If you haven’t heard of Kevin Sylvester and Wilner Baptiste, then you should take note because they are well on their way to becoming breakout stars. The duo form the group Black Violin, a strings group that is beginning to make waves in the music industry. Both Kevin and Wilner are classically trained musicians who met while in high school. Black Violin combines a classical sound with a more modern influence of hip-hop and pop music. Their goal is to challenge stereotypes within the music industry. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/violin-cover-of-bruno-mars-and-michael-jackson/
While big name celebrities such as Jerry Rice and Donny Osmond have competed on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” the past, it’s Nyle DiMarco who’s the one turning heads in season 22. The impressive routines week after week by DiMarco and his partner, Peta Murgatroyd, earned the duo a spot in the finale. The 27-year-old model/actor is the first deaf contestant in the show’s history. Coming from a deaf family, Nyle communicates in sign language and always has an interpreter on set with him. Despite not being able to hear the music, Nyle and his dances have been the highlight of the season. Like many weeks, the finale is broken up into two nights, with contestants performing a different routine on Monday and Tuesday. Nyle and Peta were coming into night two of the season finale running high on their stunning freestyle dance set to “The Sound of Silence.” After leaving the audience in tears and earning a perfect score from the judges, the expectations were high. For their final routine together, Nyle and Peta were tasked with performing a tango/chacha fusion. With Calvin Harris’ “Summer” cued, the duo signed to each other before carrying out another magnificent dance. Both dancers were clearly emotional as they awaited judging, but it’s what one judge does next that sends Nyle, and me, to tears. Nyle went on to be crowned the champion, going down in the history books as “Dancing with the Stars’” first ever deaf winner. As lead judge Len Goodman says, “The only boundaries are the ones we put on ourselves.” Don’t forget to SHARE this beautiful performance with your friends and family. H/T: Dancing with the Stars Read more: http://www.wimp.com/watch-the-dance-that-made-him-first-deaf-winner-of-dancing-with-the-stars/
Penn & Teller are two of the most famous magicians in the world. By combining humor, technical skill, and an irreverent respect for the world of magic the duo has built an entertainment empire. In this clip from the “Jonathan Ross Show,” that sense of irreverent respect for the art of magic is on full display. The group takes one of the most well known magic tricks of all time, the cups and balls, and shows the audience exactly how it’s done by doing the trick with clear plastic cups. Part of the fun of magic is the mystery of how it happens, but sometimes solving puzzles is fun. By revealing the secrets of such a basic trick, the duo gets to showcase a lesser appreciated aspect of magic: the technical skill. Sit back and enjoy a peek behind the curtain. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/penn-and-teller-cups-and-balls/
It’s happened to all Dads. You’re watching the kids, and everything is going fine. Then you feel a familiar buzzing in your pocket. It’s a text message from a friend. You remember friends right? Before the diapers and playdates, you had friends. It’s just for a second, so you look down to return their text. The kids can wait. When you look up, everything’s changed. You’re another casualty of texting while Dad. Thankfully, this important, and hysterical, PSA is waiting just for you. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/dont-text-and-dad/
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and this couldn’t be any more true than when people discuss the beauty of art. Everyone has different tastes and preferences, and it may even be difficult for some to appreciate the amount of work and skills that go into making a particular painting or sculpture. Of all the genres of painting that are out there, it’s hard not to appreciate the combination of skills and talent that goes into hyperrealism and photo-realism. Photo-realism’s primary focus is on creating works that are as true to life as possible, and the results are difficult to distinguish from the aesthetic of a photograph. As an extension of photo-realism, hyperrealism takes the same principles and builds upon them using modern methods, tools, and supplies. However, even with modern advances, creating realistic art that is difficult to distinguish from a high-resolution photograph is still most heavily reliant on the skills of the artist. One such artist that is literally making waves with his talent is Gustavo Silva Nuñez. Painstakingly painting every little bit of detail by hand, this Venezuelan artist sometimes spends weeks on end just to complete a single piece. As seen in the video below, the results of his endeavors are nothing short of astounding. Particularly when he poses with his paintings, you would have never guessed that the other person in the photo is actually not real. To see more of Nuñez’s work, be sure to check out his photos on Instagram. H/T: Patryn World Latest News Read more: http://www.wimp.com/artist-paints-lifelike-water-art-gustavo-silva-nunez/
On July 20, 1969, mankind made history by putting a person on the moon. What once seemed impossible is now reality, and the folks at SpaceX are working hard to reach a new milestone in extraplanetary exploration – landing humans on Mars. So, how exactly are they going to do that? This video offers an in-depth look at the impressive engineering behind this colossal project. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/how-will-we-get-to-mars/
The aurora borealis, otherwise known as the northern lights, are a sight on many photographers’ and travelers’ bucket lists. However, since they are only visible from certain locations at specific times of the year, being in the right place at the right time can be a challenge. A trip to the Norwegian countries of Troms or Finnmark holds the best chance of seeing the lights, as they are visible on nearly every other clear night, but if you’re stuck in the Western hemisphere, things are a bit spottier. Although the phenomenon exists year round, it’s only visible in Alaska and Canada during winter months. The vibrant colors of the northern lights are created when electrically charged particles from the sun collide with high-altitude air particles. Gases then determine what colors we see, for example, green results from oxygen and violet from nitrogen. While every sighting of the aurora borealis is unique and beautiful, this man captured something extra remarkable. As if his view wasn’t exciting enough already, it was enhanced by a rare superstorm and a falling star. Don’t forget to SHARE this incredible phenomenon with your friends and family! Read more: http://www.wimp.com/man-captures-superstorm-and-falling-star-while-filming-northern-lights/
It’s very common to lose touch in today’s busy world. Think about it for a second. When was the last time you had a real-life conversation with your best friend from high school or paid them a visit to see how they’re doing? If you’re like most people, then it’s probably been years or decades since you last heard from them. It’s just the way it is — the older you get, the harder it becomes to make time for friends. Things like raising a family, finishing your education, and going to work seem to take the front seat, and before you know it, you’re 60 years old and wondering where all the time went. Steve Morris made a promise that he would never lose touch with his best friend, Joe Whitehead. On April 4, 1976, he took a dollar bill, ripped it in half, wrote the date on one side, then gave the other half to the Joe. On the other side of the note, Steve wrote the date that they would meet 40 years later — April 4, 2016. It was unlikely that either of them would remember the torn dollar bill, but as the years rolled on, it became apparent that they both wanted to keep their promise. Finally, 40 years later, Steve got a phone call from Joe asking if he could the other half of his dollar back. Steve Hartman from CBS’ On The Road heard about their planned reunion, and immediately went out to capture their reactions as they met for the first time in four decades. Be sure to SHARE this touching story with your family and friends. H/T: CBS Evening News Read more: http://www.wimp.com/best-friends-finally-reunite-after-40-years/
If you have a fear of heights then this might be your worst nightmare. While on vacation in New Zealand, a group of friends from France just barely escaped disaster on an early morning hike. The ill-fated bridge claimed to support the weight of up to ten people. So when the group of four approached the narrow suspension bridge, they didn’t think twice about crossing it together. Unfortunately, that’s when a cable snapped and dropped the four friends into the water 27-feet below. The hikers escaped without any serious injuries and all realize how lucky they were to survive. “When we got halfway across we heard a muffled sound and before having time to do anything I was thrown into the emptiness, accepting the likelihood I would die,” said Effie Belle, one of the lucky hikers. The New Zealand government blamed the collapse of the bridge on a manufacturing defect, and as of now the bridge remains closed. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/four-hikers-fall-off-suspension-bridge/
History is filled with tales of powerful duos. There’s Bonnie and Clyde, Batman and Robin, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, and many, many more. Why are duos so popular in stories and literature? Because the heroes can compliment each other and make up for each other’s weaknesses. When one person is down, the other is always there to pick them back up. Powerful duos don’t just exist in humans, though – they can be found all over the animal kingdom. There’s no better example of that than the story of Rex and Hummer. Rex is a rescue dog, but he would soon return the favor to another life in need. It happened one day when Rex and his owner, Ed, were out for a walk. Suddenly, Rex noticed something unusual on the ground. It turned out to be an injured hummingbird, covered in ants. Ed thought the hummingbird was already dead, but Rex refused to give up and didn’t want to leave. After Ed saw that the bird was still alive, he decided to take the bird home and give it a new life. Ed was determined to help this little bird survive, and after a few weeks, the bird was flying around like nothing was wrong. The bird was named Hummer and soon, Hummer and Rex became best friends. It might seem strange to imagine a friendship between a bird and a dog, but once you see their relationship in action, you’ll understand it. Be sure to SHARE this amazing story with your friends and family! H/T: Ed Gernon To see more of Rex and Hummer, watch the video below: H/T: CBS Los Angeles Read more: http://www.wimp.com/shelter-dog-rescues-hummingbird/
