My little ballerina meets The Prima Ballerina at Ballet Manila

Gwen took ballet lessons when she was 4 before she entered Prep school. She watches Peppa Pig then and Peppa goes to ballet. So when I asked her if she wants to enroll in a class, she said yes. She loved every part of it and is always looking forward to her Saturday classes. In our part, we signed her up to improve her social skills. Gwen has separation anxiety, during her Junior Kinder days, her yaya was inside the classroom the entire school year because she cries after realizing she’s just her with her classmates. But during her ballet lessons, she goes inside the room all by herself, plays with her classmates, and happily dances and twirls. Aside from tremendous improvement that we noticed in her social skills, it also has benefits in her posture and confidence.

She always tell me that she misses dancing ballet, I’d tell her that she’s going to one in the summer. But an invite came for Gwen to try the ballet lessons at the newly opened The Lisa Macuja School of Ballet Manila at the 4th level of Fisher Mall in Quezon City. You know what’s so surreal, they will be taught by THE Prima Ballerina herself, Ms. Lisa Macuja-Elizalde.

Ballet Manila opened its Fisher Mall branch as part of its continuing effort to bring ballet closer to the people and the people closer to ballet. Lisa Macuja-Elizalde is the school’s Director and she mentioned that her school is known for producing some of the most successful classical dancers in the country. I also learned that The Lisa Macuja School of Ballet Manila is the only ballet school in the Philippines with direct links to the Russian Ballet Academy of St. Petersburg, Russia. Ballet enthusiasts often praise the school for staying true to the principles of the art form and for teaching the rigorous Vaganova Academy method of dancing, which is widely accepted as the highest standard of style when it comes to classical ballet.

With the things I learned about the school, the more I am excited for Gwen to experience a different ballet style.

Lisa-Macuja Elizalde is really good with the kids. I admire her energy and passion with her craft. The kids love her!

If you want to enroll your child, check out their Course Offerings.

The school’s faculty is made up of accomplished Vaganova style-trained classical dancers who are highly considered as some of the best in the country, including Jonathan Janolo, Sofia Sangco-Peralta, Gerardo Francisco, Eileen Lopez, Czarina Villegas, and of course, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and Osias Barroso, who is the school’s Co-Director.

I highly suggest ballet to our friends who have daughters because of the benefits it gives to a child.

For more info, visit Ballet Manila’s website (www.balletmanila.com.ph) or call their office at telephone numbers 400-0292 and 525-5967.