Denise Parungao

Denise Parungao was born in Manila, Philippines where she began her professional career with Ballet Philippines. She soon rose to the rank of principal dancer where her repertory included lead roles in Swan Lake, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella, Carmen, and The Nutcracker. Ms. Parungao joined New Jersey Ballet in the spring of 2022 under the direction of Maria Kowroski. Since joining the company she has danced featured roles in George Balanchine’s Who Cares? and Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain and This Bitter Earth, and was part of the original cast in Harrison Ball’s Purcell Suite.

Ms. Parungao has won awards from the CCP National Ballet Competition, Aliw Awards, and Philstage Gawad Buhay; she was also accepted to compete in the USA International Ballet Competition in 2018. She has taken part in the International Ballet Stars Gala in Australia, Life Chance Gala in support of the people in Ukraine in South Caroline, Okamoto Ballet Festival in Japan, Fonteyn Gala in Arizona, and Asbury Park Dance Festival.

In the summer of 2022, she was a rehearsal mistress and teacher at the Westlake School for the Performing Arts in California. As she starts her second fall season with New Jersey Ballet, she has also joined the faculty of NJB School and Art of Dance in Chester, New Jersey.

Photo Credit
Headshot: Irina Leoni
Dance Photo: Leigh Ann Esty