A. Samson Manalo

A. Samson Manalo is a Filipino American writer, director, producer, emcee and stand-up comic, who has performed in venues throughout 46 States and 3 countries. He is also the former Artistic and Managing Director of Bindlestiff Studio, a San Francisco black box theater located in the heart of SOMA Pilipinas and dedicated to the support and cultivation of Filipino Americans in the performing arts. As a writer, Manalo was a regular contributor to Filipinas magazine, Manila Times, Manual Men’s magazine and has written works have been published in STAGE PRESENCE: CONVERSATIONS WITH FILIPINO AMERICAN PERFORMING ARTISTS, LIWANAG II, and ZYZZYVA Literary Journal.

BINI

BINI is a Filipino girl group under ABS-CBN's Star Magic. The group was formed through the Star Hunt Academy. Its eight members are Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna, and Sheena. Their name was taken from the Filipino word ”binibini” which means "young lady", a nod to the group's vision to "embody the idea of a modern Filipina – sweet, independent, informed, and fierce.

DANABELLE GUTIERREZ

Danabelle Gutierrez is a writer, actress, and photographer. She is one of Illustrado's 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf in 2020, the Filipino Times Artist of the Year in 2017, and was awarded as a Film Ambassador by The Film Development Council of the Philippines in 2019. Danabelle has performed poetry with various groups including Dubai Poetry Slam, Rooftop Rhythms, Punch, Poeticians, Blank Space, Echoes Abu Dhabi, and the Poetryhood. She has also performed at the stages of Emirates Litfest, Louvre Abu Dhabi, NYU Abu Dhabi, Jameel Arts Centre, Sikka Art Festival, and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Her writing can be seen in Postscript Magazine, Electra Street NYU Abu Dhabi, WordsDance, Amor Magazine, Illustrado Magazine, The Poetryhood, and in a video by Vogue Arabia recited by Ciara, the singer. Danabelle is the author of poetry books & Until The Dreams Come and I Long To Be The River and chapbooks Eventually, The River Surrenders and Softer. She was born in Las Piñas and raised in Cairo, Vienna, and Muscat. Danabelle is currently in Dubai where she lives, loves, and writes.

Filipino Language Students at Bell Middle School - San Diego

Each year, students and staff from Bell Middle School in San Diego organize a Multicultural Night to celebrate and honor the various identities and cultures that compromise the school community. This year, as schools began to re-open, educators like Laurie Bailon-Yagyagan and Mike Lapid mobilized their campus community to put on a virtual version of their annual event. This segment features 6th through 8th grade students from Mr. Lapid's Filipino Language class who committed to staying after school for 6 weeks to learn this Filipino Folk Dance. Restaging was by Brian Batugo, a newly hired Ethnic Studies Resource Teacher at San Diego Unified School District, music is by the American Center for Philippines Arts.

Gigi De Lana

The Gen Z Siren, Gigi is one of the most loved contenders in It’s Showtime’s Tawag Ng Tanghalan Season 1. As a finalist, her performances were remarkable as it reached millions of views onYouTube and Facebook snackables. She has been producing music and doing livestream productions with her band on various platforms where she continues to gain traction. Gigi had her first major acting role in “Four Sisters Before the Wedding” as the hilarious Love Mae Tete. She is a fierce advocate against animal cruelty and wellness and the youth vote for 2022.

KARIKTAN DANCE COMPANY

Kariktan Dance Company (Ka-Rik-Tan) of Concord, California was founded in 2004 to promote the Filipino Culture thru dance and songs. Performers range in age from 12-40 and come from all over Contra Costa County. They have performed all over the Bay Area as well as other parts of California at various events like KalayaanSF, the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, Vallejo’s Pista sa Nayon, Pistahan Parade and Festival, Philippine Fiesta in Sonoma, SF Giants and Golden State Warriors Filipino Heritage Night as well as numerous private engagements and corporate functions. Kariktan holds weekly practice sessions at the Dance Connection Studios in Concord and is always looking for new members to help spread the beauty of our culture. Contact and Performance schedule are available at www.kariktan.org. Robbie Herrera is Kariktan’s Artistic Director.

Kawayan Folk Arts

Kawayan Folk Arts is a performing arts troupe based in the South Bay Area, California.  Members come from across the Bay Area and are students and professionals from different  professional fields: engineers, business, education, medicine and students.  Kawayan (with a "K"), meaning "bamboo" in Tagalog, references the Philippine creation myth where the first man and woman emerged from a piece of bamboo.  Their ethnic music and dance performances are composed with traditional Filipino elements, steps, and musical instruments to depict narrative stories and cultural motifs including legends like Maria Makiling or the legend of the sun and moon, Apolaki and Mayari.  

Krystle

Born and raised in the Philippines, Krystle has been passionate about music since the age of three, and has been performing for the crowds before she could read or write. Although she’s always love singing, she never really thought she would be pursuing a full time career in music one day, let alone be able to write her own songs and share them with the world.

Kyle Echarri

One of the most promising young actors of his generation, and one of the most patronized personality in social media. Once a top contender in The Voice Kids Season 2, eventually landed acting on hit teleseryes on TFC such as “Huwag Kang Mangamba”, “Kadenang Ginto” and the recent “Click, Like and Share”. This member of The Gold Squad is a talented singer, dancer and now a composer and music producer

LIKHA-Pilipino Folk Ensemble

LIKHA-Pilipino Folk Ensemble believes in the power of dance and music to share the beauty of Philippine culture. LIKHA has grown into an arts organization with a diverse breadth of programs and performances, representing the Philippines in 11 international festivals. LIKHA continually expands its repertoire and maintains authentic costuming, props, and instruments—by researching, developing, and nurturing relationships with diverse communities throughout the Philippines. The company was founded in 1992 by Rudi Soriano, who recently stepped aside as Artistic Director, welcoming Michael Palad and Paulino Tomayo to carry forward the company’s artistic vision.

little manila dance collective

In 2018 we lost our leader - Dr. Dawn Bohulano Mabalon. But before we lost her, she gave us the gift of our story as a people, an almost forgotten community to be responsible for, and a legacy to live up to. In "Dawn," our 2019 Little Manila Rising Community Showcase, we honor her life's work and the vision she had for a renewed community. For this year's Pistahan, we offer our opening performance "Karatong" inspired by the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group performed by our Adult and youth dancers with music by. the American Center for Philippine Arts (ACPA) and the Little Manila Rondalla.

PARANGAL DANCE COMPANY

Parangal means tribute or to give honor. We create awareness and advocacy for Philippine Indigenous People's culture, traditions, and stories through attire, music, and dance. Parangal.org

Ragamuffs

 Indie-Rock Pop duo Ragamuffs, based in Honolulu, Hawai’i, consists of members Joseph Carag (guitar/vocals) and Hailey Fines (guitar/vocals). Their pastel-colored indie sounds will take you from cool-blue serene settings to rhapsodized skipping on a mustard day. The melted balance of female and male vocals, over occasional fragments of folk, soul, and lo-fi bring an element for everyone to enjoy. Over the last few years, they were driven to break exposure into the Honolulu music scene, playing feel-good indie rock. In 2019, Ragamuffs went on their first west coast tour and opened up for Mac DeMarco and The Unlikely Candidates. Slated to go to SXSW in 2020, the Ragamuffs pivoted to doing multiple interviews and virtual shows during the pandemic including WishBus USA. 2021 has already been an amazing year--releasing a music video for their #1 song "Sunset Chaser" and dropping their latest single, "Swimming in Glue”. 

Rahiti Polynesian Dance

Under the direction of Remie Aranda and Jaemie Aranda Cadiente we bring you RAHITI!  RAHITI is an award-winning Bay Area Polynesian dance group. We have dance schools in SSF, Ca and Ewa Beach, HI. 

With over 30 years of dance experience RAHITI provides entertainment from the South Pacific.

RAHITI shares the love of Tahitian dance through the fast-paced drumbeats and beautiful songs.  We also share our Aloha of hula from Hawai'i, the strength and grace of Samoa and the skillful precision of the Maori from Aotearoa (New Zealand).  

Our goal is to continue to respect our received traditions through teaching, educating and instilling the beauty of the Polynesian Culture.  

RUSSELL REYES

Russell Reyes is a singer songwriter from Skokie, IL. Although he spent most of his childhood playing competitive tennis, his passion for music arose during his adolescent years. As he participated in his high school’s advanced choral groups and was about to go to college for music, a family vacation to the Philippines eventually led him to audition and compete in ABS-CBN’s singing reality competition: Pinoy Boyband Superstar. This popular singing competition was hosted by Billy Crawford, and included very popular celebrity judges like Vice Ganda, Yeng Constantino, Aga Muchlach, and Sandara Park. As Reyes went through trial and triumph, Reyes was one of the five winners to win a spot in the band, which led to the formation of Boyband PH (ABS-CBN’s first signed boyband).

As Reyes is residing back in Skokie, he is working on new upcoming projects and will release his first single under Tarsier Records, the record label that is producing and releasing singles from well-known artists like Inigo Pascual and Kiana V.

SAB

She is a singer-songwriter with a refreshing voice. She released her self-penned mini debut album entitled “Sunsets and Heaven” last July 23rd. The six-track EP which she entirely wrote and composed and produced by ABS-CBN Music creative director, Jonathan Manalo, thematically presents slices of life stories and the ups and downs of growing up that took inspiration from her personal story and those that she sees around her. SAB is one of the artists to look out for under Star Music.

Steps, Styles and Spotlights: Mabuhay Folkloric Society

Steps Styles and Spotlights presents Mabuhay Folkloric Society! SSS is a dance group based in the East Bay that was created by director and choreographer, Johnny Veloso. Mabuhay Folkloric Society is the Filipino cultural side of SSS where dancers perform Filipino Folk dances. Most popular for dances such as Sinkil, Pandanggo, and Tinikling. This group has performed numerous times at past Pistahan events, Parish festivals, and Filipino Heritage Nights for the San Francisco Giants, Oakland A’s, and more. Mabuhay Folkloric Society is committed to promoting the arts throughout each community and hopes to educate others about the Filipino culture. 

Steps, Styles and Spotlights: The Rhythm Monsters

Steps Styles and Spotlights presents The Rhythm Monsters! Rhythm Monsters is the hip-hop performance group of SSS where members can share their influence and passion for dance. They can be seen dancing at events and festivals across Northern California such as past Pistahan events and even at the Santa Cruz Warriors. They hope to showcase that anyone and everyone can get up and dance!

Tita Che

Jeppy Paraiso is a Content Creator, Chef, and Singer from Virginia, USA. He is best known for playing a Character online dubbed as “Everybody’s Favorite Tita”, The Viral Tita Che. Jeppy gained popularity online in 2017 for “Filipino Titas At Thanksgiving Be Like” and since then has continued to showcase the Filipino Culture and The Filipino-American Experience through his Role as Tita Che. Aside from Comedy, Jeppy is also a Pastry Chef by Profession and is a Multi-Medalist Winner in The World Championships of Performing Arts where he showcased his talents as a Singer. Jeppy continues to show his love for Filipino Culture through his comedy, through his music and through his influence on Social Media. He loves to be peoples source of joy, laughter, and positivity.