Our wholehearted gratitude goes to BP’s donors whose ceaseless support makes it possible for us to keep on dancing. Ballet Philippines is honored to share their stories. May they not only enkindle hope but moreover embolden others to open their hearts and keep ballet alive.
Ballet Philippines President Kathleen Liechtenstein receives the FWN100 Award 2023 Award for the strides she’s taken in business, manufacturing and contribution to the arts
Ballet Philippines President Kathleen Liechtenstein was awarded for her stellar career at the 19th Filipina Leadership Global Summit in Prague last November 2, 2023. The award for Most Influential Filipina Women in the World is given out each year by the Foundation of Filipina Women’s Network, who aims to recognize excellent Filipina women changing the face of leadership with their outstanding work in their respective fields.
Founded in 2006 as part of the Filipina Leadership Summit, the awards were primarily focused on acknowledging game changing Filipinas living in the United States. Since then, the FWN100 Award has branched out, recognizing Pinay leaders in every corner of the global economy. Each awardee is rigorously selected by an in-house committee that takes careful consideration through personal interviews and a strict list of award’s criteria. Liechtenstein joins this year’s crop of awardees for her work in business, manufacturing, and contribution to the arts.
Liechtenstein’s expertise in design and production led her as a supplier for the Atlanta Olympics of 1996 and a major hosiery source for Walmart. She was also the exclusive Philippine representative of the House of Charabot, one of the five remaining ancient fragrance houses in Grasse, France. She was among the first to train in perfumery at the in-house school of the company. The savvy businesswoman has since created distinct fragrances for many Philippine-made products such as cosmetics, toiletries and perfumes.
This led to the presidency of the Philippine Cosmetic Association, and the creation of the ASEAN Cosmetic Association. She was Chairman for The Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) Cosmetics Industry, and was the representative of the industry as the Philippine Delegate to the formulation of the Cosmetics Harmonization Scheme.
Liechtenstein currently holds the position as the President of Ballet Philippines, where she is expresses her passion for the arts, while giving back to underprivileged communities. Her community work as president covers Rotary Sampaguita, Zonta Club of Muntinlupa, and charter president of Zonta Club of Alabang. She is also on the board of several other charitable organizations.
At the very core of Liechtenstein’s tenure at the dance company, is a mission to bring the magic of dance to the less privileged. Over the last few years, various outreach programs have been launched to shed light on the power of dance to uplift, empower, and create positive change. For instance, Ballet Philippines’ Share the Magic program invites over 10,000 beneficiaries from public schools and underserved communities to each season’s production. In addition, the Men and Women in Uniform program invites our courageous military, naval, and air force members as special guests of the ballet.
Recently, Liechtenstein launched a new cultural outreach program called Ballet Brigade. The program is rooted in the three pillars: Entertain, Educate, and Entwine. It kicked off last October 14, 2023 at Aroma, Tondo, where children of the area were treated to a makeshift dance class, a lively dance performance, and gifts to share with their families. The company also extended dance lessons in the future for those interested to learn.
Two other outreach programs have been accomplished since then. The second, in collaboration with Zonta Club of Alabang, raised awareness on HPV and Breast Cancer, and included free screenings for all. Ballet Philippines also traveled to the province of Kalinga-Apayao, where they hosted a makeshift dance class for over 300 children in two locations. “Through our new program, we hope to continue spreading awareness about the ballet and the magic it can bring,” says Liechtenstein. “Dance is for everybody, and I’m thrilled that Ballet Philippines could be a part of a young girl or boy’s journey of discovery.”
Ballet Philippines President Kathleen Liechtenstein was awarded for her stellar career at the 19th Filipina Leadership Global Summit in Prague last November 2, 2023.
