This group performed at three of the major Filipino Festivals in California: The Pistahan Parade and Festival in San Francisco, CA, the FPAC - FilAm festival in San Pedro, CA and the FilAm Street and Stage Festival in San Diego, CA.
We are grateful to each and everyone of our PaaMano Core Group and to their families.
2012 Core Group Bios
BRIANNA MALAYA LOPEZ REGAN
Born and raised in Southern California, Brianna’s love for dance began in 2000 with her first ballet class at the age of four. Brianna began her ballet training with David Wilcox at the Long Beach Ballet Academy. She danced ballet under the artistic direction of Mr. Wilcox for eleven years. Brianna successfully completed all exams through Academy Level 6. Over the years, Brianna has performed in several of Long Beach Ballets' full-length ballet of The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, Swan Lake, Peter Pan, and Coppelia. At the age of fourteen, she qualified to be a member of the Long Beach Ballet Junior Company and competed in the Youth America Grand Prix and Regional Dance America. Brianna has also toured and performed in China with the Long Beach Ballet Company.
Brianna also dances Pilipino folk dances and performs martial arts to express her love for her Philippine culture. She has been performing traditional Pilipino folk dances for over six years with the semi-professional Sampaguita Youth Dance Troupe under the artistic direction of Martin Danao. For over a decade, the Sampaguita Youth Dance Troupe has preserved the traditional folk music, dance and costumes of the Philippines by serving as cultural ambassadors performing in the Southern California area. For more info. about Sampaguita Youth Dance Troupe goto http://sydt1997.shutterfly.com/
In addition to dance, Brianna also studies the Pilipino Martial Arts, PaaMano Eskrima under the direction of Master Roland Ferrer. PaaMano Eskrima Performing Arts combines Brianna’s love for both dance and her Pilipino culture.
An incoming Junior at Long Beach Polytechnic High School’s prestigious PACE Program, Brianna is a “Whovian”, a “”Sherlockian”, and a fan of Marvel Comics and the Harry Potter Series. As a Jackrabbit, Brianna runs on the LB Poly Cross-Country and Track Junior Varsity teams.
GURO ROSE LOPEZ
Rose Lopez began her Paamano Eskrima training in 1997 and her Blended Martial Arts training in 2000. She has earned a 2nd Degree Black belt in both arts. Guro Lopez is our most senior active PaaMano Eskrima instructor and has been dedicated to sharing the Filipino Martial Arts for years. She is a kind and compassionate teacher but can be equally tuff as nails. Her example of feminine strength has inspired many young women to find the same in themselves.
Guro Lopez has a gift in leadership and keeps our group focused and inspired. She is our lead not only in our PaaMano training but in grace, character and nobility.
BRIAN MOGOTE
Brian Mogote is of Filipino and Mexican decent. He was a Polynesian dancer for over five years. He is also a drummer and drummed with Nonosina in San Jose Tahiti Fete, the year they won first place in drumming. He is the Lead Drummer for PaaMano Eskrima Performing Arts.
Brian is one of our Senior Core Members and always brings his great work ethic with his positive attitude to every practice. A great motavator he pushes us to stive for excellence and stay light hearted. He has earned his black belt in Paamano Eskrima with his daughter, Mahea. He has also trained in taekwondo and kickboxing.
Brian is a talented artist and has helped PaaMano with design concepts and artwork. The island design style in his art is fresh and inspired.
He has learned more about his Filipino culture through Paamano Eskrima and with this feels more connected to his Filipino roots.
MAHEA MOGOTE
Mahea Mogote is of Hawaiian, Samoan, Tongan, and Filipino descent and is currently 15 years old. She is a Tahitian dancer and has preformed all over the world (Hawai’i, ‘Oahu, Tahiti and Mo’orea) with her family's' group Nonosina. Her most recent performance was on Merrie Monarchs big stage in Hilo Hawai’i where she was honored to be the youngest dancer of the elite group of Nonosina.
Growing up Mahea was greatly influenced by her Polynesian side. She has completed numerous Kamehameha schools explorations camps- Ho’omaka’ika’i, Ho’olauna and Kulia Ika Pono; camps only offered to Hawaiians. Also many, if not all of her paintings and sketches are Polynesian inspired.
Until the age of 9 Mahea had not yet been introduced to any of her Filipino culture, however now years later, she is greatly inspired by the art, culture and people of the Philippines. Mahea has earned her Black Belt in Paamano Eskrima and has also trained in Taekwondo. Much of the time Mahea was the only girl in Eskrima and at one point she was the only junior. Despite this she fenced men twice her height and age…one of them being her father. Eventually she tested for her black belt with her father, being the only girl candidate, she took it upon herself to proudly represent women and girls around the world. With this she hoped to prove that although martial arts was male dominant sport, women could also fight and keep up with men.
Mahea’s training in martial arts is far from over and she one day hopes to take her martial art talents to the big screen and represent both her Filipino and Polynesian sides!
EM ANGELES
Em Angeles is a native from Southern California now living in the Bay Area. She is an active member of the Filipino American Arts Exposition (FAAE), a volunteer-based nonprofit organization which celebrates its ancestral heritage and contemporary traditions, broadening awareness and deepening the understanding of Filipino history, achievements and
culture. She has produced and volunteered at numerous FAAE events, such as Pistahan Parade and Festival, Filipino Heritage sporting events, Kulinarya as well as the 1st Annual FilBookFest.
A martial artist at heart, Em practices Filipino Stick Fighting known as Eskrima, Arnis, and/or Kali (depending on region) and currently holds 2 black belts in 2 different fighting styles, PaaMano Eskrima and Ernesto Presas' Kombatan.
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