THE LISA Macuja School of Ballet Manila has opened a new branch at Fishermall, Quezon and Roosevelt Avenues, Quezon City.

Located at the fourth floor of the mall, the ballet school will train aspiring dancers according to the signature discipline and technique that Ballet Manila has come to be known for.

“There is such a big clamor for the school in this area and we are so grateful that we are finally able to give in to that,” said Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, the school’s director. “Our school is known for producing some of the most successful classical dancers in the country, and for that, most people who wish to learn ballet would want to learn it from us. We have students who live in Quezon City, Marikina and other nearby areas who travel all the way to Pasay every day just to rehearse and learn. And we’ve always wanted to make it easier for them, which is why we are so thankful for this opportunity to finally open a school in this area.”

The Lisa Macuja School of Ballet Manila is the only ballet school in the Philippines with direct links to 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.

The school’s faculty is made up of accomplished Vaganova style-trained classical dancers such as Jonathan Janolo, Sofia Sangco-Peralta, Gerardo Francisco, Eileen Lopez, Czarina Villegas and, of course, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and Osias Barroso, also school codirector.

Courses are Creative Movement for Toddlers (for ages 2-3), Baby Ballerinas (for ages 3-5), Twinkle Toes (for ages 5-6), Level 1B-Beginner and Level 1A-Advanced (for ages 6-9), Level 2B-Beginner and Level 2B-Advanced (for 10-12 years old), Level 3B-Intermediate (for boys and girls aged 12-16 with previous ballet training and intermediate pointe work), Level 3-A Advanced (for 14 years old and above) and Refresher Class (for those age 16 and up with substantial past training and want to be reintroduced to the art’s basic concepts).

There are also Ballet for Fitness class and Yoga and Conditioning classes as well as specialty classes (Modern Ballet, Zumba, Street Dance and Ballroom).

Complete list of schedules and courses on www.balletmanila.com.ph; call 4000292.