Ballet Manila is a classical ballet institution and dance company in the Philippines. It currently highlights more than fifty highly trained dancers in the highly rigorous Russian (Vaganova) method of classical ballet. Locally the company has performed in 47 cities holding more than 4,100 performances. The company has done tours in Asia, Europe and North America, where it has held more than 140 performances. The company is most notable for its in-house creative director, principal dancer and prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde. Along with Ballet Philippines and the Philippine Ballet Theatre, Ballet Manila is one of the three major ballet companies in the Philippines. It regularly held its performances at the Aliw theater and Star Theater which were damaged by a fire in 2019, which are both located within Star City at Pasay. The concept of a ballet company by the dancers, of the dancers and for the dancers was the idea of Lisa Macuja-Elizalde when she, along with ballet master Osias Barroso and ten other dancers established Ballet Manila in 1995. Repertoire Ballet Manila has featured full-length performances of Swan Lake, Don Quixote, The Nutcracker, Giselle, La Bayadere, Romeo and Juliet, Carmen, Le Corsaire, and other classical staples, as well as contemporary Filipino ballet pieces by some of the Philippines most distinguished choreographers. Ballet Manila has also performed non-classical pieces such as the major production piece Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang (The three stories of Grandmother Basyang). The company also performs short non-classical pieces which they perform at the Star City amusement center to cater to the masses, such pieces include Paskong Pista (Christmas Fiesta) and Hi-skul Musikahan which directly translates and is also a Filipino ballet rendition of High School Musical. The company's season runs from April to February of the following year, where they do four major productions annually. Ballet Manila's major production calendar for 2011 includes Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang in August, Swan Lake in October, Maligayang Pasko (Happy Christmas) in December and Love ko to (I love this) in February 2012. Ballet Manila's tie-up with Manila Broadcasting Company has paved the way for the concert series “Ballet and Ballads” where the show features the artistic merger of pop songs and classical dance. To date, Ballet Manila has done collaborations with the bands’ Side A and Freestyle, as well as musicians Ariel Rivera, Lani Misalucha, Janno Gibbs, Jaya, Luke Mijares, Karylle, Toni Gonzaga, Kyla and Nyoy