MANILA, Philippines?Studio insiders insist that Dingdong Dantes and Karylle were lovey-dovey during K?s recent recording session.

?From the airport, Dong went straight to the studio to visit K. Then he dropped by again a few weeks ago,? an insider says. ?Private recording studio kaya walang tao.?

Are the ex-lovers having a bad case of withdrawal syndrome?

Karylle is set to sing the national anthem at the Manny Pacquiao-Oscar De La Joya match in Vegas on Dec. 6. Dong plans to watch the fight with his dad. Will he be cheering her on and not just Pacman?

Their romance got knocked down but their feelings don?t seem to be totally knocked out yet.

Just rumors

Anne Curtis dismisses rumors that she?s backbiting KC Concepcion who?s being linked to her ex Sam Milby. She?s too much of a lady to badmouth anybody. In fact, she says, she?s sorry that KC ?got dragged into this.?

Anne turns into a strong-willed woman in ?Baler,? Viva Films? Metro Manila Filmfest entry. She portrays Feliza, who defies all odds to be with Celso (Jericho Rosales). The love story is set against the 1898 ?siege of Baler.? Says Anne, ?Like Feliza, when I fall in love, I fall hard.? Now that Sam is out of the picture, could she fall for Echo? ?I?m taking it one day at a time.?

No SAMbody special for Anne yet. What MILBY will be.

Ayen in ?Atang?

Ayen Laurel top-bills Dulaang UP?s ?Atang? (based on the life of National Artist Atang dela Rama) starting today until Dec. 14 at the Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater in UP. She plays the fictional role of Gia Almonte, a superstar who studied the life of Atang in preparation for a film.

?Atang and I both went through many struggles,? says Ayen, who will perform beloved kundiman songs. Time for good old-fashioned music and top-caliber talent.

Trance master

Trance Alliance 2008 brings legendary trance master John ?00? Fleming and special sound effects genius Digital Blonde in a live set on Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. at the A-Venue Events Hall (897-2472). Driven?s Domini Primero and Worldwide Womb?s Stephen Ku hosts. TranceStastic!

PERSONAL: Belated birthday greetings to PR guru Tito Reli German who had a grand bash attended by the who?s who in business and politics. His company, Agents International, (run by my Santa friend Allan German) marked its 20th anniversary and gave thanks for Lito German?s foreign posting by BMW.

(E-mail wateringholeshangrila@yahoo.com)