Pagsasayaw ang passion niya

Humakot ng 63 premyo sa 68 mga sayaw na isinali nila sa 8th Asia Pacific Dance Competition na ginanap sa Singapore, ang 72 mananayaw ng Halili-Cruz School of Ballet.

Kabilang dito ang grand championship, limang perpetual trophies (kailangan ang 98% or above a average para mabigyan nito), 23 gold trophies, 9 silver trophies, 8 bronze trophies at 18 gold medals. Tunay na grand slam ang inuwi nila sa Pilipinas!

Sa likod ng tagumpay na ito ay ang masipag at multi-awarded artistic director ng Halili-Cruz School of Ballet at Quezon City Ballet, na si Shirley Halili-Cruz. Ang Halili-Cruz School of Ballet din ang pinagkalooban ng gantimpalang Most Outstanding School of Ballet in Asia.

Isang dating ballerina, nagtapos ng grade at high school si Shirley ng valedictorian. Summa cum laude siya with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce degree with three majors–Accounting, Management and Marketing. Isa siyang outstanding graduate sa Professional Teacher’s Course in Musical Theater Arts, Classical Ballet at Modern Dance sa New York. Nag-aral din si Shirley sa American Academy of Ballet, Dance Educators of America, Joffrey Ballet School, American Ballet Center at Neubert Ballet Institute. Nagsayaw din siya sa Dance Concert Company.

Bukod sa pagiging founder at artistic director ng HCSB at QCB, executive board member siya ng World Dance Alliance, projects director ng International Dance Day at Sayaw Pinoy at associate executive director ng Philippine Ballet Theater.

Si Shirley Halili-Cruz ay author ng 12 level ballet syllabus (na ibinagay sa katawan ng mga Pinoy) sa HCSB ballet curriculum.

Ilan sa maraming awards ni Shirley ay Most Outstanding Filipina of the World In Arts and Culture, Parangal ng Bayan Award in the field of Performing Arts, Global Excellence Award in the Performing Arts, Ulirang Ina, Asia Pacific Achiever Awardee for Arts and Culture in Osaka, Japan at Who’s Who in the Philippines in the Field of Dance.

Ang American Academy of Ballet ay binigyan siya ng full scholarship sa New York Summer School of Excellence kung saan nakatanggap siya ng gold medal in the Performance Awards at first prize sa Ballet Quiz Bee.

Sa kasalukuyan ay may 1,000 students sa Halili-Cruz School of Ballet at almost 100 sa kanila ay mga scholars. Nakasama ang 20 sa nasabing scholars sa Asia Pacific Dance Competition at lahat ng kanilang gastos sagot ni Shirley.

Maaring tumawag sa HCSB main studio sa 372-4607 at 413-0804. Nasa Quezon Avenue, malapit sa West Avenue ang kanilang building at may studios din sila sa St. Pedro Poveda College, St. Mary’s College (Quezon City, School of St. Anthony, Novaliches at Alabang Country Club.