Hit Me!

Sparky here again. Miss me? Sure you did.

Anyway, I have no idea why they’re having me do this. I don’t know  anything about art. I believe plays should have been replaced by  movies over a hundred years ago, I hate musicals, I fall asleep at  classical music concerts — except for that time they played Charles  Ives during that free New World Symphony concert I attended. I got so  hostile I started kicking the head of the person sitting in front of  me. Yeah, that turned out to be one of my more fun fist fights. Bada- bing!

I also hate artists. They always skip out on gambling debts and they  cry when it comes time to make due. Like this painter I met over in  Wynwood who lost on a football bet with me. (He bet on the Dolphins.  Idiot.) Kept blowing me off, and when I asked nicely for the money,  he kept saying he didn’t have any. So I hit him a few times with a  pipe while repeatedly yelling, "Where’s my money, bitch?" At one  point he asked me not to mess up his hand. So I hit his hand. Then he  started crying. Wuss. I’ve been hit with pipes before but I take it  like a man. He eventually told me to take one of his paintings as  payment. I lost it in a Seven-Card Stud game.

Actors, I like, especially when I’m playing cards with them. They’re  like walking, breathing tells, revealing their inner emotions as they  look at their cards. In fact, if I were on “Celebrity Poker” showdown, I’d take all their money. Except for Jennifer Tilly. Her  I’m afraid of. She’s a terrible actress.

Hey, I just realized somethin’. This is the last intro I have. Fantastic! So, look, you artsy types, have fun reading over “Best of  Arts and Entertainment” — the section named after the network that  used to have those annoying "Biography" shows. Me? I’m going to write up my invoices demanding payment immediately from the SunPost.

And if they don’t cough it up, I’m going over to 1688 Meridian with a pipe in my hand. Bada-bing!

Bizarrely Expensive ..

Art project: Damien Hirst’s For the Love of God features a human skull covered in platinum and about 8,500 diamonds and reportedly costs anywhere between $14.6 and $18.2 million.

Musical Instrument: A 1699 Stradivarius violin known as the Lady Tennant, recently sold for $2,032,000.Highest Annual Gaming Revenue: Las Vegas generated $7,673,134,286 in  2000.

Best Supporting Actor
Nicholas Richberg, Romeo and Juliet, New Theatre

A gay Mercutio with more than a passing interest in Benvolio and a crush on his Juliet-crazed pal Romeo? That might not have been what was going on in Shakespeare’s head—although you never know—but that’s exactly what was going on in Romeo and Juliet at New Theatre last  summer. In the hands of Nicholas Richberg, who played the fey Capulet  buddy Mercutio, audiences got a new perspective on a classic tale and  some comedy injected into their tragedy. Richberg’s exciting, electric, anything-can-happen performance breathed new life into an old story and made you wish Mercutio didn’t die in Act 1.

Best Supporting Actress
Beth McIntosh, Brooklyn Boy, GableStage

Beth McIntosh could not have been onstage more than 15 minutes in Brooklyn Boy at GableStage, but boy, did she make an impression. With her naturally brown hair dyed sun-kissed blond for her role of an aspiring writer/literary groupie, she could have easily slipped into a stereotypical California ditz. But she infused her role with endearing vulnerability—just the right amount to balance out the rough edges, but not so much as to become sappy and overly sentimental. In a production with several standout performances, McIntosh stood head and shoulders above the rest. As co-founder of  the Promethean Theatre, let’s hope McIntosh finds time away from her behind-the-scenes role to grace the stage in more productions.

Best Actress
Kameshia M. Duncan, Bourbon at the Border and Intimate Apparel

Kameshia M. Duncan is on a roll. Miami audiences first saw her last summer in City Theatre’s Summer Shorts; she followed that up with a role as a no-nonsense nurse in Creative Arts Enterprise’s Hannah Free. Her double whammy came within just a few months of each other, first as a wife who carries the scars of her harrowing fight for civil rights in Bourbon at the Border at M Ensemble, and then as Esther, a turn of the century seamstress who gambles everything on a chance at love in Intimate Apparel at GableStage. In both performances, Duncan’s voice and eyes not only portray her character’s anguish, but make the audience feel it deeply, so much so that when she comes out for her curtain call, still trembling from her character’s emotional roller coaster, you just want to hug her and tell her everything will be OK. She’s the real thing, through and through.

Best Actor
Avi Hoffman, Address Unknown

Avi Hoffman is the uber-Jew of South Florida theater. From his formation of the National Center for Jewish Cultural Arts to his one-man show Too Jewish to his portrayals of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, Hoffman is a musical dynamo intent on keeping Jewish theatrical traditions alive. In January Hoffman took a step away from his usual musical roles to play a Jewish art dealer living in San Francisco in the 1930s, just when the Nazis are coming to power and sowing the seeds for World War II and the Holocaust in Europe in the GableStage’s tense little potboiler, Address Unknown, and he played the hell out of it. Although Hoffman and his co-star Ken Clement never said a word to each other—the entire play is done in letters from Hoffman’s character to his best friend and business partner, who has returned to Germany and becomes enraptured by the Nazis—they managed to create intimacy and tension. But it is Hoffman’s performance as a man slowly losing his morals—and his mind—to revenge that still stands out. His maniacal laugh was truly a spine-tingling moment and was still ringing in audience’s ears long after the show was over.

Best Set
Jesse Dreikosen, Madagascar, New Theatre

The hallmark of a good set is not how innovative it is or how cozy it is or even how aesthetically sumptuous it is. The true hallmark of a good set is how well it fits organically with the characters and plot of a play, and Jesse Dreikosen’s set for Madagascar at New Theatre certainly fit the bill. Dreikosen’s sparse, elegantly ruined Rome hotel room mirrored the ruined American family at the center of the play and revealed hidden frescos that illuminated family secrets. Dreikosen’s work provided the perfect setting for a haunting drama,  and enhanced the play without overshadowing it.

He acts! He dances! He choreographs! He writes plays! He directs! Is there anything Ricky J. Martinez can’t do? After honing his skills in all of these disciplines and racking up an impressive list of credits, Martinez has embarked on yet another phase in his career. 

Following a few years as associate director, Martinez is the new artistic director of New Theatre, and was handpicked for the position by founder Raphael de Acha. Martinez will also see his play Sin Full Heaven produced next season as part of New Theatre’s lineup. The fact that a man as well respected as Martinez, who is talented in a  variety of disciplines, and who has a hip, urban edge to him, is now responsible for the artistic vision of a major theater is already creating plenty of buzz, and is bound to give Miami theater a good shot of adrenalin.

Joseph Adler, GableStage, Intimate Apparel

What can be said about Joe Adler that hasn’t already been said? His  fearless penchant for pushing the envelope and his outspoken passion for theater and South Florida talent has made him the director actors most want to work with. His choice of plays is sometimes educational, always entertaining and provocative. This past season alone Adler directed the thriller Misery, the tense two-hander Address Unknown and the wonderful character study Brooklyn Boy. But the crowning achievement was March’s Intimate Apparel, an achingly beautiful play about a seamstress in turn-of-the-century New York. Adler’s knack for  casting just the right actor for the role again prevailed, and his guidance led them in a nearly perfect production. In addition to his directing duties, Adler is now in his eighth season as artistic director at the GableStage, and his vision and talent have made the Coral Gables venue the go-to place for compelling theater.

Johnny Guitar, Actor’s Playhouse

Parody was ripe at Actor’s Playhouse this past season in the form of Johnny Guitar, a musical skewering not only the 1954 Joan Crawford flick of the same name, but also B-westerns in general. The story—a saloon owner with a bad-girl reputation, the self-righteous cattle baroness determined to take her down and the gunslinger turned guitar- slinger whom both women love—was pure hoke, and that’s what made it so much fun. The cast, headed by sweet-voiced Rachel Jones and rubber- faced Stacy Schwartz, easily the most valuable musical actress in South Florida, walked the line between earnest portrayals and broad comedy, never veering too far into either territory. The colorful sets by Gene Seyfer, the costumes by Mary Lynn Izzo, choreography by Barbara Flaten and the terrific supporting cast, which included Ken Clement, Shane Tanner, John Bixler and Terry Cain, all added up to a rip-roarin’ good time.

Miami native David Caudle was due to have the world premiere of his play The Sunken Living Room at New Orleans’ Southern Rep Theatre when Hurricane Katrina intervened. The play, about a Miami family in the  1970s, came home, but before it could have its premiere at Coral Gables’ New Theatre, as a co-production with Southern Rep, Hurricane Wilma intervened. When the stormy drama with a stormy history finally opened in April, audiences were treated to a gem that explored one family’s turmoil in a fresh yet recognizable way. With seamless direction by Southern Rep’s Ryan Rillette, a magnificent cast and an appropriately garish set by Jesse Dreikosen reflecting the décor of the Me Decade, The Sunken Living Room marked a theatrical high point of the last season and tagged Caudle as a playwright to watch. 

Best Theatrical Experience
Lavender Footlights Festival

Play readings are not usually a hot ticket, but this year’s Lavender Footlights Festival could change all that. Presented by Creative Arts Enterprises, the 4-year-old fest of gay and lesbian play readings came of age in 2006, offering theater lovers 10 plays over five nights, and featuring three visiting playwrights and a host of the best actors South Florida has to offer. The festival, which has had three venues in its four years, has settled nicely into the DotFiftyOne Gallery in the Miami Design District, and taking Lavender Footlights out of the theater has given it a hip, laid-back vibe that has attracted audiences in record numbers. Using a red carpet as a stage, actors performed with a minimum of movement and props, but they’re so good you feel as if you’ve seen a full production. Grants this year allowed Lavender Footlights to present their performances free of charge, and to import actor/playwright Tracy Winston, who performed his New York show for the opening night crowd, as well as playwright Harlan Didrickson and Chicago’s Claudia Allen, whose plays are often produced in South Florida. The festival gained new fans too—some first-time audience members checked it out on opening night and ended up coming back for the whole festival. With this kind of momentum, it will be interesting to see what Lavender Footlights does next year for their big fifth anniversary.

Best Concert of the Year
Amadou and Mariam

So you hit this on-the-cusp-of-summer concert out in Little Havana, not expecting much. Yeah, you’ve heard great things about this group before — a blind couple from Mali who’ve been singing together for years — and you trust the Rhythm Foundation’s good sense of boundary breaking musical acts from around the globe, so you take your seat in the beautiful Manuel Artime Theater, expecting not to lift your ass once from its plush cushioning. This evening, you say, will be cultural with a capital “C” and tasteful with a capital “Z”, but hopefully not three of them. It’s that outlook that makes you feel all the dumber when two songs into the show — a bubbling stew of  African poly-rhythms, the interweaving, interlocking vocals of husband Amadou and wife Mariam and some frenetic, darting guitarlines — hordes of folks much older and presumably much stiffer than  you flock to the front of the stage and start shaking every movable part of their body, from waistlines to index fingers. It’s ultimately enough to make you shake your head in disgust at yourself for the lowered expectations that you came here with, but not before you jump up from your seat, run down to the front of the theater and shake your body along with everybody else.

Best Summer Tune-up for Kids
SoBe Music Center

Parents know that a good musical education makes for well-rounded children, but many of those same parents remember the endless boredom of repetitious practice and stodgy old teachers that were not “with it.” So what’s a hip parent to do? Start the wee ones off with a fun, un-intimidating summer camp devoted to introducing them to the pleasures of music. Three times a week at the SoBe Music Studio, 3-6- year-olds will use an innovative computer program, learn musicianship and even get a yummy snack. The program lasts eight weeks. Location: 751 Euclid Ave., Suite 2, Miami Beach. Phone: 305-674-9220.

Best Local Culture Diva
Lolo of Sweat Records

At only 24, Lauren Reskin (aka Lolo) has already helped build much of the foundation for the local subculture scene and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. As the owner of Sweat Records, a much-needed indie CD/record store now housed in Churchill’s, the red-haired Lolo has made it her mission to foster a scene that the kids can relate to: Hosting live shows (including several by the former Awesome New Republic), founding Sutro Records (as an outlet for local acts), creating a book club (with selections including Dave Eggers and Hunter Thompson’s The Rum Diary), and sending out email blasts chock-full of pertinent info (new releases as well as upcoming events and shows). But most importantly, Lolo really cares about the future of this town — a persistent, cheering advocate to locals and out-of-towners alike. Meanwhile, she’s still DJing and promoting, supporting Aramis and crew at Poplife and the District, hosting “Roll Out at Rainbow Sk8” at the Gold Coast Roller Rink, and teaming up with Carmel Ophir to throw the Plastik Fantastik party at Studio A. It’s not easy making things work in Miami, but Lolo is up to the challenge. Location: Sweat Records, 5501 NE Second Ave., Miami. Phone: 305-758-5862, ext. 5. Web site:: www.sweatrecordsmiami.com.

Best Hangout for Poets
Luna Star Café

Choice beer, coffee, live folk music, an open mike and a small but creative space to read in or scribble on napkins. What more does a poet need? Luna Star provides all that and more. Art on the walls, good conversation, even better homemade food with an eye toward the greens. It’s pretty much the last real coffeehouse in Miami — owner Alexis is so cool she doesn’t take plastic. Soak it up. Poetry events are the second Thursday of the month, beginning at 8 p.m. Live music happens weekly. Location: 775 NE 125th St., North Miami. Phone: 305-799-7123.

Best Local Artist
Glexis Novoa

Whether or not you consider him to be the “best” (a purely subjective qualifier), Cuban-born Glexis Novoa is undoubtedly one of the most compelling and visionary artists working in Miami. His meticulous graphite pieces on marble are — first from a physical standpoint — bold and stunning objects. More so, on an aesthetic level, his flawlessly-composed cityscapes aligned across a horizon spread over so delicately and perfectly across the cracks of the marble. The picture becomes a jaundiced image from a strange dream; some kind of recollection, perhaps even a reassessment. The artist is interested in architecture as a man-made “decoding system.” Hence, as quoted in the notes for his recent show at the Lowe Art Museum, Novoa sees “cities as the most complete expression of architecture and the greatest tangible trace of humankind on Earth.” Look closely at some of the works, and you’ll see traces of Miami.

Best Local Art Museum
Bass Museum of Art

There are only a handful of art museums throughout the county, but Miami Beach’s Bass Museum of Art has always kept a strong and steady rotation of relevant exhibits. Founded in 1963 as a municipal institution with 500 works donated by collectors John and Johanna Bass, the museum’s permanent collection now holds about 3,000 pieces, including works by Botticelli, Rubens and Jordaens; rococo pieces; landscapes by Delacroix and others; works on paper by Rembrandt, Daumier and Toulouse-Lautrec; as well as painting and sculpture from the Americas and the Caribbean, various photography, and Asian art. At the same time, its temporary exhibits have stood apart from the other museums in the city — from the ambitious retrospective on Latin American portraiture and a showcase of Picasso prints to painting and installations from Paris’ Fonds National d’Art Contemporain and a survey of Haitian art culled from Jonathan Demme’s collection. Even if it isn’t on the avant-garde forefront, the Bass — with its larger historical scope — is a crucial component of the Miami art scene. Location: 2121 Park Ave. (in Collins Park), Miami Beach. Phone: 305-673-7530.

Best Up-and-Coming Gallery
Faktura Gallery

You gotta give it to artist Jacquelyn Jackson Johnston for opening her Faktura Gallery off-the-trendy-path in Little Haiti, quite a distance from the happening spots in Wynwood or the Design District. The 24-year-old Johnston and her family of supporters, artists, and friends are busy concocting a fresh perspective on art, without getting too entangled in the pretentiousness and poseurism that infests most of the bigger players in the scene. Since its inception in April 2005, Faktura has put on eight shows (including Anthony Mangicapra and Duane Hosein’s deft homage to the booze muse), and has now opened, Here I Sit, grouping 25 artists (mostly from graffiti backgrounds) to adorn, um, toilet seats. Also, Johnston is busy gearing up for Faktura Projekts, a non-prof she’s running with photographer Angela Roell that — in addition to finding homes for the 17 stray dogs and puppies they’ve salvaged — wants to promulgate their art outside of the gallery box. In the first installment, Pimp My Kart, the artists involved took their decked-out supermarket carts to the streets — in front of the Miami Beach Convention Center during Art Basel and across Lincoln Road. “We’re trying to make it apparent that artists aren’t just concerned in making little decorations on the walls, or just making art for art’s sake,” says Johnston. “We’re also concerned with larger problems and we can expose that with projects like Pimp My Kart — whether it’s the issue of homelessness or even just the segregate nature of the art world.” Location: 7128 NW Second Court, Miami. Phone: 305-758-9005.

Best Hyped New Gallery
Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin

Everyone who cares about art down here had heard that Emmanuel Perrotin — the famed French gallerist who first showcased now-major artists like Damien Hirst — was going to open a space in Wynwood last year, just in time for Basel. There was much anticipation, especially since the gallery is housed in a large MiMo building that is being renovated by architect Chad Oppenheim. Indeed the space itself, divvied into two floors, is one of the best in town, providing ample viewing room throughout. Perrotin has picked up some of the local talent, including Daniel Arsham, Martin Oppel and Cristina Lei Rodriguez, but it’s the international caliber of artists he represents that created the buzz. More so, this is probably the only space in Miami where you can view new work by big contemporary Japanese artists — Takashi Murakami of course, but also Mr. and Chiho Aoshima. The Miami version of the Perrotin Gallery is still in its infancy, yet it is living up to its hype so far. Location: 194 NW 30th St. #194, Miami. Phone: 305-573-2130.

Best Longstanding Gallery
Damien B. Contemporary Art Center

Since 2001, the Damien B. Contemporary Art Center has been one of the pioneering galleries in Wynwood — a cultural hub for local and international artists, as well as live music and performance events in the vast tented outdoor space. Several artist studios are stationed upstairs, while a large gallery area is located downstairs. Damien B. himself has been an active proponent of the Wynwood Art District and has kept an open mind in his exhibition schedule — from the haunting paintings and sculptures of French artist René Strubel to the inventive textile pieces of UM grad Reeve Schumacher, along with his recent video collaboration with colleagues Akihiro Shiroza and Bob LaDue. During the monthly gallery walks, a stop at Damien B. is a must. Location: 282 NW 36th St., Miami. Phone: 305-573-4949.

Best Community Art Classes
ArtCenter/South Florida

Recognized as one of Miami-Dade County’s major cultural institutions, the Art Center/ South Florida promotes local art and artists. Considered an important resource for Miami’s cultural life, the Art Center offers art classes and exhibitions for residents and visitors  of this area. With incredible artists working in a variety of media, this is the place to see art produced by young Miami artists. You  might even find a new talent within yourself. Location: 924 Lincoln Road, Suite 205, Miami Beach. Phone: 305-674-8278.

Best Gallery Move and Expansion
Chelsea Galleria

This past November, Dorothy Long and Tina Spiro decided it would be best to move their art gallery, Chelsea Galleria, from Miami’s Design District to Wynwood. A smart move since, as director Long claims, Wynwood is Miami’s “art destination.” She loves the synergy of the new neighborhood dotted with more high-end galleries. Chelsea Galleria focuses mostly on Caribbean art representing contemporary as well as international artists. On a helpful note to art lovers, the gallery also offers certified appraisals and secondary market and estate services for fine art and photography. Location: 2441 NW Second Ave., Miami. Phone: 305-576-2950.

Best World Music Concerts
Rhythm Foundation

Mainstream music can get pretty boring — turning on the radio and hearing the same song playing over and over again until you know the songs you didn’t like hearing the first time by heart. Our displeased ears are in luck as Rhythm Foundation is celebrating its 18th season of presenting unique international artists in South Florida. With much experience, this non-profit organization is the foremost presenter of world music in South Florida boasting over 200 past concerts, events, and festivals. They pay special attention to cultures connected to the diverse South Florida audience with ranging influences from Brazil, Latin America, Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Each year the Rhythm Foundation averages 15 concerts and festivals at various South Florida venues. Check their Web site: for more information. Phone: 305-672-5202. Web site:: www.rhythmfoundation.com.

Best Place to Find Unique Haitian Art
The Haitian Art Factory

The Haitian Art Factory has collections of fine, exotic, and eclectic Haitian art from distinguished artists such as: Fritzner Alphonse, Ernst Louizor, Andre Pierre, and Laurenceau. For those blank spots on walls in your home that need to be filled, the Art Factory’s colorful and tropical pieces are sure to complete your home with accented colors that pop out of oil painted canvases. Along with the canvases, their collection includes sculpture, wood works, pottery, and metal and wood-crafted chairs. A sample of their collection and order forms can be found on their Web site:, www.haitianartfactory.com. Location: 835 NE 79th St., Miami. Phone: 305-758-6939.

Best South Beach Art Couple
Stewart and Dena Stewart

Stewart and Dena Stewart have been South Beach fixtures since 1987. They were early members of Art Center/South Florida with exhibition space on Lincoln Road when it was mainly empty stores, plus a few mental health clinics and restaurants. They helped picket to save the Art Deco structures and have had their artwork seen all over town (the mustachioed Stewart Stewart’s “pickle people” livened up Wolfie’s on Collins Avenue for many years). But it’s not just because they are two of the rare colorful eccentris bohemian types left from the “old days” of South Beach. What really sets this artistic couple apart is how much they care for their community’s future: its kids. Apparently they discovered that half of youth are estimated to be involved in bullying as either a bully, a target of bullying, or both. They’ve used their “Telling Stories Through Visuals” program to address that and other issues, such as abuse and violence in intimate relationships, aging, gentrification and change, the environment, natural disasters, illegal dumping and diversity. The Stewarts created the Center for Folk and Community Art, which enables them to facilitate hands-on writing and art-making workshops at schools and community centers throughout the district to educate all about the above issues. More than 400 people have participated and crafted their artwork and narrative into material panels that, when placed together, form an 80-foot, self-standing, movable tapestry. The Stewarts were recently honored by the city of Miami Beach for their work with this project and their longstanding commitment to the city. Location: 1800 Michigan Ave., Miami Beach. Phone: 305-534-8807. Website: www.artmurals.org.

Best Alternative to Piano Lessons
Scratch DJ Academy

This very cool addition to the local music scene teaches the art of DJing, mixing, scratching, etc., to students from preteens to Boomers with a copyrighted curriculum designed by some of the best professionals in the industry — convenient and reasonable courses and access to top-notch equipment and instructors. Because Scratch was founded by Jam Master Jay (best known as part of Run DMC), visiting performers and pros contribute to the superstar environment. Location: 642 Sixth St., Miami Beach. Phone: 305-535-2599. Web: www.scratch.com.

Best Anticipated Performance Lineup
Miami Performing Arts Center

The bricks and mortar part of the Miami Performing Arts Center may be taking a while to pull together, but maybe there’s one advantage to that. It’s giving the marketers of the facility plenty of time to program the multiple stages and to send out reams of publicity to tantalize prospective audience members. On the music end, there’s the Cleveland Orchestra’s residency, plus the Classical Theatre of Harlem and hometown hero Arturo Sandoval, not to mention Burt Bacharach, Bobby McFerrin, and Woody Allen and His New Orleans Jazz Band. The big names don’t stop there. Comedians Bill Cosby and Lily Tomlin are slated for March and April dates, respectively. The Miami Performing Arts Center has been successful in “bringing together artists and audiences through partnerships with its resident companies, staff, and local and international arts organizations to provide extraordinary cultural and educational experiences of the highest quality for diverse audiences.” As the MPAC transforms itself into a habitable arts center, perhaps the programmers of this coming facility can help transform Miami into the cultural crossroads of the Americas it wants to be. Keep your fingers crossed for the grand opening weekend, October 5-8, to go off without a hitch (read: hurricane). Location: 1444 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Phone: 305-377-1220. Web site:: www.pacfmiami.org.

Best Beach Gallery and Frame Shop
Galeria Del Sol

Selling and framing Miami’s art for 14 years, Galeria Del Sol has remained true to Miami’s Latin American culture through its  collection. Complete with linen and canvas oil paintings, mixed media art pieces, and sculptures that were completed by Miami’s young and contemporary Latin American artists, Galeria Del Sol is a Miami gem. Featuring work done by Miami’s most recent rising artist, Carlos Ovied, their pieces generally range from $500 to $20,000. In addition, they frame artwork, pictures, mirrors, or anything their clients desire, in borders of different widths, prints, colors, and textures. Location: 1628 Michigan Ave., Miami Beach. Phone:  305-674-707

Best SoBe Gallerist
Michel Carel, Carel Gallery

Tired of the same old contemporary art many of galleries offer these days? Behold, from someone who’s run a gallery for almost half a century, post-impressionists and 19th and 20th century masters of art, as well as early modern art. Carel Gallery’s eclectic oil paintings, sculptures, drawings and watercolors of all sizes, shapes and styles are proudly on display for all passersby to see. But it is really owner Michel Carel, a personable Parisian-American who established his gallery here in the early ‘60s, who sets the place apart. This Lincoln Road original brings the art and artists (though many are long dead) he represents to life with his stories about them and his understanding of their work. Don’t believe us? Check out his Web site, which is pretty educational too. He also knows just about everything there is to know about the area known as Lincoln Road, where he’s been situated for the past 40-odd years. Location:  922 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach. Phone: 305-534-4384. Web site:: www.carelgallery.com.

Best Non-Tourist Trap
Wolfsonian-FIU

This design museum is a South Beach treasure — but unlike most of its Washington Avenue neighbors, the glitz and glamour go deep beneath the surface. And this is one place that clearly values locals: Wolfsonian-FIU is always free to Beach residents (bring a driver’s license). Spend a day here with the kids, your new beau or even alone. Enjoy their Art and Design in the Modern Age exhibition, which gives a complete overview of the museum’s holdings of American and European artifacts from the late 19th to mid-20th centuries. Locals and tourists alike can learn about Art Deco and other movements from a variety of media including furniture, industrial-design objects, ceramics, metal work, rare books, paintings, textiles, medals and much more. The museum also offers teacher workshops, guided tours and community outreach programs. They even host the Cinema Vortex film series and have the new Dynamo café (the latter is perhaps the most touristy thing about the place, but even still it’s about quality food and surroundings, rather than a quick bite and quick buck). So, although you may get trapped here, it will be because you just can’t get enough of the place. Location: 1001 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. Phone: 305-531-1001. Web site:: www.wolfsonian.org.

Best Orchestral Academy
New World Symphony

Michael Tilson Thomas’ brainchild of a school for professional-track young classical musicians continues to be a feather in Miami’s  cultural cap. With an energetic support staff, efforts to attract a younger crowd of docents and plans to expand, the crescendo is still  building for this musical training ground. Location: 541 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach. Phone: 305-673-3330. Web site:: www.nws.org.

Best Creative Movement Classes
South Beach Performing Arts Center

Created recently by Hot Jam Entertainment Co., the South Beach Performing Arts Center offers a wide variety of classes and is committed to talent development. Open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., getting into shape for the summer has never been more convenient and fun. Classes include: Ashtanga yoga, Pilates, ballroom dancing, belly dancing, break-dance/hip-hop, Brazilian capoeira, dance fitness, flamenco, salsa, Tai Chi, and even a Hot Jam class that is created and taught by Pamela Canellas, the founder of Hot Jam Entertainment. The center also provides spiritual meditation classes and seminars. Aspiring actors and singers can learn a thing or two as wel at the Center’s voice and acting lessons. Hot Jam loves kids too, with its three-week summer program for kids 7 and up and workshops for hair, makeup and costume design. Location: 227 13th St., Miami Beach. Phone: 305-695-1046.

Best Little Dance Company That Could
Miami Contemporary Dance Company

Arts groups are like baby sea turtles waddling out to sea: Not many make it to maturity. In just over six years, however, Miami Contemporary Dance Company has gone from an idea in the head of founding artistic director Ray Sullivan (at the time a part-time faculty member at Miami City Ballet) to a professional company that employs about a dozen dancers annually, runs a year-round dance school (employing yet more dancers to teach), is a recipient of numerous grants and awards including a National Endowment for the Arts grant, and has almost 20 world premieres to its credit. MCDC owes much to the longstanding local modern dance companies that came before it: Momentum Dance Company, Freddick Bratcher and Company, Karen Peterson and Dancers, to name a few. And that is one reason MCDC has gone so far. They know this. Many of the dancers are Miami natives, and Sullivan, who hails from Connecticut, is uniquely aware of Miami’s potential, and its past. Sullivan wrote in his welcoming notes for the company’s Sixth Anniversary Gala performance earlier this month, “No! It is not always perfect. And yes! There are not many systems in place, yet, in Miami, to support a modern dance company which supports professional dancers and also by its definition deliberately must stray from the accepted paths of the classical and commercial. Yet ... the true fruits of all this work will be seen by all the dancers, companies, choreographers and schools to grow here in the near years to come.” As it turned out the gala performance, which included videotaped messages from each of the dancers as well as Sullivan, was a promising window into that future. Phone: 305-538-2988. Web site:: www.miamicontemporarydance.org.

Best Costume Design in Dance
Miami City Ballet

Miami City Ballet’s longstanding costume designer and wardrobe director Haydée Morales still has her work cut out for her after all these years, and she and her crew are still delivering some of the most stunning pieces seen on the stage in these parts. Some of the costumes are rented, some are made and others are re-created with the help of other fashion designers. Looking good doesn’t come cheap. Last season MCB spent $105,000 on costumes, according to a ballet spokesperson, but hey, that’s about one shopping trip for Paris Hilton, and she can’t even dance.

Best New Dance Series
Miami City Ballet Contemporary Dance Series

David Palmer and Yanis Pikieris, former Miami City Ballet principals who headed their own contemporary ballet company in South Florida for about a decade, helped kick off the new Miami City Ballet Contemporary Dance Series. It turned out to be a breath of fresh air from the company in its inaugural season. The two-program series takes place in the intimate black box theater within the company’s Liberty Avenue facility, so you get to see the dancers up close in fun and energetic pieces like Paul Taylor’s “Funny Papers” as well as challenging works from contemporary choreographers like Mark Morris and Twyla Tharp. Location: 2200 Liberty Ave., Miami Beach. Phone: 305-929-7010.

Best Dance Concert
Streb, Wild Blue Yonder

We admit we didn’t make it to as many dance performances as we wanted to, but this MacArthur Foundation winner had her troupe of dancers, Streb, bouncing off walls quite literally and audience members bouncing up and down, also quite literally. With choreographer Elizabeth Streb’s reinvention of dance in Wild Blue Yonder as a death- and gravity-defying, sometimes violent-looking exploration of the body, and the space and energy it inhabits, reminded us how exciting movement can be, as it should be in an art form as vital as dance. Wild Blue Yonder, which included props like a trampoline and swinging blocks of concrete, came to life in the Jackie Gleason  Theater (boy, are we gonna miss that place when Cirque du Soleil moves in) in April through seven acts in the first half and eight in the second, with fairly self-explanatory (and canny) titles like “Tied,” “SLIPANDSLIDE,” “Gauntlet,” “Ricochet,” “Slapstick,” “Squirm” and “Fly” as well as video footage of early flight trials as well as filmed bird’s eye views of the dancers.

Best Dance Merger
Ballet Gamonet Maximum Dance

Ballet choreographer Jimmy Gamonet de los Heros was working to get his company off the ground in Miami and Maximum Dance Company, though beloved by fans, was trying to keep the money flowing in. The board of Maximum Dance and Gamonet De Los Heros came up with a surefire plan to make both sides happy and successful: merge the two companies, which gave Gamonet’s capital to Maximum and gave Gamonet an existing structure, including dancers (some of which left following the merger), on which to build. Well, the company did not go the way of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. Maximum co-founding directors Yanis Pikieris and David Palmer split (see Best New Dance Series for what they’re up to now… but Gamonet de Los Heros persevered and Ballet Gamonet Maximum Dance (now just Ballet Gamonet) has made it through its first season with a roster of fine dancers, a centrally located Miami studio from which to practice and the future to prove what they can make of themselves. Phone: 305-259-9775.

Best Place for Middle Eastern Dance
Mid Eastern Dance Exchange

Belly dancing is a great way to liberate the sleeping diva that lies within you. We’ve seen this exotic dance many times on MTV in Shakira’s music videos, and we find it sexy. Who says that you can’t do the figure-eight with your body? At Mid Eastern Dance Exchange, you can take classes and workshops on belly dancing. They also specialize in Indian classical and contemporary dances, which are offered during the week at an affordable price. All classes are offered for adults and kids. Mid Eastern Dance Exchange is a non-profit organization that promotes shows and host community career days to promote this great artistic movement. They bring experienced instructors from all around the world to teach. If dancingis your passion, this is the place to be. Location: 350 Lincoln Road, Studio 505, Miami Beach. Phone: 305-538-1608.

Best Local Ballet Company for Kids
Ballet Etudes

Ballet has usually been known as an activity only the elite and sophisticated folk can enjoy. Guess again, though, as longstanding local institution Ballet Etudes seems to appeal to a younger, more primitive group of people — kids, that is. From new sets and scenery to a full orchestra, their classical ballet performances will have your children’s eyes and ears at full attention in anticipation of the whole production. Included also are colorful costuming, lighting, and choreography to have your youngsters begging to come back for more. If your little one wants to be part of a production or simply enjoy learning ballet, Russian technique, pointe or even flamenco, it’s not too late to register him or her for summer sessions. Children 3 and up arewelcome to participate. Location: 415 W 51st Place, Suite #201 and 6812 NW 169th St., Hialeah. Phone: 305-557-1142 (51st Place location) and 305-558-3439 (169th St location).

Best Local Dance Pioneer (in memoriam)
Thomas Armour

Kind-hearted, genteel and nimble, Thomas Armour pioneered Miami’s dance culture for well over half a century, teaching thousands of the city’s native sons and daughters the joy of dance in the process. Armour passed away this past May 7 at the age of 97. Born in Tarpon Springs at the beginning of the 20th century, Armour went on to become a renowned ballet dancer in Europe, including with the famed Ballet Russe De Monte Carlo. After serving as Military Intelligence in World War II, he returned to South Florida to run ballet schools. His mid-century-founded Miami Conservatory still exists in South Miami, the legacy being carried on by Armour’s longtime professional partner Robert Pike, with Ruth Wiesen. Beyond the school, Armour founded the Miami Ballet Guild, which became the Miami Ballet in 1951. The company’s goal was to provide first-class training and stage experience for aspiring dancers by presenting full-scale classical ballets with professional guest artists such as Cynthia Gregory, Edward Villella (before Miami City Ballet was even a glint in anyone’s eye), Natalia Makarova and Peter Martins, to name a few. Ballets presented included “Giselle,” “Swan Lake,” “Coppelia,” “La Bayadere,” etc. Armour worked with Pike, Martha Mahr and other noted dance teachers to create a professional foundation in something of a cultural wasteland. The Miami Ballet was also a co-founder of the Southeastern Regional Ballet Association. In 1997 Miami Ballet was changed to the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet in honor of its founding director, who continued to serve as artistic director emeritus until his death.