Global Regional Jury Biography

Lisa Macuja-Elizalde is the first foreigner to be invited as Soloist at the historic Kirov (Mariinsky) Ballet in 1984 and has achieved a dream that is generally believed to be impossible for a classical ballerina in the Philippines – bringing ballet to the people and people to the ballet. Undoubtedly the most phenomenal and most celebrated prima ballerina the Philippines has ever produced, she has had an unparalleled career best summed up by these numbers: 30 years of dancing lead roles in over 300 full-length ballets, performed in 90 cities that span five continents around the globe. She is also the first Filipino ballerina to bring home a laureate prize – a silver medal – from the 1987 Asia-Pacific Ballet Competition in Tokyo. 

 

Offstage, Macuja-Elizalde is recognized for her vision and leadership in the local arts community. As an arts educator and advocate, she has also received multiple awards for her groundbreaking art and culture radio talk show, Art 2 Art.

 

In 1995, she established her own company, Ballet Manila, together with perennial partner Osias Barroso and ten other young dancers. Ballet Manila has since grown and flourished into the most sought-after and most prolific professional Filipino ballet company, clocking more than 4,700 local and 170 foreign performances in the past 19 years.

 

Lisa Macuja-Elizalde 於1984年獲邀成為歷史悠久的基洛夫（馬林斯基）芭蕾舞團的首位外籍獨舞員，並實現了一個普遍被認為是菲律賓古典芭蕾舞員的不可能夢想──把芭蕾舞帶進人民，把人民帶進芭蕾舞。她無疑是菲律賓所培養的最有名氣的女芭蕾舞者，她擁有非凡的職業生涯，總括有：30年間演出超過300齣長篇芭蕾舞劇的主要角色，曾在跨越五大洲的90個城市演出。她也是菲律賓首位女芭蕾舞者為家鄉帶來超卓的榮譽──在1987年亞太區芭蕾舞大賽的一枚銀牌。

 

 

在舞台外，Macuja-Elizalde 因對本地藝術界的遠見和領導力而獲表揚。作為藝術教育家和倡導者，她因其在藝術及文化領域有突破性表現的電台清談節目“藝術至藝術”而獲得多個獎項。

 

在1995年，她與多年合作夥伴Osias Barroso及十位年輕舞蹈家一起成立了她自己的舞團──馬尼拉芭蕾舞團。自此，馬尼拉芭蕾舞團便成為發展蓬勃、廣受歡迎和演出頻密的菲律賓專業芭蕾舞團。在過去的19年，共有超過4,700場本地及170場海外演出。