Planning a Sweet 16 is no easy task. It takes a lot of research to find a venue that is beautiful yet affordable and an entertainment company with a professional and quality product. Sterling Gardens, in Matawan, NJ is a welcoming venue with attentive staff and Hurricane Productions is the innovative entertainment company to bring the party to life.
Kayla’s family chose both Sterling Gardens and Hurricane Productions for her Sweet 16. Sterling Gardens was organized and provided excellent service all evening.
Featured at Kayla’s Sweet 16 were video screens from Hurricane Productions. Screens showed custom animations, music videos, a montage presentation and Hurricane Pulse.
The addition of screens on a Sweet 16 is more than just bringing some TVs to an event. Custom animations require six to ten hours of design work from Hurricane Productions’ own graphic designer. The animations are created specifically for the guest of honor and compliment the theme of the event.
Professionally designed montage presentations take photos from the guest of honor’s life and piece them together with special songs. Hurricane Productions creates a beautiful piece for family and friends to view. The presentation and all scanned photos are then sent to the family after the event.
Hurricane Pulse is Hurricane Productions’ newest and most popular feature. Using a hashtag designed specifically for each event, photos from Instagram and Tweets are shown on the screens throughout the event.
To find out more about Hurricane Productions and have features like video screens on your event, visit the website or call 888.393.7066.
The Toucan NJ in Somerset is an affordable venue that offers quality service for any event. Quinceañera celebrations, Sweet 16s or weddings are all welcome at Toucan NJ. Entertainment from Hurricane Productions completes the evening.
The Perez family chose Toucan NJ for their daughter’s Quinceañera celebration. A family event, they needed a large ballroom, good food and great service. Toucan NJ provided all that while creating the perfect space for the evening.
Hurricane Productions was the only option for entertainment for the Quinceañera. Their professionalism and high-quality product made it an easy decision for the Perez family. Hurricane Productions provided entertainment but also photography and videography.
Jaime Vargas, Hurricane’s Spanish-speaking emcee, was the host for the event. Jaime communicated with guests in both Spanish and English so everyone could follow along.
Jaime’s grand introduction of the Quinceañera was the first of many traditional ceremonies. The Quinceañera participated in changing of the shoes, passing the doll and a waltz.
Jaime’s experience in private events makes him a must-have host for events. A professional and classic demeanor, Jaime knows how to guide guests seamlessly through ceremonies.
Hurricane Productions offers many features for Quinceañeras including lighting design and event design. To have Hurricane Productions at your event, visit the website or call 888.393.7066.
Celebrations in Bensalem, PA is not just for weddings. The high-capacity ballroom is perfect for proms and corporate affairs with many guests. Professional quality sound and entertainment from Hurricane Productions guarantees a flawless event. Hunterdon Central High School chose both for the Junior Prom.
Hunterdon Central High School chose Hurricane Productions to entertain the guests at the Junior Prom. The Prom Committee was impresed with Hurricane’s professionalism with design, music and hosting. Emcee Benny Klein guided the students and dates through the evening’s events of dinner, dancing and speeches.
The committee spoke with DJ Strato Doumanis before the prom to review music preferences and design elements. Online requests from the Junior class shaped the live mixed playlist.
Video screens with custom graphics featured music videos as songs were playing. Two graphics were tailored specifically for Hunterdon Central’s prom based on the committee’s input and feedback.
Full-ballroom uplighting not only complimented the theme but set the mood for night. Soft amber lighting for cocktail hour and dinner changed to blue lighting for the dance sets.
Hurricane’s own professional photographer took candid photos throughout the evening for the students.
Hurricane Productions hosts proms and large corporate events from New Jersey to Boston. To find out more information visit the website or call 888.393.7066.
Don’t want to fly guests to a destination? The Channel Club in Monmouth Beach, NJ is the must-have venue for the couple that wants to have a beach wedding.
The location of The Channel Club is what makes it desirable. An outdoor ceremony space overlooks the beach at sunset. Guests can enjoy the ocean breeze during cocktail hour before heading inside to enjoy a delicious meal and great entertainment from Hurricane Productions.
Lindsey and Joe’s Sunday afternoon wedding was a relaxed and celebratory affair. The Channel Club staff coordinated with Hurricane throughout the evening for a flawless event.
Hurricane Productions provided wedding entertainment for Lindsey and Joe. The couple trusted Hurricane Productions from the very beginning to create the welcoming atmosphere at their wedding. Emcee Vincent Velasquez started the night off and delivered a perfect grand introduction for the parents, bridal party and the newly-wed couple.
After special dances and dinner, DJ Strato Doumanis kept friends and family on the dance floor at The Channel Club all night, catering to the specific musical taste of the bride and groom.
The Fiesta in Wood-Ridge, NJ is the best venue for a Quinceañera. An organized maitre’d pays attention to every detail to ensure the celebration is flawless. The friendly, bilingual staff makes each guest feel comfortable. Great management from the venue paired with entertainment from Hurricane Productions makes a beautiful Quinceañera celebration.
The marble dance floor in the center of the ballroom is the perfect setting for a grand introduction or a waltz. Spot lighting provided by Hurricane focuses guests’ attention on the Quinceañera during special ceremonies like changing of the shoes, the last doll and the rose ceremony.
Daniela and her family chose The Fiesta because of their experience and top notch service. Hurricane Productions was an easy choice for entertainment because of the variety of Spanish music and organizational online planner.
Daniela’s “Name in Lights” gobo was designed specifically for her and based off her Quinceañera invitation.
The screens on Daniela’s Quinceañera showcased a custom animation that mimicked the style of her invitation. Music videos played on the screens during dance sets.
Photography for her Quinceañera included full event coverage by Hurricane’s own professional photographers, family portraits before the event and next day Facebook photos.
Hurricane Productions provides entertainment and event design for Quinceañeras and Sweet 16′s. To find out more information visit the website or call 888.393.7066.
Casa Bianca in Oak Ridge, NJ is the perfect venue for any wedding or Sweet 16. An elegant ballroom with an inviting marble dance floor paired with entertainment from Hurricane Productions ensures guests will dance all night long.
Casa Bianca’s classic style invites visitors right inside. Attentive service and delicious catering options makes it the best option for any event.
Michelle is not the first in the family to use Hurricane Productions. Hurricane entertained older sister Rachel’s Sweet 16 a couple years before. The family was so satisfied with Hurricane’s performance that they returned for another great event.
Michelle’s family opted for Hurricane’s professionally trained photographers to take photos all night. Photographers captured all important moments of the evening and the next-day Facebook photos allowed Michelle and her friends to relive the whole evening.
Screens on the event featured a custom animation tailored specifically to Michelle’s theme. Family-friendly music videos displayed during dance sets and a photo montage honoring Michelle shown during dinner.
Intelligent lighting on the event complimented the blue uplighting around the room. A custom “name in lights” on the wall completed the room design, mirroring the fonts in the custom animation.
Hurricane Productions provides entertainment and design elements for Sweet 16′s and weddings. Visit the website or call 888.393.7066 for more information.
Share – Use the #RUDM2013 hashtag on your Twitter, Instagram and Vine accounts leading up to and during Dance Marathon weekend (April 6-7). You’ll see your tweets, photos and videos posted live on the 50-ft screen inside the College Ave Gymnasium.
Download – Get DM’s interactive guide on your smartphone with Guidebook . Events, photos and information will be posted here.
Request – Use #DMRequest to interact with the DJs and emcees and hear your favorite tune played at the Marathon.
And don’t forget, you can listen to Magic 98.3 during DM weekend for a RadioThon – a live broadcast featuring families from the Embrace Kids Foundation and other special guests.
A live stream of Rutgers Dance Marathon will also be available at RU-tv Network.
So grab your phones, tablets and computers and tune in to #RUDM2013 weekend.
Rutgers Dance Marathon is genuinely beautiful. College students abandon their usual habits to dance for an entire weekend in honor of children with cancer and blood disorders. If that’s not heartwarming, we don’t know what is.
Rutgers Dance Marathon is a 32-hour event (held in the College Avenue Gym in New Brunswick, NJ) where Rutgers students stay awake and on their feet to raise money for Embrace Kids Foundation. Embrace Kids is a charity that raises money for the non-medical needs of families with children with cancer or blood disorders.
Hurricane Productions has been involved with Rutgers Dance Marathon for the past seven years. During that time we’ve picked up on certain things that make it awesome. And in honor of Rutgers Dance Marathon’s 15th anniversary, we are going to share the top 15 reasons with you.
15. It’s a year long event - Though the Marathon itself is only 32 hours, students plan and fundraising for an entire year in preparation for one short weekend. The day after DM the Board of Directors and Central Planning Team sit down to congratulate themselves then quickly move on to review the weekend and begin improvements for the next year.
14. It’s completely student run - DM is a huge event – Not just a couple hundred students but several thousand students. And from top to bottom, this team of students has organized Dance Marathon entirely on its own. We’re talking everything from booking entertainment to seeking out sponsors to scheduling the entire 32 hours. That’s impressive.
13. The Organizations - There’s a common misconception that Rutgers Dance Marathon is an all Greek event. Organizations like the Catholic Students Association, Carpe DM and Douglass Residential College make DM possible. Greek and non-Greek organizations hold bake sales, coffee houses and other events all year to raise money for the Marathon.
12. The Dancers - Let’s be honest… the general public perceives college students as sometimes reckless and unprepared for the ‘real world.’ Everything about DM proves that audience wrong. Not many people would commit to stay awake and on their feet for 32-hours, but these students willingly do. And they do so with a smile. Not only that, they do it for a cause that directly makes a difference in the lives of children and their families. Nothing is more real than that.
11. The Total - Since its beginning in 1999, Rutgers Dance Marathon has raised over three million dollars FTK (for the kids). Each year students rally to raise more funds than the previous year, all in hopes of continuing the DM legacy. No one knows what the total is before it’s raised, so as the Dance Marathon Central Planning Team (CPT) reveals the total to the audience, DM alumni raise the total in the upstairs balcony of the College Ave Gymnasium. So the CPT gets to share in the same moment of surprise and joy as everyone else in the gym.
10. Magic 98.3 Radio-Thon - Each year, Magic 98.3 sets up camp in the College Ave Gym. The team does live interviews of students and families to raise money and awareness for Rutgers Dance Marathon. Interviews with people like Glenn Jenkins the Executive Director of Embrace Kids Foundation (seen above) give a voice to the cause.
9. The Guests - When influential people like Coach Kyle Flood, head of the Rutgers Football Team, or Eric LeGrand come to congratulate, motivate and applaud the students for their efforts, there is no better feeling. Coach Flood comes in the early hours on Sunday morning when the going gets tough. He takes time to recognize and motivate students to get them through the end.
8. The Line Dance - Every year DM students choreograph and develop a line dance for all the dancers to learn. The line dance has evolved from a simple slideshow to an iconic, visual centerpiece of Dance Marathon.
7. The Bands - The Marathon doesn’t require the dancers to actually dance the entire time, but to simply remain on their feet. Live bands, like the popular Jimmy and the Parrots and The Verdict come to keep the dancers rockin’ and help maintain motivation ’til the very end.
6. Club DM - Between the hours of midnight and 3AM Dance Marathon weekend, the College Ave Gym opens up to Rutgers students as an enormous nightclub. Hurricane Productions provides DJ entertainment, and for a small fee, Rutgers students can enter. Thousands of students participate, and all proceeds benefit Rutgers Dance Marathon.
5. Embrace Kids Foundation - In the past DM, like many other Marathons around the country, used to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network. Embrace Kids approached DM and gave them the option to raise money for their charity. Why? Because the children they impact are right in New Brunswick. And at the end of the day, students can see exactly what, and who, their efforts support. Embrace Kids Foundation is located right in New Brunswick and works with the Children’s Specialized Hospital at Robert Wood. The fact that Embrace Kids is a community leads us to our next point…
4. RU4Kids Program - Embrace Kids Foundation works with Dance Marathon to match student organization with families. Students are able to make a personal connection with the kids and their families by visiting them in the hospital. It’s the reason the students come back each year – they have someone to dance for.
3. Family Hour - It starts at hour 28 of the 32 hour event. Just when dancers’ feet are hurting and the energy is running low, patients and their families come to the gym to support play games, share a meal and support their organizations. The result is a teary hour or two, with speeches from the parents and patients thanking the students for doing what they do.
2. The Families - When a child is diagnosed with cancer, they are not the only person affected. The parents and siblings of these children are tremendously strong, dealing with the emotional, physical and monetary toll that the illness has on everyone.
1. The Kids - They’re the reason why a full gym is completely silent the moment before the total is raised, and booming the moment after. These children are resilient and brave. The hardships others have don’t even compare to what these kids endure at such a young age. The treatments they go through aren’t easy – screaming, yelling and tears often accompany them. But an hour later, a graceful smile passes on their face as they play a game with their siblings, parents, or better yet, their RU4Kids organization. They are the reason why Dance Marathon thrives.
These 15 reasons are just a sample of many that make Rutgers Dance Marathon so beautiful. If you want to learn more about Rutgers Dance Marathon and Embrace Kids Foundation, visit www.marathon.rutgers.edu or www.embracekids.org. To help and be a part of the cause, you can donate now.
Hurricane Productions is visual. And despite its strong presence on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, Instagram is where Hurricane Productions really found its niche.
With over 10,000 followers and counting all over the world, Hurricane Productions is a major player on a platform that boasts over 100 million active users.
“For me, exploring Instagram has confirmed something I always thought to be true about human nature,” said Hurricane co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Strato Doumanis. “We are visual beings and hold visuals in higher regard than any other form of media or communication.”
A recent study released by Simply Measured showed that 54-percent of top brands use Instagram with 41% of those brands posting at least one photo per week to their feeds.
Hurricane doesn’t just post photos for selfish promotion. The company encourages recruitment and collaboration with other creative people.
“Exposing the right visuals to the right people has created more connections for us as a company than any other social media platform,” said Doumanis.
Hurricane’s Instagram following is larger than most newspapers and media outlets around the country. It even surpasses name brands like Pepsi Max and Jaguar.
Hurricane monetizes its Instagram following via its “Hurricane Pulse” concept.
Available in the corporate and private event market, Pulse capitalizes on using unique hashtags to stream photos live to video boards/screens as well as print photos as favors.
In short, its an edgy and modern approach to a traditional photo booth.
‘Bill Me Later’ offers clients flexible financing options for all Hurricane Productions’ services.
“This makes creating a special event easier for our clients,” said Hurricane co-founder and CEO Vincent Velasquez. “Since day one I’ve told every client that we want to work with them, no matter their budget. This is another step in offering more services to a broader audience of people.”
‘Bill Me Later’ offers up to six months of financing with no interest or additional cost for qualified applicants.
Hurricane offers all clients the ability to plan their event online and also pay online. Plus, the company accepts all major credit and debit cards.
“People like to feel secure when it comes to important purchases,” Velasquez said. “We find more and more that clients shy away from cash or personal checks as a payment method.”
For more information, visit HurricaneProductions.com
About Bill Me Later:
Bill Me Later is a PayPal service that lets you buy now and pay later. Think of it as a secure, instant, and reusable credit line without the plastic. Bill Me Later is available as a payment option at thousands of online stores and once added to your PayPal account, it can be used almost everywhere PayPal is accepted.
Bill Me Later is subject to credit approval and offered by WebBank, Salt Lake City, Utah.
About Hurricane Productions:
Hurricane Productions is an integrated media organization and a recognized leader in social media. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content to live and online audiences. DJ entertainment, multimedia and web solutions are Hurricane’s principal creative content and production activities. The company is headquartered in Red Bank, NJ.
