The Yocum Institute has announced the teams participating this year: Team Que Rico, featuring Que Rico Latin Dance Company; Shaun and Jessica Hart, dancing for Team Hart; Team Vibe Village, featuring employees from Construction Masters Services LLC; Team Heritage Hotties, featuring the cheer squad of residents from The Heritage of Green Hills; the Junior League of Reading with Team empowHER; Ann Marie Haus of Customers Bank, Angela Esh of Eden Resort & Suites and Crystal Noll-Rance of Moselem Springs Golf Club and author of \u201cMom Truths,\u201d dancing for Team Charlie\u2019s Angels; and Team Logan Ladies. Even if you cannot attend, you can vote for your favorite team.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are so excited to celebrate the finale of Dancing with the Reading Stars: The Last Dance after 15 unforgettable years,\u201d said Executive Director Vicki Haller Graff. \u201cOver the years, the community has raised over $1.7 million dollars for arts education, which has allowed us to bring engaging, creative learning experiences to thousands of young and adult artists across Berks County.\u201d<\/p>\n
The evening promises an elegant and entertaining experience, beginning with hors d\u2019oeuvres followed by a sit-down dinner catered by Mayo Catering, with desserts provided by Sweet Street Desserts. Guests will enjoy the excitement of live Dancing with the Reading Stars performances, along with special appearances by Yocum\u2019s Academy of Movement Competition Team.<\/p>\n
Following the competition, the celebration will continue with an open dance party featuring DJ H VIDAL, culminating in an awards ceremony that honors this final year of outstanding performances.<\/p>\n
Art<\/p>\n
\u201cMalaysian WWII Oral Histories: A Digital\/Virtual Art Exhibition\u201d will run through May at at the Penn State Berks Freyberger Gallery.<\/p>\n
![\"Viewers](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Malaysia-Exhibition_News.jpg\")
Viewers will walk through a Malaysian house facade into a digital experience, where they can watch videos, listen to interviews, and experience an interactive VR environment while visiting “Malaysian WWII Oral Histories: A Digital\/Virtual Art Exhibition” at Penn State Berks. (Cheryl L. Nicholas)<\/p>\n
Viewers will be transported into a sensory world described by the storytellers through the multi-modal exhibition.<\/p>\n
Created by\u00a0Cheryl L. Nicholas, associate professor of communication arts and sciences at Penn State Berks, the exhibition draws directly from her\u00a0Malaysian WWII Oral Histories Project, which opened to a crowd of 3,000 at Perak Museum in Malaysia in 2023.<\/p>\n
Viewers will walk through a Malaysian house facade into a digital experience, where they can watch videos, listen to interviews, and experience an interactive VR environment, which includes artifacts from family collections.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe exhibition was inspired by my father and grandfather, who told me about their experiences during the Japanese occupation when I was very young and did not quite appreciate them in the way I do today,\u201d Nicholas said. \u201cThese stories provide a historical context for everyday living during that time. These are stories not shared in history books as they were the stories of ordinary people, shared mainly within families. And as the storytellers passed on, so too did their stories.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the spring of 2023, Nicholas and Heidi Mau, a professor from Albright College and Nicholas\u2019 spouse, led a team of students on the creation of a virtual reality\/digital exhibition at the Perak Museum in Taiping, Perak, Malaysia, which opened on Aug. 15 to a crowd of more than 3,000 attendees.<\/p>\n
The Freyberger Gallery is located within the Perkins Student Center. It is open to the public Monday\u2013Friday from 1\u20136 p.m. For more information, contact Abbey Muza, visiting artist, at AZM7325@psu.edu<\/p>\n
Music<\/p>\n
The Wheatland Chorale, under the direction of Artistic Director, David J. Fitzpatrick, presents \u201cSpring is Here!\u201d on April 25 at 3 p.m. at Immanuel United Church of Christ, 99 S. Waverly St., Shillington.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpring is Here!\u201d celebrates the season of renewal and growth featuring a diverse array of composers, offering a vibrant mix of timeless melodies and fresh, uplifting harmonies. Explore the beauty of nature, the joy of new beginnings, and the uplifting spirit that comes with the arrival of Spring.<\/p>\n
Tickets may be purchased at the concert venue with cash, check, or credit card. General admission tickets are $25, group sales (6 or more) $20 per ticket, and students (with ID) $10. Children under 12 are free. Advance tickets may be purchased online at www.wheatlandchorale.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2022 \u2022 \u2022<\/p>\n The Reading Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Constantine, presents its season finale, Dvorak \u201cNew World Symphony,\u201d on April 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Santander Performing Arts Center in Reading.<\/p>\n Internationally acclaimed violinist Eric Silberger brings electrifying brilliance to Tchaikovsky\u2019s\u00a0Violin Concerto, a tour de force of lyricism and fire.<\/p>\n The program peaks with Dvorak\u2019s beloved Symphony No. 9, \u201cFrom the New World,\u201d a powerful tribute to American spirit and European tradition, filled with unforgettable melodies and emotional depth.<\/p>\n There will be a special side-by-side appearance by the RSO\u2019s Reading Symphony Youth Orchestra.<\/p>\n