Miriam nominates Lisa Macuja-Elizalde for National Artist award

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has nominated prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde for the National Artist award for being a "ballerina of the people."

 

In a statement released on Monday, Santiago said she formally nominated Macuja-Elizalde as National Artist for Dance through a letter to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.  

“No Filipina ballerina has yet surpassed the recognition and pride Lisa Macuja-Elizalde has brought to the Philippines. She is the embodiment of talent, creativity and imagination, technical proficiency of the highest order, grace, and humanity that makes her worthy of the title of National Artist,” Santiago said.

 

Santiago also filed Senate Resolution No. 808 calling on President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to confer the award to her.  

Santiago said she filed the resolution after watching “World Stars of Ballet,” which starred the prima ballerina.   Santiago claims to be an "avid fan" of Macuja-Elizalde, who was the first foreign soloist to join the prestigious Kirov Ballet (also known as the Imperial Russian Ballet). 

 

“Lisa’s contributions to Philippine culture and the arts, and to Philippine society as a whole, should not go unrecognized. She is a rare gem, a talent that comes only once in a lifetime,” she said.

 

Multi-awarded ballerina  

Macuja-Elizalde graduated top of her class at the prestigious Vaganova Choreographic Institute (now the Academy of Russian Ballet) before joining the Imperial Russian Ballet. 

 

Macuja-Elizalde also received many citations and recognitions for her contribution to ballet and society, including the Pearl of the Orient Award and the Gawad Buhay Awards for the Performing Arts in 2008; the Order of International Friendship awarded by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2001; the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World in 1997; and the Ten Outstanding Young Filipino Award in 1995.

 

The senator said Macuja-Elizalde was also the first Filipino ballerina to bring home a laureate prize, which is a silver medal from the 1987 Asia-Pacific Ballet Competition in Tokyo. She said the ballerina also competed in the senior division semi-finals of the 1990 USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississipi, and won the fifth place at the 1992 International Diaghilev Ballet Competition in Moscow, Russia.

 

Santiago said Macuja-Elizalde has performed as a principal ballerina in major local productions and as an international guest artist in 81 countries in five continents.

 

“Lisa’s unique contributions to Philippine culture and the arts are fully enhanced as she celebrates more than 25 years of professional dance. Her mastery of ballet technique and style, and her unassailable musicality and artistry have earned her the appellation ‘the Filipino ballerina at her best,’” the senator said.

'A great teacher'  

Aside from her achievements, Macuja-Elizalde, who leads Ballet Manila, is a great teacher as well, Santiago said.

 

The senator said Macuja-Elizalde also spearheads Project Ballet Futures, a dance training program for local public schools in Pasay City and Manila.   Macuja-Elizalde is also a founding member and currently treasurer of the Artist Welfare Project, Inc., a non-government organization that aims to help and promote the interests of Filipino artists and cultural workers.

 

Macuja-Elizalde is also a known supporter of the controversial Reproductive Health bill, which was authored by Santiago in the Senate. - VVP, GMA News