Lisa Macuja is Aliw's 'Entertainer of the Year'

On its 25th year, the Aliw Awards bestowed its top honor, the Entertainer of the Year Award, on prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde.

This marks the first time the award was given to a classical artist.

Since it was founded in 1976, the Aliw Awards Foundation, Inc. has given the Entertainer of the Year Award to mainstream performers including Pilita Corrales, Rico J. Puno, Celeste Legaspi, Basil Valdez, Kuh Ledesma, Nonoy Zuniga, Freddie Aguilar, Tessie Tomas, the late Bert Marcelo, Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano, Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez, Lani Misalucha, Lea Salonga and Charice Pempengco in 2011.

Macuja-Elizalde was recognized for her efforts in bringing ballet closer to the hearts of the masses, Ballet Manila said in a press release.

Her contributions include working with the Artists Welfare Project Inc. (AWPI) and her own foundation for disadvantaged but talented youth, Project Ballet Futures. She also hosts “Art 2 Art”, a tele-radyo program on culture and the arts, the release said.

“My sincerest wish is that this award will inspire more people to support the arts, and hopefully, to come and watch me perform before I retire,” Macuja-Elizalde said.

Apart from winning the Entertainer of the Year Award, Macuja-Elizalde bagged three other trophies: Best Classical Dancer; Best Dance Company for Ballet Manila, where she is both artistic director and principal dancer; and Best Concert Collaboration for The Legends and the Classics, which she produced as a “dream concert” that saw her share the stage with two other Filipina icons in the performing arts, Lea Salonga and Cecile Licad, together with conductor Gerard Salonga, FilHarmonika and Ballet Manila, the release said.

“Ballerinas have such short careers. It means so much to us to be recognized while we are still at our peak. Every day when I wake up, I thank the Lord for giving me 28 seasons and counting as a professional ballerina because this is really longer than I expected," the 48-year-old ballerina said.

Macuja-Elizalde plans to make her final curtain call in two years' time, the release said. –Carmela G. Lapeña/KDM, GMA News