Ex-PBB housemate teaches in Pinoy Academy
August 21, 2006DREAM FACTORY
Ethel Ramos
“Nagkataong may isinauli akong mga PBB tapes sa PBB
house. Direk Dyogi happened to be there. And he told me
he was looking for a sports teacher for the students of the
PDA.” – Gretchen Malalad
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THE new show on ABS-CBN, “Pinoy Dream Academy” (PDA) is destined to become the biggest reality-cum-talent search on TV ever. Already, it has created a stir when it presented the participants from the National Capital Region (NCR) last August 12. Last Saturday, August 18, would be-scholars (yes, that’s how the contestants are called) from both the different regions and abroad, were introduced.
From the group, 16 students will be trained to become the next singing sensation. But aside from honing their talent for singing, they will also undergo a series of performance and character enhancement sessions.
“Like a typical student, each of the scholar will attend school. The academy is like all schools. It will have a classroom, a gym and even a cafeteria, which is named Kuya’s Cafeteria,” said director Lauren Dyogi, over-all in charge of this program.
“Ang magiging iba lang sa kanila, lahat ng activities na gagawin nila sa kanilang klase– the hardships they’ll undergo and the triumphs they will win for themselves – will be seen by the public,” he added.
Meet the three members of the faculty of PDA: Moy Ortiz, Gretchen Malalad and Maribeth Bichara.
Moy, who is a songwriter and an arranger and a soloist of the vocal group The CompanY, is assigned to teach singing techniques.
Gretchen (remember her?) will take charge of the fitness program of the students. A former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate, she was a SEA Game Gold medalist for karate. She also dabbles in other sports like basketball.
Gretchen said how she landed the job in PDA is a story in itself. “Nagkataong may isinauli akong mga PBB tapes sa PBB house. Direk Dyogi happened to be there. And he told me he was looking for a sports teacher for the students of the PDA. Sabi ko kaagad sa kanya: Ako ‘yang hinahanap mo!
“I was hired that day,” she related.
In charge of the students’ dance lesson is no less than top choreographer Maribeth Bichara, a member of the panel of judges of ABS-CBN’s “Can You Dance.”
“I have to go on leave from ‘Can U Dance’ to concentrate on this new job given to me in PDA,” Maribeth said. “It’s no joke teaching 16 students how to dance. But I promise I’ll make all of them good dancers.”
Maribeth, for those who doesn’t know it, is a younger sister of Al Bichara, the Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon. Al was formerly a governor of Bicol.
Does she have any plans to enter politics and follow in her brother’s footsteps?
“In time. Pero ngayon ‘di pa ako sawa sa pagsasayaw,” she said.
We learned from Gretchen that her friend Aleck Bovick, who was also inside Big Brother’s house, is now five months pregnant. The father of Aleck’s baby is aspiring actor Carlos Maceda.
“She can hardly wait to give birth,” said Gretchen of Aleck. “Sabi niya, ninang daw ako ng kanyang baby.”
Gretchen also revealed that she has resigned from her job as karate instructor in the military. What keeps her busy is giving private karate lessons. She said that if plans do no miscarry, she will have her own fitness program on ABS-CBN soon.
By the way, “Pinoy Dream Academy” will air nightly on ABS-CBN Primetime Bida starting August 25. The hosts include Toni Gonzaga, Sam Milby, Nikki Gil and Bianca Gonzales.
Taken from: http://www.malaya.com.ph/aug21/ente_1.htm
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