Flonique Guimary

Ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde thanks Timothee Chalamet for ‘renewing the fighting spirit in me’

Article (news)

Rhea Manila Santos

Push Team

<p>With Hollywood actor Timothee Chalamet recently receiving backlash regarding not-so-flattering remarks he made against the ballet and opera, members of the local and international arts and culture community have understandably been speaking up in defense of their art. </p><div><br/></div><p>Timothee, who is currently a frontrunner at the Oscars this year for his role in the film <em>Marty Supreme</em>, was called out after making this statement during an interview presented by CNN and Variety.</p><p>&quot;I admire people — and I&#x27;ve done it myself — [who] go on a talk show and go, &#x27;Hey, we gotta keep movie theaters alive, you know, we gotta keep this genre alive. And I don&#x27;t wanna be working in ballet or opera or things where it&#x27;s like, &#x27;Hey, keep this thing alive,&#x27; even though it&#x27;s like, no one cares about this anymore.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><p>In her social media post last March 12, Ballet Manila CEO and artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde shared her message for the 30-year-old French-American actor where she chose to highlight the positive effects of his statement about the ballet community. </p><div><br/></div><p>She said in her Instagram reel, “Dear Timothee Chalamet,</p><p>I just want to thank you. Thank you for renewing the fighting spirit in me and the fighting spirit in all of us ballet dancers. Ballet Manila has always been dedicated to bringing ballet to the people and more people to the ballet for the last 31 years. And sometimes we take it for granted. And it took you, just one statement, to wake us all up to the fact that what we are doing is very relevant and that we really care.”</p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-3" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DU7LZPlDHV-/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=607&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A3%2C%22os%22%3A7312236.6%2C%22ls%22%3A15143.400000000373%2C%22le%22%3A15154.800000000745%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="979" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-3" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2025/8/19/ballet-manila-at-30-years-is-a-vindication-says-lisa-macuja-1327" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Ballet Manila at 30 years is a &#x27;vindication,&#x27; says Lisa Macuja</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>Before ending the clip, Lisa also extended an open invitation to the actor to catch her company’s newest show this weekend. </p><div><br/></div><p>“So, if you’re in Manila, catch Ballet Manila in <em>Sleeping Beauty</em> on March 13, 14, and 15, here in Aliw Theater. And for the first time after the pandemic, the Manila Symphony Orchestra is going to be accompanying us,” she said. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-4" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVw3LRSk9qH/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=607&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A4%2C%22os%22%3A7312248%2C%22ls%22%3A15143.400000000373%2C%22le%22%3A15154.800000000745%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="987" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-4" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>Considered the largest classical ballet company in the country, Lisa founded Ballet Manila in 1995 and continues to stay true to her commitment of bringing “ballet to the people” with the Lisa Macuja School of Ballet. Her ballet school also offers talented but disadvantaged students opportunities for training through the Project Ballet Futures (PBF) which Lisa also founded. The program supports their scholars with free training, meals, equipment, and transportation allowances.</p><div><br/></div><p>Lisa also holds the honor of being at the helm of the only ballet school in the Philippines with direct links to the Russian Ballet Academy of St. Petersburg, Russia. This means that at every level, their students are trained in the highest standards of classical ballet based on the rigorous Russian Vaganova method.</p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-5" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DVvZTBeE4N-/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=607&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A5%2C%22os%22%3A7312254.700000001%2C%22ls%22%3A15143.400000000373%2C%22le%22%3A15154.800000000745%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="1081" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-5" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/music/2026/3/12/the-pussycat-dolls-make-a-comeback-as-a-trio-with-new-song-announces-tour-2132" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: The Pussycat Dolls make a comeback as a trio with new song, announces tour</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>Having started studying ballet at the age of eight, Lisa received a scholarship from the USSR Ministry of Culture to study at the then Leningrad Choreographic Institute at the age of 18. She ended up graduating at the top of her class in 1984 and became the first foreign soloist to ever join the historic Kirov Ballet (now called Mariinsky Ballet, formerly called the Imperial Russian Ballet) which is considered one of the world’s leading ballet companies. </p>

<p>Prima ballerina and Ballet Manila founder Lisa Macuja-Elizalde shares an uplifting message for Hollywood actor Timothee Chalamet after his disparaging remarks regarding the ballet and opera community.</p>

Prima ballerina and Ballet Manila founder Lisa Macuja-Elizalde shares an uplifting message for Hollywood actor Timothee Chalamet after his disparaging remarks regarding the ballet and opera community.