Maniya Barredo | |
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Born | Josephine Carmen Imutan Barredo November 19, 1951 Manila, Philippines |
Occupation | Ballet dancer |
Years active | 1955–present |
Relatives |
Josephine Carmen Imutan Barredo (born November 19, 1951), known professionally as Maniya Barredo, is a Filipina ballet dancer and instructor. She is best known as the first and only Prima ballerina of the Philippines, an honor that was declared in 1978.[1]
She performed for the Joffrey Ballet,[2] Atlanta Ballet,[3] and the Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. She has taught at the Mount Dora School of Ballet[4] and is the Founder and Director of Metropolitan Ballet Theatre.[5] She has been described as the “technical trump card” of the Hariraya Ballet Company. In 1977, she was selected by Alicia Alonzo[6] to represent the company in Cuba for the international festival.[7] In Manila in 1977, she performed with Burton Taylor. She received a greeting on the occasion of her 50th anniversary in the dance profession from the President of the Philippines, Benigno S. Aquino III for her “enrichment of the Philippine arts”[8] and the Gawad CCP Para Sining (Sayaw) Award of Excellence in 1992.[9] She was invited to tour with the Stars of the World Ballet.[10] Among others she has trained: Colette Tilinski, Luis Gonzalez, and Sarah Cordia.[11]