PIDC announces Mabuhay stars

PIDC announces Mabuhay stars

TORONTO–PIDC is proud to announce that Filipino-Canadians who made it in the Canadian mainstream are joining us in the celebration of the Philippine Independence Day festivities on July 19, 2008 at Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Another first in the history of the Philippine Independence Day Council, a world renowned ballet dancer, a member of the National Ballet of Canada’s Corps de Ballet, Je-an Salas, will perform at the PIDC festival.

A native of Iloilo City, Philippines, Je-an Salas trained in the Philippine High School for the Arts and was a member of Ballet Philippines. She attended Canada’s National Ballet School’s professional programme in 1990 and subsequently joined The National Ballet of Canada as an Apprentice. She became a member of the Corps de Ballet in 1994 and was promoted to Second Soloist in 2001.

With the National Ballet of Canada, Ms. Salas has performed in a variety of roles: Valencienne in the Merry Widow, Princess Florine in The Sleeping Beauty, Dot in The Contract(The Pied Piper), the Italian and Hungarian Princesses in Swan Lake, Suzuki in Madame Butterfly and Anita in Don Quixote.

Ms. Salas has dances featured roles in a wide range of ballets including Monotones l, Paquita, Napoli Excerpts, Elite Syncopations, the second detail, Forgotten Land, Voluntaries and George Balanchine’s Serenade, The Four Temperaments and Theme and Variations.

If that is not enough incentive for you to be there, popular TV personalities agreed to be emcees at the event.

Pauline Chan, News Anchor, CTV News at 11:30 p.m.

After six years at CTV News as a General Assignment Reporter, Pauline Chan moved to the anchor desk alongside Ken Shaw hosting the 11:30 News in 1997. She continues to host the same show today, with co-anchor Bill Hutchison.

Pauline studied English and Drama at the University of Toronto, but a stint with U of T’s campus radio station sparked her interest in news broadcasting. After graduation, Pauline enrolled in Humber College’s post-graduate journalism program, where she later graduated at the top of her class. An internship at Global Television led to Pauline’s first on-air experience, hosting a weekly youth news program called Kidsbeat.

Born in the Philippines, Kris Reyes began her career interning at CNN Washington, CTV National and CTV Newsnet, where she later became a Freelance Producer/Writer. She then moved to Winnipeg where she was a reporter and producer for CKY News and Global News Winnipeg. Tow years later, in 2004, she joined in the team of Citytv/CP24.

(PRESS RELEASE)