Luther Perez, Tony Fabella, Eddie Elejar Mendoza - enduring luminaries in dance in the Philippines. Highlights in the history of ballet in the country have been marked by their passionate involvement and dedication. Their numerous achievements in the performing arts are a glowing testament to their unequaled talent and virtuosity.

Luther Perez (Artistic Director) was mentored by both Tony Fabella and Eddie Elejar, along with Vella Damian, Eric Cruz, Tina Santos, Gary Wahl, William Morgan, Ian Stripling, and Gener Caringal in ballet.   He was trained in modern dance by Alice Reyes, Tony Fabella, Takako Asakawa, in mime by Tony Mabasa, in folk dance by Cora Iñigo, and in stagecraft by Monino Duque. Perez was the principal dancer of the Manila Metropolis Ballet and the Fabella-Elejar Dance Company, where he also became the ballet master.  He performed the lead roles in such productions as Coppelia, directed by William Morgan, Munaham at Isara and Reyna Elena by Tony Fabella, Juliet and her Romeo by Eddie Elejar, and Tales of Manuvu by Alice Reyes. He was hailed by National Artist and Dance Critic Leonor Orosa Goquinco as one of the country’s foremost exponents of ballet, dancing with “fluid, light, and classically neat” lines.  He has worked extensively with underprivileged kids for the past years. He was Awarded Patnubay ng Sining para sa Sayaw

Eddie Elejar (President/Artistic Consultant) trained under Ricardo Casell, Totoy Oteyza, Olga Preobrajanska, Volkart, Karen Taft, Robert Joffrey, Maurice Bejart and Marie Rambert from the 1950s to the 1960s. He performed in productions such as Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and The Nutcracker. With Maribel Aboitiz, he performed in Madrid, Barcelona, Zurich, and Lusanne with the Tena Ballet.   He was premiere danseur of the Pamana Ballet from 1966 to 1968, with Greta Monseratt as his partner. In 1968, he performed Dance Theater Philippines with Julie Borromeo and Felicitas Layag-Radaic. In 1970s, he founded the CCP Dance Workshop and Company (now Ballet Philippines) with Alice Reyes, for which he created Juliet and her Romeo, 1970, Juru-Pakal (The Enchanted Kiss) and Who’s the Clown, 1971, among other notable productions.  He was awarded GAWAD CCP Para sa Sining. He was also the production director of the Ballet Federation of the Philippines and with Tony Fabella, was the founder and director of the Manila Metropolis Ballet from 1978 to 1988. In 1991-1993, he was PBT’s Artistic Director.

+ Tony Fabella’s life in dance is exemplary. He trained in ballet with Eddie Elejar, Joji-Felix Velarde, Nina Vyroubova, Natalia Mirskaya, Elvira Rone, Miro Zolan, Alfred Rodrigues, and Garth Welch. He was mentored by Alice Reyes, Norman Walker, Pauline Kroner and Takako Asakawa in modern dance.   He was also a leading member of the Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company. Tony was principal dancer of Dance Theater Philippines and later, of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Dance Company.  He was company manager and resident choreographer of the CCP Dance Company before he teamed up with Eddie Elejar as co-directors of the Goldcrest Dance Workshop, the New Alabang Dance Center, Manila Metropolis Ballet and Fabella-Elejar Dance Studios.   From 1970, he went intensively into choreography. His dances have been commissioned by the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Dance Theater Philippines, and the Manila Metropolitan Theater.

Luther Perez (Artistic Director) was mentored by both Tony Fabella and Eddie Elejar, along with Vella Damian, Eric Cruz, Tina Santos, Gary Wahl, William Morgan, Ian Stripling, and Gener Caringal in ballet.   He was trained in modern dance by Alice Reyes, Tony Fabella, Takako Asakawa, in mime by Tony Mabasa, in folk dance by Cora Iñigo, and in stagecraft by Monino Duque. Perez was the principal dancer of the Manila Metropolis Ballet and the Fabella-Elejar Dance Company, where he also became the ballet master.  He performed the lead roles in such productions as Coppelia, directed by William Morgan, Munaham at Isara and Reyna Elena by Tony Fabella, Juliet and her Romeo by Eddie Elejar, and Tales of Manuvu by Alice Reyes. He was hailed by National Artist and Dance Critic Leonor Orosa Goquinco as one of the country’s foremost exponents of ballet, dancing with “fluid, light, and classically neat” lines.  He has worked extensively with underprivileged kids for the past years. He was Awarded Patnubay ng Sining para sa Sayaw

Eddie Elejar (President/Artistic Consultant) trained under Ricardo Casell, Totoy Oteyza, Olga Preobrajanska, Volkart, Karen Taft, Robert Joffrey, Maurice Bejart and Marie Rambert from the 1950s to the 1960s. He performed in productions such as Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and The Nutcracker. With Maribel Aboitiz, he performed in Madrid, Barcelona, Zurich, and Lusanne with the Tena Ballet.   He was premiere danseur of the Pamana Ballet from 1966 to 1968, with Greta Monseratt as his partner. In 1968, he performed Dance Theater Philippines with Julie Borromeo and Felicitas Layag-Radaic. In 1970s, he founded the CCP Dance Workshop and Company (now Ballet Philippines) with Alice Reyes, for which he created Juliet and her Romeo, 1970, Juru-Pakal (The Enchanted Kiss) and Who’s the Clown, 1971, among other notable productions.  He was awarded GAWAD CCP Para sa Sining. He was also the production director of the Ballet Federation of the Philippines and with Tony Fabella, was the founder and director of the Manila Metropolis Ballet from 1978 to 1988. In 1991-1993, he was PBT’s Artistic Director.

+ Tony Fabella’s life in dance is exemplary. He trained in ballet with Eddie Elejar, Joji-Felix Velarde, Nina Vyroubova, Natalia Mirskaya, Elvira Rone, Miro Zolan, Alfred Rodrigues, and Garth Welch. He was mentored by Alice Reyes, Norman Walker, Pauline Kroner and Takako Asakawa in modern dance.   He was also a leading member of the Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company. Tony was principal dancer of Dance Theater Philippines and later, of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Dance Company.  He was company manager and resident choreographer of the CCP Dance Company before he teamed up with Eddie Elejar as co-directors of the Goldcrest Dance Workshop, the New Alabang Dance Center, Manila Metropolis Ballet and Fabella-Elejar Dance Studios.   From 1970, he went intensively into choreography. His dances have been commissioned by the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Dance Theater Philippines, and the Manila Metropolitan Theater.

He was an Alab ng Haraya awardee given by the National Commission on Culture and Arts for Best Choreography for the year 2002.

Artists Behind The Foundation