Official uVu Blog

Hooray for Hollywood

Okay, guilty pleasure alert.  One of my favorite genres of improvisational theatre is the "Reduced" plays, which began (at least to my knowledge) with the Complete Works of Shakespeare in 90 minutes.  I've had the opportunity to see it performed live, twice.  Once in London (by three American actors) and more recently in Miami.  While the framework for the productions was the same, both performances took on distinct (and fulfilling) personalities.  The audience participation ensures no two nights are the same (and I'm sure that goes for Matinees too).

Now comes Completely Hollywood (in the wake of The Bible, American History, All The Great Books, Sports and of course Western Civilization) courtesy of the Mosaic Theatre in Plantation. If you've never seen one of these "reduced" productions, I'm guessing Hollywood is a great place to start.

In this clip, the trio of actors, Antonio Amadeo, Erik Fabregat and Christian Rockwell take time out from an exhausting rehearsal schedule to talk about the improvisational nature of the production, the number of characters they play and the danger of picking the wrong seats.

Not Just Mad Men

The Miami International University of Art and Design presented a panel discussion on the Golden Age of Advertising as part of a exhibit loaned from the Hartman Center for Sales at Duke University Libraries, Not Just Mad Men.

The panel  featured Bruce Turkel from Turkel Advertising, Barry Zaid formerly of Push Pin, Arthur Rockower , MIU instructor, Marie Fernandez-Leon from Imagery Creative Communications, and Jason Inasi from The Factory Interactive.

The event took place on August 25th, 2010.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Miami Today Profile - Steve Bateman

Since taking office eight months ago Homestead Mayor Steve Bateman says he’s focused on doing everything possible to support the city’s small businesses as well as its major economic engines, like the Air Force Reserve Base.
As a lifelong resident he’s also been focused on beautifying the city, expanding parks and improving landscaping, to give residents a sense of pride in their town.
Though he said Homestead’s small businesses have received little help from the federal government, the city’s been focused on making life for those businesses a little easier.
“There are people that used to wait weeks to get their business license. They get it in days now and that's what helps them,” Mr. Bateman said.
The city also gives preference to local businesses that bid on city work and amended the signage ordinance to allow retails to place larger advertisements on and around their buildings.
Mr. Bateman discussed some of his recent work and long-term goals, such as continually improving education, at Homestead City Hall with Miami Today staff writer Zachary S. Fagenson.

Carnival Season is right around the corner...

This time of the year again. ..

uVu is about to be covered in glitters, colorful feathers, and surrounded by rhinestone costumes. One detail will be changing this year, the Miami Broward Carnival will take place at its new home, the Sun Life Stadium.

The most anticipated Caribbean event of the year will shake Miami Gardens to the rhythms of soca, calypso and more on October 10th, 2010. More than 50 000 participants gather each Colombus Day weekend to celebrate one of the oldest tradition in the Caribbean, Carnival.

The masquerade bands usually prepare four to eight months in advance by designing the costumes, ordering the materials, and getting ready for their band launches. Local mass bands such as Generation X, Island People, China, Carnival Nationz Miami, amongs many, launched their new theme in August.

uVu attended Carnival Nationz Miami on August 20th, 2010 at Deco Lounge in Hallandale Beach. The show started around 1.30 am, where beautiful women modeled the different sections that were under the theme: A Tribute to The Mighty Sparrow.The Mighty Sparrow is a renowned Calypso singer, songwriter and guitarist who was born in Grenada but raised in Trinidad.

The original and meaningfull theme  picked by Carnival Nationz Miami promises to deliver a great tribute  to a man refered as the Calypso King of the World. With costumes such as  Congo Man,  Jean & Dinah, Royal Jail, Jane, Miss Mary, Big Bamboo, Mae Mae, all named after a song from the Calypso singer, Carnival Nationz Miami continues  its second year in South Florida with a lot of colors, feathers, and jewels.

 

 

Are you ready for some football, and swimwear?

The Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders strutted the LIV nightclub runway on August 18th, 2010 during the 2011 Calendar unveiling event. The crowd cheered as each cheerleader took the stage during the swimwear fashion show.

mojo big vince and the phat cats

Here is the entire mojo from a gig at constitution park in tequesta last summer - the song and the music very much an inspiration for my film and the tone of positiveness.

for more info on Big Vince and the Phat Cats

http://web.me.com/vinceflora/Phat_Cats/Welcome.html

shot produced and edited by cyndi lenz

clenz@mac.com

An uVu intern up in the sky.... Watch the video

An uVu intern up in the sky....Part 2

I climbed up the ladder to board the plane, which did not have any seats, but who needs to get comfortable when you’re flying up to just jump out? Within a few minutes we had taken off, I guess they give you very few moments to turn back.
As the Skydive Miami drop zone became smaller and smaller, my fear began to
really set in. I had a cheerful frame of mind, with waves of calmness as I gazed
out to the clouds.
Seated like dominos, Carlos sat behind me and Sergio the photographer was in front of me. Next to me were two professional skydivers and one skydiver who was three jumps away from being certified. As we were flying up one of the Skydivers took a Listerine spray out of his pocket and after three sprays passed it to the skydiver behind him. Pretty soon the mouth freshener was making its way around the plane and as Carlos passed it up to me, I said: “So are we really all going skydiving, or are there other plans here?” They laughed; I nervously
joined the laughing, but still wondered what that was all about.
When we reached 13,500 feet Carlos told me to put my helmet on and he began fastening the straps that would keep me attached to him, you know... save my life and all. He reminded me about three times that we were attached in four different places, as he repeatedly checked all four buckles on my harness. He told me to raise myself to my knees as he slowly did the same. He then tightened the buckles even more, to which he asked me if it felt okay. “You can make them as tight as you’d like,” I responded nervously. All of a sudden the plane door was opened. The cool air was a refreshing wake up call that this wasn’t a dream.
Sergio put his helmet on, which had the camera attached to it. The three other skydivers got to their knees and each gave me a high five and a pound. I watched the first skydiver jump out of the plane and felt a wave of panic. I couldn’t bear to watch the rest of them so I shut my eyes. In a blink they were gone. Carlos got up and therefore I did, we were about to go… this was it… I was about to jump out of a plane, Oh my God. “No go!” Sergio said. Huh? What does he mean no go, is the plane okay because I really don’t think that matters, let’s jump, lets do this! Apparently the video camera was malfunctioning and as Sergio and Carlos tried to fix it I sat sandwiched between them, with a plane door wide open, and wondering if I had to pee, throw up, or faint.

Thankfully, I did none of the three and within five minutes we were good to go.
Carlos told me it was time to go, and then Sergio asked me if I had any last words. I could tell you right now a million things I would have and should have said, but all I could think of was “Bye.”  The fear was preventing me from hearing myself, or my thoughts. I thought I would panic if I looked down so I kept my gaze to the clouds. Sergio was out and it was time, really this time. Carlos told me to walk on my knees toward the door, I wobbled slowly…but I am pretty sure he was pushing me. The closer I got to the door the more my fear intensified.
Just before we jumped I was overwhelmed with a wave of peacefulness and I couldn’t be sure if this was real. I was about to jump into empty space, free fall from 14,000 feet… oh yeah, this was real. The plane tilted down as if it were going to spill us out, but before it could Carlos jumped into the air and I arched my whole body and head back into him as if I could somehow throw myself back in the plane.
Pure happiness overwhelmed my body and mind. For about 5 seconds I felt the free-fall feeling you get when you go on a roller coaster. My cheeks were thrown back by the pressure of the wind, but don’t be fooled I was also smiling ear to ear the whole time! The fear was gone and I am pretty sure I was laughing hysterically the entire jump. This may sound ridiculous, but it felt like I was being tickled in every ticklish spot I could possibly have. The free-fall feeling subsided and I felt like I was floating. Straight ahead I could see Sergio who was coming closer. Carlos adjusted my wingspan and showed me how I could fly forward or spin around. Unaware of my new powers, I brought my hands together and we flew full speed ahead toward Sergio. Carlos thankfully grabbed
my hands a part just in time. I misused my powers and we almost crashed right
into him. Sergio kept motioning for me to make faces and joke around, and at
the moment I went along with it. But seriously this was crazy, we were just
hanging out in the sky, taking pictures, making funny faces… crazy! And just
like that the 60 second free-fall was over. I was very grateful to feel the the
intense tug as our parachute opened, but watching Sergio as he continued to
free-fall down was creepy to say the least. Don’t worry, eventually the extreme photographer pulled his chute!

An uVu intern up in the sky...13 500 miles in the air Part 1

Who ever said internships are no fun, well, I guess they never interned with uVu!
My internship experience so far has been unforgettable... I have been to the Miami Mercedes Benz Fashion Show, partied for Miami’s 114th birthday, profiled talented Miami artists and musicians, and much more! But as my internship was coming to an end, I figured why not go out with a bang... or even off a plane.

We at uVu enjoy sharing our voices, views and ideas with the South Florida community. So what better way to view South Florida than skydiving 14,000 feet right over it? I have always wanted to go skydiving, and taking uVu along made it all the more fun. So whether you are interested in skydiving or interested in a
different view of South Florida, I’ll do what uVu does best and share with you my view on Skydiving in South Florida!
The night before my first jump I had trouble sleeping. I thought of my recent flight from New York to Miami, looking out the plane and seeing the square plots of South Florida, safely buckled in my seat. That morning I would look out to the squared plots and free fall my way down… and eventually that morning
came.
My drive to Skydive Miami in Homestead took a solid suspenseful hour. Not even
the Sirius XM Spa channel could calm me. When I finally arrived to Skydive Miami
I was greeted by an 80-year old man, named John, who sported a green tie-dye
long sleeve shirt with a white Bengal tiger centered on his chest. I wish I was
kidding. I just so happened to decide to skydive the day John was awarding a
Skydive Instructor with his first “Life Saved” award. Apparently, the Skydive
instructor’s first parachute malfunctioned, but he was able to cut it away and
deploy the reserve chute. What a way to start my day.
I headed inside where I met the friendly and fearless staff...most of them have
jumped thousands of times. After about a half hour of paper work, which
included the warning of death ten too many times, and a video of a man with a
three-foot beard warning me about the dangers of skydiving, I went to gear up
with Carlos. Carlos was my Skydive Master who I would fly tandem with. As I put
on my jumpsuit and harness, I watched as my instructor Carlos fastened me into
the countless buckles that would keep me attached to him. It was then that the
reality began to set in. He then led me to a poster, which displayed the proper
way to fall out of an airplane. Yes, I know what you’re thinking, but there is a
proper way to fall out of an airplane. We practiced the steps and positions and
headed out, and evidently I was ready.

By Julie Rosa

The Boozefighters

Roll Baby Roll! Heres some fun video of THE BOOZEFIGHTERS a motorcycle club. 
Who are these men in green? 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boozefighters
The Boozefighters Motorcycle Club (BFMC) is one of the oldest American working-class[clarification needed] motorcycle clubs, formed in California just after World War II. Today, the BFMC has chapters across America with its national headquarters located in Ft. Worth, Texas. The first European Chapter was founded in France in 2006. Other international chapters include Okinawa, Japan and South Korea.
[edit] History
The Boozefighters MC was formed in 1946 by veterans fresh out of World World II. "Wino" Willie Forkner (deceased 1997) is recognized by the club to be the founder. The BFMC were at the renowned Hollister incident of July 4, 1947, which was immortalized by the movie The Wild One, starring Marlon Brando. Lee Marvin played the part of "Chino," which is said to have been based on Wino Willie. It is this history that is being preserved in the spirit of fellowship and good fun.
The BFMC is one of the oldest active motorcycle clubs in existence. The Boozefighters have never been one percenters or an outlaw biker club. Their mottoes are, "The Original Wild Ones" and "A drinking club with a motorcycle problem."

 Music Provided by The ArtMann Band
Guitar and vocals Art Mann
Bass and vocals Steve Cottrell 
Drums Michael Duncan
Guitar and vocals Russ Maxwell (Formerly of Molly Hatchet) 

produced shot and edited by cyndi lenz
clenz@mac.com