DALAWANG dekada nang namamayagpag ang pangalang Lisa Macuja sa larangan ng ballet dance, at solong-solo niya ang trono bilang prima ballerina ng bansa.

Twenty years ago, itinatag niya ang kanyang kompanyang Ballet Manila na nakatulong sa pagpapalawak ng performing arts, partikular na nga ang ballet.

Pero aminado si Lisa Macuja na imposibleng may susunod sa kanyang yapak bilang icon ng nasabing sayaw dahil, aniya, magkaiba ang panahon niya noon sa digital age ng kasalukuyang henerasyon. 

“You know, to carbon copy my career, I think is impossible!” hirit ni Lisa nang makachikahan ng inyong lingkod. “Kasi, I was born, I was educated, and I was given a lot of opportunity in a different time of the performing arts, especially of ballet. 

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“Now, there are different standards, opportunities, requirements for you to become a principal ballerina.  

“In a classical ballet company, you have to very versatile in so many different styles.  You have to be of certain body type, stamina, stomach. 

“It’s unfair to say, ‘This girl is gonna be the next Lisa Macuja!’ I think it’s unfair çoz it’s completely different time and generation.  But definitely, in Ballet Manila, there’s a lot of talents there.” 

Sinamantala namin ang pagkakataong tanungin ang kanyang opinion sa notion na kapag nag-ballet ang isang lalaki ay bading?

 “If all men in ballet are gay? I can say that a hundred percent, that is not true,” tugon ni Lisa. There may be some, but definitely, in my company Ballet Manila, all… you know, one of my principal male dancers has a wife and three children. The other principal male dance is engaged to be married. Another has a girlfriend, I think even several! So, definitely no!” 

Mali kung ganoon ang popular belief ng mga Pinoy na gay ang lalaking sumasayaw ng ballet?

“Mali, eh. In fact, a lot of male dancers, you can ask them, why did they join Ballet, their reason would be to be close to the girls. Or to be the only boy in the company of girls.”

Samantala, excited si Lisa sa nalalapit na 20th anniversary show ng Ballet Manila, entitled BM 2.0: A Triumphant 20-Year Celebration sa February 28 (Sat.), 7:30 PM at March 1 (Sun.), 3 PM sa Aliw Theater, Pasay City.

“It’s Ballet Manila’s 20th anniversary concert.  The repertoire in 2 hours, it’s going to encapsulate the essence of Ballet Manila for the past 20 years. 

“It’s gonna be an exciting program, I am very excited to it, moving forward into the next 20 years.  So I really want everyone to join us in Aliw Theater,” ani Lisa.