Han Dang
An impression of Han Dang by an unknown artist
General of Eastern Wu
Born	(Unknown) Lingzhi, Liaoxi Commandery (present-day Qian'an, Hebei)
Died	227
Names
Simplified Chinese	韩当
Traditional Chinese	韓當
Pinyin	Han Dang
Wade-Giles	Han Tang
Style name	Yigong (義公)

Han Dang (died 227)^[1] was a military general of Eastern Wu during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history.

Biography[link]

Han Dang was born in Liaoxi Commandery. He became favored by Sun Jian for his fighting skills and served the Sun family for three generations. He became one of four pioneering generals of Wu and was trusted by Sun Jian, Sun Ce and Sun Quan. He commanded a wing of the Wu navy at times. At the Battle of Red Cliffs, he rescued Huang Gai, a fellow pioneering general, who had been shot by an enemy arrow, and was floating in the river. He helped control the Shanyue, the "uncivilized" people of southeastern China and enemies of Wu, in the Poyang region. He also served in the campaigns against Guan Yu, and in the Battle of Xiaoting. He died shortly afterwards.

Han Dang's son, Han Zong (韩综), was a commander at the garrison of Wuchang under Sun Quan. He, however, defected to Wei, after he believed he was about to be punished for his immorality and bad conduct. He took all the family's possessions, including his father's coffin. He was eventually killed at the Battle of Dongxing in 252. Zhuge Ke had Han Zong's head chopped off and presented to the temple of Sun Quan, who died eight months ago, since Sun deeply hated Han Zong for his bad behavior.

Appointments and titles held[link]

• Senior Major (別部司馬)
• Vanguard Colonel (先登校尉)
• Chief of Le'an (樂安長)
• General of the Household (中郎將)
• Lieutenant General (偏將軍)
• Administrator of Yongchang (永昌太守)
• General of Vehement Might (威烈將軍)
• Marquis of Du (都亭侯)
• Marquis of Shicheng (石城侯)
• General of Illustrious Martial Might (昭武將軍)
• Administrator of Guanjun (冠軍太守)
• Area Commander (都督)

See also[link]

• List of people of the Three Kingdoms

References[link]

• De Crespigny, Rafe; Generals of the South: Foundation and Early History of the Three Kingdoms State of Wu. 1990.
• Chen Shou. Records of Three Kingdoms, Chapter 55, Biography of Han Dang.

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Monica Pauline "Nikki" Gil (born August 23, 1987, Manila, Philippines) is a Filipino singer, actress, host, model and a present myx VJ.

Biography[link]

Monica Pauline Gil was born in Manila to Dino and Julie Gil. She is of Filipino, Spanish and German descent. Being born to a musically-inclined family, her father a piano player and her mom a church choir member, she was already singing and doing voiceovers for commercials as early as four years old. She graduated from Shekinah Christian Training Center in March 2005 as batch valedictorian. In 2009, she graduated from Ateneo de Manila University, majoring in English literature.^{[citation needed]} Her sister is Dani Gil, who also plays the piano and sings.

Early career[link]

She was singing in a church when an agent spotted her in 2004. Shortly after came a whirlwind of endorsements as she crooned her way into her first commercial ad for Coca-Cola in 2005.^{[citation needed]}

Gil released her first self-titled album, Nikki Gil, in 2005 under EMI Philippines with “Sakayan ng Jeep” as the carrier single. It was later repackaged in 2006 and released with the addition of a graduation song titled “Glowing Inside”. In July 2006, EMI Philippines and Walt Disney Records introduced her, with other Asian artists Vince Chong of Malaysia and Alicia Pan of Singapore, to sing and to star in the music video of Disney Channel’s original movie High School Musical’s theme song, “Breaking Free”. Gil sang “Gotta Go My Own Way”, which also climbed the charts and boosted High School Musical’s status to double platinum record.^{[citation needed]}

In 2008, Gil released her second music album, Hear My Heart, with “Hear My Heart” as the carrier single, a song she co-wrote with her younger sister Dani. She later finished a project again for Disney in Hong Kong when she recorded a music video for the pop version of “It's A Small World After All”. She was then asked in 2008 to perform the Tagalog version of "It's A Small World" at the grand opening of It's A Small World in Hong Kong Disneyland.^{[citation needed]}

In 2010, Gil released her third music album, Somebody To Love, with "Somebody To Love" as the carrier single, a song written by her younger sister Dani. Gil played the character of Elle Woods in the Manila production of the musical Legally Blonde which is based on the 2001 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture Legally Blonde and the novel by Amanda Brown.

Acting career and TV hosting[link]

In 2005, Gil was given a VJ stint for ABS-CBN's music channel subsidiary, MYX. She was also picked to host the now-defunct talk show MRS on ABS-CBN and morning show Breakfast on ANC. She later would join the cast of the weekly variety show ASAP Mania. In 2006, she was joined by Toni Gonzaga and Bianca Gonzalez as host for the season 1 of Pinoy Dream Academy, a singing reality show from Endemol. In 2007, she became part of an anime-inspired fantasy series “Rounin” and as an extended cast for the drama series “Pangarap na Bituin”. In 2008, she was again chosen to be the host for the season 2 of Pinoy Dream Academy with Toni Gonzaga and Billy Crawford. In 2009, she appeared in “Pieta”, an afternoon teleserye with Ryan Agoncillo, and is currently appearing in the teleserye “Florinda” with Maricel Soriano. Nikki Gil is one of the mainstay on ABS-CBN with ASAP XV In 2010, she started hosting E-Live along with Luis Manzano and Ogie Diaz. She also did a fair share of hosting occasionally on Showtime replacing Anne Curtis.

In 2007, Gil did her first movie appearance by doing a cameo role as John Lloyd Cruz’s best friend for One More Chance. In 2009, she appeared along with Bea Alonzo, Sam Milby, Derek Ramsay for a Star Cinema movie entitled And I Love You So. In 2010, she was the lead actress in a romance film entitled The Red Shoes produced by Unitel with Marvin Agustin, which won the Best Picture in the 27th Bogota International Film Festival.

Theatre[link]

• 2007: Seussical the Musical - The Cat
• 2010: Legally Blonde: The Musical - Elle Woods^[1][2][3]
• 2011: Sweet Charity - Charity Hope Valentine

Filmography[link]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Singles[link]

Other appearances[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official site
• Nikki Gil at the Internet Movie Database
• Nikki Gil at myx

Sarah Geronimo
Sarah Geronimo performing on 2011
Background information
Birth name	Sarah Asher Tua Geronimo
Also known as	Sarah Geronimo
Born	(1988-07-25) July 25, 1988 (age 23)
Origin	Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines
Genres	Pop, R&B, Dance
Occupations	actress, recording artist, singer, dancer, host, model, product indorser, rapper, song writer, total performer
Instruments	Vocals, Piano
Years active	2002–present
Labels	VIVA Records, Star Records
Website	www.sarahgeronimo.ph www.sarahgeronimo.com 100px Sarah Geronimo's signature

Sarah Asher Tua Geronimo is a Filipino recording artist and actress. Geronimo started her official debut in show business after having won the Star for a Night singing competition. In 2003, after winning the contest, she released her first album entitled Popstar: A Dream Come True under Viva Records. It is considered as Geronimo's most successful album which sold more than 210,000 copies nationwide.^[1][2]

She is the first Filipino artist to receive a platinum award for a DVD copy of her concert The Other Side in 2005 and is currently the only artist who has a platinum record for 4 DVDs of her concert. Her fourth one was awarded with triple platinum status in December of 2010.^[3]

Moreover, Geronimo received from the Aliw Awards the "Best Female Major Concert" award for Record Breaker and the "Entertainer of the Year" award, making her the youngest artist to receive it in history. ^[4][5]

Geronimo was crowned as the Philippines' Box-Office Queen in 2008 and 2009 for her movies, A Very Special Love and You Changed My Life.

Life and Career[link]

Childhood and early beginnings[link]

Sarah Asher Tua Geronimo was born on July 25, 1988 in Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines, to Delfin Geronimo, a retired Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) employee, and Divina Geronimo, who ran a beauty parlor from the family home. She studied at Dominican School Manila. Geronimo’s first performance was in a mall show when she was two years old.^[6] At the age of four, she made her first appearance on national television and was a member of the children's television show Pen-Pen de Sarapen for two years.^[7][8] At six, she performed at a short concert at Isetann Cinema Complex on Recto Avenue in Manila.^[8] She sang for Pope John Paul II during his visit to the Philippines in 1995, when she was six.^[6] At the age of eight, her father enrolled Geronimo at the Center for Pop Music Philippines, where she received her first formal music and voice lessons.^[8] Geronimo performed in hotel lounges, on campuses, in shopping malls, and on a few TV shows. Around this time, she was part of the cast of the ABS-CBN children's show Ang TV.^[7][8] At the age of nine, she joined the cast of the TV show NEXT.^[6] She also played a cameo role in Star Cinema’s Sarah, Ang Munting Prinsesa.^[8]

2002–2003: Debut[link]

In 2002, Geronimo competed in the Star for a Night competition, hosted by Filipino pop singer Regine Velasquez. At the age of fourteen, Geronimo won the competition, which included a ₱1 million cash prize and a managerial contract to Vicente Del Rosario, owner of Viva Artists Agency. She was given the title of Pop Star Princess.^[6][8] Her mother said, "Her cash prize in Star For a Night was a big help, This school year, we don't need to borrow money from other people because of my children's tuition fees."^[9]

Geronimo became the featured artist in MTV's Rising Star in September 2002,^[7] and she released her first album Popstar: A Dream Come True, in late 2002.^[9][10] Her first concerts, in conjunction with her first album, were staged in October 2003.^[11]

Geronimo's first movie role was in Filipinas, released in late 2003.^[8] According to the Philippine Star, Geronimo's co-star in the film, Maricel Soriano, "predict[ed] a bright future" for her and stated, "That girl will go far. She’s only 14, right? For someone like Sarah, for the first time she appears and acts in a film, she's good. Maybe some people have high expectation on her but for me she's good."^[12]

2004–2007: Career Expansion[link]

The Manila Bulletin states that 2004 was the year that Geronimo's career "boomed".^[13] Geronimo signed a contract with the ABS-CBN network, which aired her first television series, Sarah the Teen Princess.^[14] Later that year, she became a regular host and performer on the variety show ASAP.^[15][16] She sang the Philippine National Anthem at the pre-inaugural ceremonies of president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on June 30, 2004. In November 2004, Geronimo released her second album, Sweet Sixteen, with "How Could You Say You Love Me" as its first single. After a week of its release, the album was certified gold and quickly achieved triple platinum status when it sold more than 90,000 copies nationwide.^[6] Geronimo performed in the Night of the Champions concert at the Araneta Coliseum ("the Dome") with other singing competition winners Rachelle Ann Go and Erik Santos, followed by a tour in the U.S.^[17]

In 2005, Geronimo recorded the theme song of the Star Cinema movie, Can This Be Love.^[18] She joined the fourth-season cast of the teen-oriented television program SCQ Reload: Kilig Ako and appeared in the fantasy movie Lastikman, produced by VIVA Films. She hosted three talent competitions: Search For Star in a Million, Little Big Star and Little Big Superstar.^[15][6]

On September 30, 2005, Geronimo performed a solo concert, The Other Side. The Manila Bulletin reported that, "The Dome became one huge oven."^[19] Viva Records released a live DVD album of her concert at Araneta Coliseum titled The Other Side: Live Album. In the summer of 2005, a repeat of Night of the Champions toured the U.S. for two months.^[20]

In 2006, Geronimo starred in ABS-CBN's primetime soap opera, Bituing Walang Ningning, a remake of the 1985 movie. She played the role of an aspiring singer named Dorina Pineda, originally played by Sharon Cuneta in the movie,^[6][21] and released a soundtrack of the series.

In the summer of 2006, Geronimo's third studio album, Becoming, was released in the international market. Produced by Christian De Walden, the album went platinum a month after its release. De Walden said that Geronimo was "definitely the biggest talent I have come across...the last ten years." He was particularly astounded by Geronimo's ability to not only learn a song quickly but to give it her own distinctive style.^[22] The album yielded three singles: "I Still Believe In Loving You", "Carry My Love" and "Iingatan Ko Ang Pag-ibig Mo." One critic said, "The album isn't completely successful. It's nevertheless heartening to hear Sarah spreading her musical wings by trying new types of songs that wouldn't have been considered in the lineup of her showy first albums."^[23]

Geronimo continued to perform in concerts throughout the world, in places like Taiwan, Canada, the U.S., and Dubai.^[24][25] Philstar News reported that Geronimo was the first Filipino to perform at the Harris Theater in Chicago.^[25] On November 18, 2006, Manny Pacquiao chose Geronimo to sing Lupang Hinirang, the Philippine national anthem, before his match against Mexico's Erik Morales at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.^[24][26]

Geronimo's second major solo concert In Motion, took place on July 14, 2007, at the Araneta Coliseum. Unlike her first solo concert at the Dome, this concert went off with no technical glitches.^[27] She spent the rest of 2007 performing concerts in the Philippines and the U.S.^[15][28] and recording her fourth studio album, Taking Flight,^[29] which sold more than 60,000 units and achieved double platinum status. In the latter half of 2007, Geronimo appeared in her third television series for ABS-CBN, Pangarap Na Bituin.^[15]

2008–2010: The Next One and Record Breaker[link]

In early 2008, Geronimo reunited with Erik Santos, Rachelle Ann Go, and Christian Bautista in a Valentine's Day concert at the Araneta Coliseum, entitled "OL4LUV".^[30] Before Geronimo released her fifth studio album, she released I'll Be There as the fourth single from Taking Flight. On July 30, 2008, Geronimo starred with Filipino actor John Lloyd Cruz in A Very Special Love which was produced by Star Cinema and VIVA films and grossed almost ₱180 million.^{[31][32][32][33]} The movie opened with ₱ 14 million pesos and Isah V. Red of The Manila Standard Today quoted

Geronimo included a track from the movie, "A Very Special Love", on her album Taking Flight.

Geronimo's fifth studio album, Just Me, included a duet with Backstreet Boys member Howie Dorough entitled, "I'll Be There". De Walden again produced this album.^[35][36] Like her previous albums, Just Me achieved platinum status in December 2008. She was recognized for this accomplishment on the 2008 ASAP Platinum Circle Awards show.^[37] On November 8, 2008, Geronimo staged her third major solo concert in Araneta Coliseum, entitled The Next One, which marked the first time she accompanied herself on the piano while on stage.^[38] Geronimo’s Just Me album, was re-released, adding You Changed My Life.^[32] She was also recognized by ASAP for attaining platinum status for her albums Taking Flight and Just Me and for her two concert DVDs (The Other Side and Sarah In Motion).^[37]

In February 2009, Geronimo made a movie again with John Lloyd Cruz in You Changed My Life, the sequel of A Very Special Love .^[39] The film’s total theatrical earnings earned over ₱240 million, and holds the record for the highest grossing Filipino movie made.^[40] Geronimo traveled to the US in March–April 2009 for her The Next One tour, where she received positive reviews about her performances.^[41] In June 2009, she re-staged the Sarah Geronimo: The Next One Philippine concert tour.^[42][43] On August 5, 2009 Geronimo was given the honor to sing the Virna Lisa's 1986 People Power anthem, “Magkaisa” during the funeral of former President Corazon Aquino.^[44] Geronimo released a solo Christmas album, Your Christmas Girl in October 2009. In November 2009, she staged her fourth solo sold-out concert, Record Breaker, in the Araneta Coliseum.^[45][46] The Philippine Daily Inquirer called the concert "a qualified success".^[40] During the concert, Geronimo became emotional while talking about her struggles trying to succeed in a music industry inundated by aspiring singers.^[45] At the same day of her concert, she released her sixth studio album, Music and Me. ^[47][48][49] In December 2009, Your Christmas Girl and Music and Me both reached platinum status after a month of their release.^[50]

On December 1, 2009, Sarah Geronimo received a star on the Philippines Walk of Fame at Libis, Eastwood.^[51] Geronimo released the DVD Record Breaker, filmed at the Araneta Coliseum, on March 16, 2010 and eventually achieve Triple Platinum status in December 2010.

In April 2010, Sarah Geronimo was chosen to endorse an online game called Superstar which was launched by X-Play as an online singing star search. Geronimo also lent her voice in singing its theme song "This Is My Dream."^[52]

In September 2010 a Music-Serye was aired in ABS-CBN entitled 1DOL and she appeared in the film Hating Kapatid under Viva Films.

2011–present: Sarah G. Live![link]

In 2011, she had a Valentine concert with Martin Nievera titled "What Love Is" at the Araneta Coliseum.^[53] Geronimo worked with Gerald Anderson in the film collaboration of Star Cinema and Viva Films titled Catch Me, I'm in Love which was shown on March 23, 2011 in theaters nationwide and shown as a summer release in the Philippines. Raymond Lo, U.S. correspondent for The Philippine Star said:

In November of 2011, Geronimo made a movie again with Gerald Anderson in Won't Last A Day Without You which earned ₱20 Million on its opening day. Geronimo signed an exclusive one-year contract with ABS-CBN, it states her future projects and commitments such as having a weekly solo show, an extension as a performer in ASAP Rocks, and a movie with John Lloyd Cruz for the third time. ^[55]

Also this year, Geronimo is declared as the Princess of Philippine Movies by the Guillermo Mendoza Box Office Awards for her movie, Catch Me, I'm In Love together with Gerald Anderson.

Geronimo is having her solo weekly musical-variety show every Sunday night titled Sarah G. Live! and her movie with John Lloyd Cruz is in production. Geronimo is set to have her big birthday concert at the Araneta Coliseum. This is also her big comeback in the concert scene after her last major concert, Record Breaker in 2009.^[56]

Artistry[link]

Music and voice[link]

Geronimo's music is generally pop and sings songs mostly about love. Geronimo's voice is premier and her music encompasses all genres.^[57] International producer Christian de Walden praised Geronimo's voice and said "The personality of her voice is phenomenally distinct. Many have great voices but they tend to imitate foreign divas like Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston. She definitely is the biggest talent I have come across with in the last ten years...".^[58]

Influences[link]

Geronimo has cited Michael Jackson as her major influence and she grew up singing and dancing to his music.^[59] Geronimo said “As a child my dream was to be hugely popular like Michael Jackson. I wanted to have that kind of worldwide fame,” added, “I want to be like him, while performing, everyone gets so wild and emotional. Besides that, I see him as not only a performer, he’s an inspiration to many people, and that’s what I also want to become.”

Camille Bersola of The Philippine Star described Geronimo as more than just a pop icon for being an inspiration especially to today's youth. She quoted "In amateur singing competitions, there will be at least three contestants that will have their own rendition of "To Love You More" or "Forever's Not Enough". When these little girls are asked who their favorite singer is, and whose path they’d like to follow someday, you can bet more or less 75 percent of them will have the same answer: Sarah Geronimo."^[60]

Stage[link]

Geronimo has received praised for her live stage performances.^[61] After Geronimo's concert in Araneta Coliseum dubbed as "The Other Side", The Manila Bulletin said:

"Sarah’s very successful concert showcased the various facets of her personality. She’s an old soul who can sing Celine Dion’s "If I Could" and Mariah Carey’s "Through the Rain" with such emotion. She’s an 80’s baby who can moonwalk to "Billie Jean" ala Michael Jackson. She’s a budding belter who can hit the high notes of Whitney Houston’s "The Greatest Love of All" with the Asia's Songbird - Regine Velasquez."

In 2009, Geronimo said in a press conference for her concert "Record Breaker" that she hopes to break new records as a concert artist and quoted “This is to showcase my new standards as a total performer. Hopefully I’ll give this show justice, entertain my audience and even make them dance with my performances all throughout the night.”

Geronimo's participation in the "What Love Is..." with Martin Nievera concert was described by Baby A. Gil of the Philippine Star with the comment, "Who needs a dancing Martin anyway when you have the long-limbed Sarah there, who is a daring, enthusiastic dancer? I like watching her dance and finding her moving even better now than the last time is a treat. Of course, she has also become an even better singer. To those who are wont to ask, has she gotten rid of her Celine Dion tendencies? Well, she still sings a good To Love You More, but she has obviously come to her own with fuller tones, nice, sexy low notes."^[53]

Public image[link]

Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte described Geronimo in The Philippine Star “She’s wholesome on and off camera, untainted by unsavory rumors. She’s an ideal daughter and that makes her a good role model for the youth.”^[62] Wilson Lee Flores of The Philippine Star quoted "She is a breath of fresh air in terms of wholesome image, humility, real talent and source of good news for the Philippine entertainment industry".^[63] In 2005, Geronimo was awarded with "Pinoy Wannabe Awardee", a prestigious Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards given to a celebrity whom kids consider as their role model.^[64]

Geronimo however admitted it’s not always easy protecting that image especially since everyone looks up to her as a role model for young people. She said “It’s a bit hard although I’d like to become a role model. I rather take it as a big challenge because it is probably my purpose being here in this industry. This may also be the reason why I’m being trusted by companies to promote their products.”^[60]

Discography[link]

Concerts & Tours[link]

Filmography[link]

Movies[link]

Television[link]

Awards and recognitions[link]

References[link]

Notes[link]