OUR STORY
Naomi Jaena
Naomi began her ballet training at the age of 4 under Edgar Valdez. In 1985, she joined the Cultural Center of the Philippines Dance School (CCPDS) and received a Ballet Philippines (BP) company scholarship from 1988-1991. Her versatility in both classical and modern ballet was influenced by esteemed teachers including Noordin Jumalon, Perry Sevidal, Gina Katigbak-Garcia, Cecile Sicangco, Agnes Locsin, and others. In December 1991, she took on her first solo role as Clara in BP's Nutcracker production.
A year later, Naomi became a Society for Ballet Philippines scholar, and at 16, she joined Ballet Philippines 2. In 1994, she danced as Odile in Black Swan with Neil Cambay. The following year, she portrayed the lead role of Cita in Agnes Locsin's Christmas Ballet titled Noche Buena. In 1996, she took on the lead role in La Fille Mal Gardee's summer dance workshop as Lise with Sonny Locsin. Naomi performed in numerous productions, including Swan Lake, Giselle, Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella, and more.
In 1997, Naomi was promoted to a senior company member of Ballet Philippines, embarking on a centennial tour in Germany, Portugal, Canada, USA, and Japan. In 1999, she debuted as Snow White in BP's production. Naomi was a faculty member of CCPDS since 1994, teaching both classical and modern ballet. In 2000, she danced with the Staten Island Ballet in New York City.
After raising a family in the United States, Naomi returned in 2008 and continued her teaching career at CCPDS, Perry Sevidal Ballet, and Effie Nanas DanCenter. In 2011, she performed Medora of Le Corsaire Pas De Deux and decided to embark on a second chapter of her dancing career by joining Ballet Manila as a company member.
Under the guidance of Osias Barroso, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, and Natasha, Naomi participated in Ballet Manila's productions like Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Nutcracker, and more. She danced lead roles such as Odalisque in Le Corsaire and Handog with John De Dios. Naomi also collaborated with various choreographers in productions like Misfit and Maverick, Present and Process, Bloom, and Shutter.
In 2013, she toured with Ballet Manila in Macau and Bicol. Currently, Naomi teaches at various ballet schools and serves as the director of the Naomi-Francis Jaena Ballet, formerly known as LPU Ballet Academy.
Francis Jaena Jr. commenced his dance training at the age of 13 in Iloilo City with the Dagyaw Theatre and Dance Co. under Edwin Duero, influenced by Agnes Locsin's modern dance technique. He played a significant role in Agnes Locsin's "Hinilawood," portraying Dumalapdap and other contemporary ballet roles and folk dances. Francis participated in summer dance workshops led by Paul Morales, Denisa Reyes, and Breshnev Larlar, earning recognition as a promising young artist. In 1993, he received the "Dancer of the Year" award from Australian Ballet's Nicholas Rowe for his exemplary technique in modern dance.
After completing high school, Francis pursued his degree and studied Dance Major at the University of the Philippines Diliman under the supervision of Steve Villaruz. At 18, he joined the Philippine Ballet Theater under Gener Caringal as a company member, receiving training from Ida Beltran and Anatoli Panniasokov. He performed in productions such as "Carmina Burana," "Madame Butterfly," "Andres," and Filipino Pieces. Notably, he took on principal roles in "Filipino Pieces" and "Romeo and Juliet" as "Romeo."
In July 2000, Francis entered the international stage, becoming a member of the California Ballet Company under Maxine Mahon and Paul Koverman. Subsequently, he joined Ballet New York in 2001 with Konstantine Uralsky, participating in productions like "Nutcracker" and contemporary choreographies. He also earned a scholarship program at Steps in New York City, training under renowned instructors like David Howard, Alexander Filipov, and others.
In 2003, Francis collaborated with choreographers Helen Heinemann and Lynn Parkerson in Manhattan for a choreographer’s festival, sharing the stage with iconic danseurs like Barishnikov and the Paul Taylor company. In 2009, he joined the Singapore Dance Theatre as a Company Member, working with choreographers Edward Liang, Neils Christie, and Xing Liang.
Upon returning to the Philippines, Francis joined Ballet Manila from 2012 to 2014, participating in major productions and tours. He also honed his choreography skills, creating pieces like "Shutter," "Labindalawa Princessa in tatlong kwento ni lola basyang," and "Chi and pangarap in Love Radio with papa jack."
Transitioning from his dancing career, Francis devoted his passion for the arts to teaching. Since March 2014, he has been teaching at Perry Sevidal School of Ballet, Reneegracerosevilla Ballet School, Southpoint School of Ballet, and Brent International School. Currently, he serves as the director of the LPU dance company and head of the Arts and Cultural Affairs Department at the Lyceum of the Philippines University.
Francis Jaena
Our Core Values
Excellence & Holistic Approach
Our goal is to provide a transformative ballet education that just goes beyond dance steps. We aim to develop not just skilled dancers but also individuals with deep appreciation for the arts, fostering their physical, emotional, and artistic well-being.
It is also our goal to inspire a lifelong love for dance through a well-rounded and holistic approach.
Community Awareness
We aim to make the students understand the value of recognising that dance is for everybody.
We will aim to be inclusive.
Collaboration
The school will promote collaborative spirit. “It takes a village to make a dancer”. The school will closely collaborate with parents and guardians on the the training of students.We will establish a network with other training institutions.
We hope to be able to bridge the students to a world of ballet locally and globally. We will aim to develop in the students the mindset to search and research.