BALLET HIGH: Mairi Bell, a 17-year-old Hawaii State Ballet dancer, is off to Varna, Bulgaria, to participate in the prestigious International Ballet Competition. Past competitions have produced luminaries such as Mikhail Baryshnikov, Natalia Makarova and Fernando Bujones. "Events such as these are important and eye-opening for young dancers," says Bell's coach, John Landovsky, who will accompany her on the trip. "First, just to be accepted to participate is an honor; hopefully, the dancer may receive a bit of exposure to company directors. Second, the dancer and the coach gain a more complete awareness of the training that is evolving in other parts of the world." ...

DIAL TONES: Kaleo Pilanca has been doing the morning drive on KDNN Island 98.5 FM since the departure of Augie T. Pilanca, a stand-up comic in his own right, also has subbed for Lanai, who has had his share of leave time to do stand-up hither and yon. Most recently, Lanai traveled to Tokyo, joining Shawn Felipe to do comedy at the American Embassy in Japan, a presentation of Ogo Ono-loa Hawaii cafe in Akasaka. ...

Not surprisingly, Bill Van Osdol, known as Billy V, has inherited the morning drive slot vacated by Brickwood Galuteria on Cox Radio's Hawaiian 105 KINE, leaving Lina Girl and Pipi to steer the KCCN FM 100 morning drive show without their pal/skipper. Heck, Billy V's just down the hall, anyway, should emergencies arise. After exhaustive searches of comics, performers and other wannabes, program director David Daniel didn't have to look too far to tap Billy V. "We had the best people for the jobs already in the house," Daniel said. ...

And Alan Yamamoto, veteran radio sales exec, has left Visionary Related Entertainment to join Cox Radio as an account specialist. It's sort of a homecoming, since he earned his radio stripes at some of the stations still ensconced at the Fort Street Mall studios. ...

personalities: Frank DeLima is huddling with his creative source, Patrick Downes, hoping to concoct new parodies for a planned CD. "But first we have to get permission to do the parodies," said DeLima, still reeling from his ill-fated take on "Kokomo" that didn't sit well with its publishers and ultimately was yanked from distribution. While seeking a club to stage his comedy, he's been doing private shows. ...

Turntablist Kutmaster Spaz has been wearing a new hat lately — that of magazine publisher. His DIS-N-DAT magazine, a spinoff of his OC 16 TV show, is a glimpse of the trendy lifestyles of luminaries in the 18-34 target audience. ...

TROPICAL TOPICS: Hapa (Nathan Aweau and Barry Flanagan) drew a sell-out crowd at Humphrey's by the Bay in San Diego recently as the duo launched its summer tour of the Mainland and Canada. A highlight: Grammy winner Ledward Ka'apana joining in on Hapa's trademark instrumental, "Kaopuiki Aloha." ...

Former Islander James Shigeta, who just did A.R. Gurney's "Love Letters" with Nancy Kwan at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California, says that feelers are out for a future Honolulu run. ...

Dates to log: Dec. 15-17 will be the playdates for Jim Nabors' "A Merry Christmas With Friends and Nabors" at the Hawai'i Theatre. ...

And speaking of the yuletide: It sort of was Christmas in July a few nights back at Compadres, when Katie Leiva (celebrating her birthday) and Bryan Bender returned to the Islands from Washington, D.C., to reconnect with troupers from The Company Singers, with whom they perform in the Nabors spectacle. Pals like Matt Pennaz gathered (he was Lancelot when Bender played Arthur in "Camelot" at Army Community Theatre). Ditto, folks with other theatrical connections: Deanna Luster, Lisa Konove and Anya and Morgan Chang. ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.