It was quite a weekend for Ballet Hawaii and "Giselle" at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Amazing dancing — and fortitude — from Joaquin de Luz, whose "the show must go on" attitude prevailed. After Saturday night's performance, he developed a foot infection. Luckily, Ballet Hawaii board member Dr. Robert Durkin was in attendance and took him with BH executive director John Parkinson to the emergency room at Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children, where Durkin practices to provide antibiotics. Still, de Luz, playing Count Albrecht, never danced better than at the Sunday finale. ...

ALSO AT THE BALLET: Development director Judy Muncaster organized a backstage barbecue for everyone — the visiting dancers, the Summer Intensive cast members, cast, visiting faculty including Robert Barnett, who staged "Giselle," and Maria Vegh who was in it, the Ballet Hawaii Orchestra drawn from the Honolulu Symphony, board members and VIPs. One person who drew a lot of attention was Steve Knox, who spent more than two decades at the helm of Ballet Hawaii. Now living in Portland, Ore., he brought new bride Lisa with him to meet his old friends. ...

SIGHT 'EMS: Glenn Chu, chef-owner of Indigo Eurasian Restaurant, was talking to a couple having dinner last week and discovered they were visiting from Washington, D.C. The woman congratulated him on having a celebrity in house the night before. Chu, a news fanatic, recognized her as CNN's political reporter Candy Crowley, who was here with husband Mike Roselli, a CNN producer, to follow up on ABC's Cokie Roberts' snafu calling Hawai'i "foreign" and "exotic." The celebrity the night before was Barack Obama, who with his wife, Michelle, was part of a party of 14 dining in the privacy of the Opium Den with Secret Service and Honolulu Police Department forces on close watch. Chu greeted the Obama group and expressed thanks for coming. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said Indigo was one of his favorite restaurants. ...

We had a belated birthday dinner at Le Bistro last Friday, and the Niu Valley Shopping Center restaurant had a couple of b-day celebrants, too: KHON2 anchorman Joe Moore, and broadcast and print foodie Jo McGarry. Former Gov. Ben Cayetano and wife Vicky and Walter Dods (separate tables) were also enjoying the cuisine of chef-owner Alan Takasaki. ...

Columnist Eddie Sherman took wife Patty to see "Tropic Thunder" at the Ward cinemas the other day, then on to a surprise birthday party at Compadres at Ward Centre, with pals from Hawaii Deep Blue, Sherman's water company, in on the celebration. Also there: Saab dealer James Berger (the Shermans drive one), who was driving solo since wife Helen (Mrs. Hawaii 2002) and their three kids were off to Bangkok, where she's a model and TV star. ...

"Baywatch" golden boy David Charvet treated himself to a lomilomi massage at Spa Grande in the Grand Wailea Resort & Spa last Friday. And The Learning Channel's famous family, Jon & Kate Plus 8, managed to work in R&R at the Grand Wailea; the kids spent time in the swimming pools, dined at the Humuhumunu kunukuapuaa Restaurant and took lei-making and hula lessons. ...

ITEMIZATIONS: Kit Samson again will provide music at The Honolulu Advertiser's 'Ilima Awards, a benefit for Diamond Head Theatre, on Oct. 13 at DHT. Joey Caldarone will be a guest singer, with ex-Society of Seven member Alfredo Romero and former Forte trouper Marlene Baldueza also performing. ...

Samson, by the way, is in the midst of recording sessions at Pierre Grill's studio. The CD, which will honor the memory of his sister, who died last September, will be titled "Play It Again Sam." ...

Ho'okena, which was among the lucky local acts performing for the Obama fundraiser last week, hopes to get back to the recording studio by year's end, with hopes of getting pal Martin Nievera involved in the project. ...

MOVEMENTS: Kalapana is back from a quick trip to Japan, where it performed four nights in a show, two shows a night, including three evenings at the Cotton Club in Tokyo. A quick Bullet Train ride to the Blue Note in Nagoya, and it was time to return to the Islands. Among the notables checking out the group: Konishiki, Musashimaru, Kamasami Kong and Vance K. Plus members of the hot Japan group Exile, with lead singer Atsushi taking to the stage to join in on "Nightbird." DJ Pratt and Malani Bilyeu are resting and gearing up for the Cecilio & Kapono 35th-anniversary concert Saturday night at Waikiki Shell, with Gaylord Holomalia back at work, tending to Avex Honolulu recording biz. Kalapana's 35th anniversary is next year, and it's a good bet C&K will join the party, time and place to be announced. ...

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.