ON THE TOWN:

While Kobe Bryant and company did nothing to give locals a reason to celebrate, this past week saw many Burbankers look beyond the point-challenged Los Angeles Lakers to find other reasons to stage celebrations.

To kick things off, friends, patients and staff members gathered on Thursday evening to celebrate Burbank’s Dr. Stephen McNeese being named one of America’s Top Surgeons by the Consumer Research Council of America.

The event, which served as a fundraiser for the Burbank Temporary Aid Center, also gave attendees the opportunity to meet McNeese’s new partner, Dr. Karo Isagholian. Among those on hand for the sunset wine tasting soiree were BTAC Executive Director Barbara Howell, Janet Ezraeellian, Rende Rae Mora, Joyce Matlock and Nicole Petersen.

On Sunday afternoon, Academy Award-nominated actress and longtime Burbank resident Linda Blair staged “Visions of Hope,” a fundraiser to benefit her WorldHeart Foundation.

Supporters gathered to honor Blair’s work in promoting responsible pet care and to celebrate the realization of her lifelong dream to open a rescued animal wellness center just north of Burbank that provides medical care, socialization, rehabilitation and permanent home placement for rescued, abandoned and abused companion animals.

Among those who enjoyed the event that included a silent auction and a showing of Blair’s touching photographic images of animals the organization has rescued over the past year were Carole Sax, Corina Hack, Max Andrews and Carole Raphaelle Davis.

Sunday also saw Burbank’s Garri Dance Studio celebrate its golden anniversary with a matinee and evening performance at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. Founded in 1958 by professional dancers Peg Garri and Jean Hartman, The Garri Dance Studio was under the direction of Garri’s daughter, Marybeth Costanzo from 2000 until 2004.

Today the studio is owned and operated by Megan Baade, who was named Best Dance Instructor in the Burbank Leader’s Reader’s Choice Awards in 2007.

Sunday’s celebratory recitals that tipped the hat to classic Broadway musicals such as “Phantom of the Opera,” “Cabaret,” “Oklahoma,” “Hair,” “West Side Story,” “Jersey Boys” and “Wicked” were presented as “Broadway Babies” for the matinee and “On Broadway” for the evening performance.

Among the 200-plus talented and enthusiastic dancers that performed on Sunday were Nicky Trainor, Katie Hutchens, Crystal Cook, Mary Cole, Dana Seavey, Madison Wilson, Brenda Boonyodom, Madeline Ackley, Lena Valenzuela, Emily Simonian, Julienne Buendia, Elizabeth Parades, Sammi Spracher, Erin White, Cheryl Del Remedio, KrisAnn Barksdale, Katy Pedalty, Alyssa Wong-Conway and Morgan Quisenberry.

Others whose talent helped make for a successful celebration to kick off the studio’s 51st year were Maya Calvo, Clara Georges, Molly McCorkle, Hana Seavey, Malia Tyler, Mattie Victor, Nicole Winters, Natalie Elverman, Michele Fitch, Richard Garza, Rachel Sanchez, Allison Schroeder, Sophia Sose, Charity Rieck, Wenny Tung, Tonya Wilken, Deanna Kuhn, Corrinne Durante, Christina Stark, Jay Jay Ragasa, Julie Nguyen, Rachel Levine, Patrick Falvey, Ember Fantasia, Taylor Edwards and Shannon Connelly.

 DAVID LAURELL can be contacted at dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.