Manila, Philippines - After the successful grand ballet recital entitled "Celebration of Dance 2012" held at Meralco Theatre last March 26, 27 and 28 with three different casts of more than 400 selected ballet dancers, the Halili-Cruz School of Ballet (HCSB) is now busy with preparations for the following activities: Summer Dance Workshop 2012, CSTD international assessment, the international Dance Xchange and international dance competition in Hong Kong.

The grand ballet recital "Celebration of Dance 2012" was a tremendous success with its high standard of production design, beautiful choreographies, excellent performance, wonderful costumes and interesting technical effects that elicited overwhelming applause from the audiences.

While the school was preparing for the end of the school culminating activities, it has been attending to various invitations to perform in graduation events, mall and TV shows, and shows for different LGUs in the country. The school is also preparing for the Dance Xchange in Cebu City in April and in the 14th Asia Pacific Dance Competition in Hong Kong.

At the helm of all these endeavors is the HCSB Artistic Team led by its multi-awarded Artistic Director, Ms. Shirley Halili-Cruz, who is ably assisted by the equally dedicated ballet teachers Grace Garalde-Perez, Anna Lissa Tuazon-Balmadrid and Anna Kathrina Halili-Cruz.

Courses offered this summer are all levels of classical ballet, solo variation, hip-hop, contemporary dance, lyrical dance and taekwondo. Workshop will start on April 10 and will end on May 26, culminating with a grand recital.

Enrollment to the Summer Dance Workshop 2012 is now going on. The workshop will also be held in the HCSB branches in St. Pedro Poveda College, Miriam College, St. Mary’s College and Alabang Country Club.

• • •

100 Shows For ‘Sound Of Music’

Resorts World Manila’s (RWM) "The Sound of Music" marked its 100th show at the Newport Performing Arts Theaters last March 11. The production is the longest-running Filipino production of a Broadway musical slated to run until May 27.

RWM recently acquired the rights from Broadway Asia to stage another Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, "The King and I," based on the real-life story of a British governess in the 1800s who was hired by the King Mongkut of Siam (now Thailand) to take care of his many children. "The King and I" is RWM’s third major production since 2010’s Broadway-meets-Vegas concept show, "Kaos," followed by the "Sound of Music" in 2011.

Meanwhile, the theater industry celebrated the World Theater Day on March 27. Celebrated annually, World Theater Day was created by the International Theater Institute in 1961.

"The Sound of Music" showdates are Friday (8 p.m.), Saturday (2 p.m. and 7 p.m.), and Sunday (2 p.m. and 7 p.m.). Tickets are available at the RWM Box Office, or at any Ticketworld outlets. For more information, visit www.rwmanila.com.

• • •

Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, March 30, go to Gen. Romeo Maganto, Jean Gonzalez, Capt. Juan Santos Ruiz, Jennifer Pena, Al Perez, Pros Antonio, Vicina Fores, Gilbert Brown, Marilou Custodio, Luz de Guzman, Clenia Dumanche, Antonio dela Luna, Ma. Alice S. Labao, Dinyo Mateo, Lito A. Lagana Sr. and Enrique Gil of Star Magic…