AROUND TOWN

AVENTURIST

LEGACY TRAGEDY AND TRADITION

More than a year has gone by, but Nicolas Fusco is still haunted by the night in June 2021 when his grandparents, Maria and Gonzalo Torre, perished when their condo in Surfside’s Champlain Towers South collapsed.

For Fusco and his family, the couple was more than just a pair of names on the list of missing and dead residents. “Babi” and “Papi” (as Fusco calls them) were native to Cuba. In the tradition of their homeland, Maria was known as a master cigar roller. For his part, Gonzalo jokingly claimed to be a “master smoker.”

“In classic Cuban-Miami fashion, my grandfather would smoke a cigar at the front desk of his hotel every day,” Fusco says of Miami Beach’s James Hotel that the Torres owned (and that Fusco’s family still operates). “On many occasions, I would join him in smoking a Cuban-style cigar, drinking Cuban coffee, telling jokes, and sharing stories.”

As his way of keeping the memory of his grandparents alive, Fusco recently launched a line of high-quality, hand-rolled cigars in several fl avor profi les that commemorate the Torres’ lives. Fusco named the brand El Mago (which translates to “the wizard”) in homage to the magic his grandparents created in his life. But the moniker is also derived from the fi rst two letters from each of their fi rst names.

“It is my honor to keep their legacy alive and share their story through a tradition that was passed down from one generation to the next,” he says. “El Mago is an ode to their love, life journey, and incredible legacy.” (elmagocigars.com) –Kristen Desmond LeFevre

Nicolas Fusco’s new El Mago cigar brand (which comes packaged in a vibrant nod to Miami’s Art Deco vibes) honors his grandparents, who were among the victims of the 2021 collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside.

IN THE GROOVE Democratizing DANCE

Founded by Miami native Ryan Breslow (who, when he’s not shuffl e dancing, is the billionaire founder and CEO of Bolt, a tech company aiming to bring secure one-click checkout to the web), The Movement has a simple mission: to unite the world through dance. Breslow says he started The Movement— which has outposts in Miami, New York, and Los Angeles—in hopes of bringing dance to those who struggle to aff ord formal lessons. Partnering with local instructors and studios to provide free classes, Breslow’s Movement removes the cost barriers for anyone who wants to learn to dance or move their body in new ways. From reggaeton to breakdancing, salsa, yoga, and beyond, there’s a Magic City class sure to get you moving, grooving, and feeling great. (themvmt.org/miami) –K.D.L.