Argel Monte de Ramos’ lucky number was seven at the World Championship of Performing Arts.
That’s how many medals the Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) business student won at the international competition in Long Beach, California July 8-17.
Monte de Ramos also won a $10,000 scholarship to New York Film Academy’s musical theatre program.
“This competition is just not all about winning, but also discovering your true talent, and meeting these amazing people that might help you to enrich the skills that you have for the performing arts,” said the 19-year-old Surrey man. “And most importantly, the bond that you will create with Team Canada, and with the other contestants from different countries and the WCPA staff.”
Monte de Ramos won gold, silver and bronze medals, plus the prestigious Industry Award.
His total winnings:
• Gold - Vocal with Self Accompaniment - Original Work
• Silver - Vocal: World - Luha by Aegis
• Silver - Vocal: Rock - Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi
• Bronze: - Vocal: Pop - Forget You by Cee Lo Green
• Bronze - Acting: Comical – Don’t Turn off the Lights
• Bronze - Acting: Contemporary - Inside Me
• Industry Award Recipient
• He also received a $10,000 scholarship from New York Film Academy/
Monte de Ramos credits his Interdisciplinary Expressive Arts (IDEA) 1400 course at KPU for helping him improve his acting skills.
IDEA 1400 instructor Fred Ribkoff also speaks highly of the course.
“Teaching IDEA 1400 is the most fulfilling thing I have ever done in my life because it enables me to create a communal learning environment in which students express and explore themselves, gain self-confidence, bond with one another, and work together to build characters and plays.”
Ribkoff adds that to engage in a theatrical project, large or small, is to “put oneself out there, and when you have a room full of people willing to extend themselves and take risks within a supportive environment, pretty well anything can be accomplished.”
Monte de Ramos said Ribkoff helped him “unleash the character that the monologues are asking me to give out.”
For now, Monte de Ramos looks forward to immersing himself in musical theatre at New York Film Academy’s Manhattan campus.
Learners in KPU’s Interdisciplinary Expressive Arts 1400 explore and develop their creative imaginations through an expressive arts approach to drama, theatre, and community-oriented performances.
They engage with and contribute to an expressive arts community through the creative of interdisciplinary imaginative projects and have opportunities to achieve personal growth and to develop critical and empathic sensibilities through mentorship activities.