the City of Manila a ”Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan Award for Dance.”

For 2007, he premiered his latest work for the 150th year celebration of the birth of noted English composer Edward Elgar. Based on Elgar’s Sonata in E minor, Opus 82 for Violin and Piano, Barroso showed his choreographic prowess at the Cultural Center of the Philippines as Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and a select group of Ballet Manila dancers showcased Sonata.

In November 2007, he was one of the Finals judges in the National Music
Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA).  For 2008, he directed and co-choreographed the latest Star City show, Hi-Skul Musikahan! He also choreographed a beautiful fusion of Wind, Earth, Water and Fire entitled Four Elements. Together with Gerardo Francisco, he choreographed the hit Pista for Halohalo Supreme. For the world premiere of Tatlong Kuwento Ni Lola Basyang, he choreographed the first of the trilogy, Ang Prinsipe ng mga Ibon.

In March 2010, he received the University of Santo Tomas AB Gantimpala 2010 for Arts (Dance). He finished his A.B. Communication Arts degree from the University of Santo Tomas in 1984.

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MYLENE AGGABAO
Joined Ballet Manila in January 1998

Full-Length Ballets: The Nutcracker (Sugar Plum Fairy), Swan Lake (Odette / Odile), La Bayadere (Gamzatti / Nikiya), Don Quixote (Kitri), Romeo and Juliet (Juliet), Le Corsaire (Gulnara, Medora), Giselle, La Bayadere, The Naughty Daughter (Lise), Pinocchio, Tatlong Kuwento Ni Lola Basyang (Maria Upeng), The Swan, The Fairy and the Princess, Alamat: Si Sibol at Si Gunaw

Divertissement: Rose Adagio of Sleeping Beauty (Aurora), La Fille Mal Gardee pas de deux (Lise), Classical Symphony, Masquerade, Sayaw Sa Pamlang, Sari’t Bahag, South Road, Sayaw Na Po Sila, Gabriela Ng Vigan, OPM Suite, Dalagang Pilipina, El Sol, Sonata, Dancing To Verdi, Dancing To Czerny, Arachnida, Four Elements,Dulce, Pista, M.A.Z.N., Berlioz Overture, “Maynila” ni Juan

Other Shows: Belen, Can-can; Lahi; Princess Of The Moon; Munting Anghel, Sayaw Pinoy, Storytellers on Toes, Music, Trio, Magic, PDI Classified Ads Awards, Hi-Skul Musikahan, Lisa @ 25, Paskong Pista, Pistang Pinoy, Today’s Stars of the Russian Ballet

Foreign Shows: USA Tour 2004 & 2005, Aberdeen Youth Fest. 2004, 2005 Andong International Mask Dance & Fold Arts Fest. in South Korea, Russia Tour in 2005, Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo in Cambodia, Gyeongju World Performing Arts Fest. 2007 in Gyeongju, South Korea, 2007 Nan-Ying Int’l. Folklore Fest. in Tai-nan County, Taiwan. 

Competitions:
2003 - 9th Asian Pacific Int’l. Ballet Competition - Semi-Finalist
2007 - 4th Shanghai International Ballet Competition - Semi-Finalist
        - 4th Seoul International Dance Competition - Semi-Finalist

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RUDY DE DIOS
Joined Ballet Manila in September 2004

Full-Length Ballets: Carmen (Don Jose), Don Quixote (Basilio), La Fille Mal Gardee (Colas), The Sleeping Beauty Prince (Florimund), Pinocchio, Giselle (Albrecht), La Bayadere, Romeo and Juliet (Romeo), The Nutcracker (Nutcracker Prince), Swan Lake (Prince Siegfried), Le Corsaire (Conrad), Tatlong Kuwento Ni Lola Basyang (Prinsipeng Ibon), The Swan, The Fairy and the Princess, Alamat: Si Sibol at Si Gunaw

Divertissement: Le Corsaire pas de deux (Ali), Diane et Acteon, Romance, Figuera (The Prince), Night (The Dreamer), Reve, Arnis, Dancing To Czerny, Four Elements, Dulce, O.F.W., Reconfigured, Rebel, Ilsa-Dyur, Berlioz Overture, “Maynila” ni Juan

Other Shows: Lahi, Munting Anghel, Sayaw Pinoy, Ballet and Ballads, Lecture Demos, Storytellers On Toes, Acer Special Show, Philippine Daily Inquirer Classified Ads Awards, Hi-Skul Musikahan, Ballet Masterpiece: Lisa Macuja, Lisa @ 25, Paskong Pista, Pistang Pinoy, Today’s Stars of the Russian Ballet

Foreign Shows: USA Tour 2005, Russian Tour 2005, Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2006 in Cambodia, Gyeongju World Performing Arts Fest. 2007 in Gyeongju, South Korea, Nan-Ying Int’l. Folklore Fest. 2007 in Tai-nan County, Taiwan

Competitions:
2001 - 8th Asian Pacific Int’l. Ballet Competition, Japan - 1st round
2008 - NAMCYA Senior Division (Choreographer) - Best Modern Choreography for Solo Tango

Choreography: Solo Tango, Armed Conflict

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