Passion and Purpose

“From as early as I can remember, dancing allowed me to escape into a whole other world,” shares philanthropist and Tatler Philippines’ Patroness of the Arts awardee in 2019, Sofia Zobel Elizalde. Starting ballet at the tender age of four, little Sofia was immediately enthralled by the world of dance. “I remember never wanting to come home. Whenever there were rehearsals going on, I always wanted to stay until the last person left. I would sit and watch all the older dancers rehearse until very late in the evening. I believe that was the first indication of how much I loved it. Not just dancing itself but the entire lifestyle that revolves around it. Even behind the scenes—the costumes, the sets, the choreography, the lights—all of it was like heaven to me.”

It’s this palpable enthusiasm, this inexplicable fire, that was ignited as a child and propelled Elizalde into a successful career as a professional dancer, performing with Ballet