Pinoy World Champion for Performing Arts in Hollywood Olympics

The Philippines Makes It Again in Hollywood Olympics

Another Filipino has made it in the World Championships of Performing Arts held recently in Hollywood. Thirteen-year-old Filipino delegate Catherine Loria from Tiaong, Quezon, was proclaimed grand champion in the junior division, while a Jamaican, Andrew Clarke, won in the senior level.

Catherine Loria and Andrew Clarke grand champion performers WCOPA 2008

Catherine Loria and Andrew Clarke were proclaimed grand champion performers at the WCOPA finals in Hollywood recently.

Loria sang Yolanda Adam’s version of “I Believe I Can Fly” at the finals, besting four other vocalists–two of them were Filipinos (Tippy dos Santos and Rachel Razon), while the two others were from New Zealand and Ukraine.

Loria performed five vocal entries in the preliminary rounds in the Broadway, country and Western, gospel, pop, and R&B/soul/jazz categories. For the semifinal round, she sang “When You Believe,” which was popularized by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.

Senior champion Clarke, an actor and classical singer, beat senior vocalists Marielle Corpuz from the Philippines and two other contestants from Malaysia and Moldova. He also received a $10,000 scholarship from the School for Film and Television in New York.

Also called the Hollywood Olympics, the WCOPA is a prestigious international event that gathers outstanding amateur and professional performing artists from the US and more than 40 other countries. The event is on its 12th year.

Team Philippines during the WCOPA 2008 in Hollywood.

Team Philippines during the Opening of the international talent search WCOPA 2008 in Hollywood.

The best of the crop
In the Philippines, the selection process is carried out by national directors Carlo Orosa and Oliver Oliveros, who call out for contestants for categories in dance, vocal, modeling, acting, instrumental, and other acts in both junior and senior divisions.

This year’s delegation included vocalists Panky Trinidad, Dex De Rosa, Abegail Dorado, Glee Nette Gaddi, and the Sison brothers (Marek, Enzo, and Ruiz).

WCOPA judges included representatives from the National Association of Record Industry Professionals, J Records and RCA Music Group, LA Models, casting department of TNT’s The Closer and CBS’ The Class, the cast of hit film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Skull, Geffen Records, the creative team behind the People’s Choice Awards and the Golden Globe Awards, Disney Entertainment Productions, management group of Eva Longoria, Mario Lopez, and Lee Ann Rhimes, and casting agency for Broadway’s Jersey Boys, Wicked, Legally Blonde, Phantom of the Opera, and A Chorus Line.

Loria is the third Filipino Grand Champion Performer of the World after Jed Madela in 2005 and Aria Clemente in 2007.Madela and Aria performed in the opening and closing ceremonies of 2008 WCOPA.

source: pinoycentric.com