She is the first foreign soloist that managed to join the Kirov Ballet in 1984 and she is a model for a lot of young ballerinas nowadays. Lisa Macuja Elizalde is now the Artistic Director of Ballet Manila and she will always remain in history as Philippines’ first ballerina. She started taking ballet lessons when she was eight because she admired her mother (also a ballerina) very much.
When she was 18 years old she received a two year ballet scholarship to the Russian Ballet Academy (at that point it was known as the Leningrad Choreographic School). She was trained by Tatiana Alexandrovna Udalenkova and she managed to graduate with perfect grades. It was not easy for her to become Philippines’ first prima ballerina.
She had to face the injuries sustained during practice, she had to overcome her sadness because of homesick and things were even worst when she found out that her younger brother died. Lisa Macuja Elizalde joined Ballet Manila after graduation and she managed to perform next to them ones of the most impressive shows in her career.This woman is an example for young girls and for mature ones, as well and her life is not only a beautiful story, but also the living proof that work, love and devotion are vital if you want to obtain what you want.
