Watch the magic happen when Josephine walks into New Milford's Zaragoza Restaurant!

My first reaction when I first watched this video was, WOW!  I needed to find out everything about it because the attractive woman who plays Josephine in the video, Tara Aston was my dance instructor and partner for a Hillside Food Outreach benefit called "Dancing With Our Stars" that took place two years ago. Tara and her lucky dance partner, Laz Chavez are both from the Arthur Murray Dance Studios in Danbury. This impressive video was filmed at one of Mindy's and my favorite restaurants, Zaragoza in New Milford.

The visionary behind this project is Mark Holst, owner of Holstworld Media who told me his inspiration was the combination of his infatuation with electro swing music and from the "a little party never hurt anybody" scene from the Great Gatsby. As we talked at length about the concept, he explained that after he moved to New Milford three years ago...

I noticed the architecture in town, and seeing the Bank Street Theatre for the first time, it all hit me. I began exploring New Milford for locations and came across awesome alleyways and parking lots all with that brick aesthetic. That's when I began to build the concept where it sat on a sticky note near my computer for 2 years.

The videographer and makeup artist, both friends of Mark, offered their services on the house. Zaragoza's owner, Artie Praino also loved the concept and gladly offered up his restaurant for the filming. When he approached Tara at the Arthur Murray Dance Studios about his idea, she too was instantly excited and graciously offered to choreograph the project.

I asked Mark what the end-game was for the video. He told me it was purely a visionary concept he had always dreamed about and needed to bring it to fruition. What really blew him away was everyone in New Milford and Danbury who participated in the making of "Josephine" both on and off the screen, so believed in his personal objective that they would not accept one cent for their contribution.

Photo from the video, "Josephine"
Photo from the video, "Josephine"
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