RP's top ballerina celebrates 25 years of dance artistry at The Northwing

CEBU, Philippines - The Northwing at SM City Cebu presents another world-class talent: Lisa Macuja - Elizalde, the country’s top prima ballerina, will give Cebuanos a show to remember on September 5, 2009.

Dubbed as “A Ballet’s Masterpiece,” the performance will celebrate Lisa Macuja-Elizalde’s 25 years of exceptional artistry. Lisa is still as tireless as she was a quarter of a decade ago; still on her toes, performing the graceful and elegant dances that had endeared her to the Filipinos.

Lisa Macuja-Elizalde was a graduate of the Vaganova Choreographic Institute at what was then the Leningrad, USSR and the first non-Soviet soloist to perform with the celebrated Kirov Ballet. The year 1986 marked her coming home to the Philippines, and had since then embarked on an unparalleled career spanning 300 performances in over 85 countries in five continents.

At 45, Lisa is happily married and is a doting mother to two beautiful children. But age has not stopped this consummate dancer from still pursuing further excellence in her craft and the promotion of ballet among her countrymen. 

Lisa is the principal artist, artistic director, teacher, and company administrator of Ballet Manila, the country’s foremost classical dance company. She is also a founding member and officer of Artists’ Welfare Project, Inc., which aims to raise funds for health and retirement benefits of classical and independent artists. And then there is Project Ballet Futures, Lisa’s personal advocacy, where young dancers from indigent families can qualify as scholars and get ballet training from the Philippine dance luminaries, plus tights, milk and vitamins supply, and a modest stipend.

Lisa also hosts Art 2 Art, a groundbreaking program at DZRH, which effectively bridges the arts and the listening public. This proves that her achievements as an artist have traversed social classes to link puritans, patricians, and plebeians alike in the universality of art.

Catch Lisa as she dances with passion that has made her an unmatched legend in her field on September 5, 2009 at The Northwing Atrium of SM City Cebu, beginning 5pm.