Darienite (https://darienite.com/category/living/classes)
The United Church of Rowayton will soon start offering yoga classes, accessible for all levels and “donation-based” instead of a fee. Registration is not required — just show up. — an announcement from the United Church of Rowayton
The focus will be on breathing, balance, and gentle full-body exercises. Participants will learn standing poses for strength, using a chair for balance. Classes will begin and end with a time for meditation and centering.
Bollywood-themed dance and Zumba-themed exercise are combined in a class being offered at Darien Library. — an announcement from Darien Library
Bollyfitness as it suggests is a mix of dance & fitness like Zumba that makes you groove to Bollywood music. The class offers an hour of nonstop dancing for all the fitness lovers and a great high energy workout. So put on your dancing shoes and get ready to sweat it out! (Please wear clothes that you can easily move around in and sneakers.
The Museum of Darien is hosting two Sip & Create Workshops in the new year. — an announcement from The Museum of Darien
Both workshops are from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the museum at 45 Old King’s Highway (next to Goodwive’s Shopping Center) and include a glass of wine or champagne:
—The Victorian Terrarium Workshop ($95) led by Melissa Kelley on Jan. 25, uses traditional plants such as ferns and gravel. The class includes a hand-blown glass container, plants, flowers, succulents and gravel, and all materials needed to create a beautiful terrarium. —The New England Needlepoint Workshop ($65) This hands-on class will show you the basics on how to create your own needlepoint creation and includes a needlepoint kit.
There are so many ways to accurately draw the beauty of plants with colored pencils, and you can learn some of them in “Colored Pencil Explorations,” a five-week art class at Bartlett Arboretum in North Stamford. — an announcement from Bartlett Arboretum
The online course runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on five Tuesdays, from April 11 to May 9. In this class you can learn a variety of fun techniques and methods to accurately match the subtle colors found in botanicals. Select simple, seasonal objects – plants, flowers, fruits, and vegetables – easily available from our local green grocer or florist. Follow along with live demonstrations by the instructor to learn how to render surface texture and pattern, and to evaluate color in different lighting situations. Some colored pencil drawing experience is required.
There are still openings for a free, 90-minute women’s self-defense class on Wednesday, Aug. 10, taught in the Darien Library Community Room by Elliot Leung, founder of Club Kung Fu in Stamford. — an announcement from Darien Library
The goal of the self-defense class is to teach the student basic striking techniques and escape tactics from everyday situational threats. The student will learn how to effectively use her hands, elbows, and knees to convince an aggressor that she is not a target. Additionally, the student will learn how to dissolve and escape from various grabs and chokes.
With warmer days upon us, the official countdown to summer has begun. At Fairfield University’s Quick Center for the Arts, this means preparing to open the Missoula Children’s Theatre Summer Camp and Summer Camp Intensives. — an ann0uncement from Fairfield University
These day programs are an exciting way to delve into the lively world of the arts, exposing campers to a variety of creative art forms.
The arts and theatre offer kids a way to build friendships and share in a collective experience. Summer camps provide opportunities for collaboration, growth, confidence building, and some good solid fun. Celebrating the 31st season of Missoula Children’s Theatre Camps at Fairfield, we are thrilled to offer six unique sessions to choose from this summer.
Do you love movies? Join us for a month long exploration of film! During this series you will learn the basics about film-making from page to screen and get hands on experience in video production. From writing a script to acting in the final product, work together to create a movie masterpiece! This online “For Teens, By Teens: Intro to Filmmaking” class is for 12- to 18-year-olds.
The Rowayton Arts Center (RAC) will begin its Spring 2 Session starting in May with a full slate of adult and children art classes both online and in studio. — an announcement from Rowayton Arts Center
To review the entire schedule, visit this page on the RAC website. Five adult classes will be held in the RAC studio: “Mixed Media and Collage,” “Explorations in Watercolor,” “Introduction to Drawing,” “Painting Landscapes from Photos” as well as a new class, “Watercolor and Gouache.”
The rest will be held online via Zoom: oil painting, watercolor, figure drawing, portraiture, pastels and more. “Creative Explorations for 6- to 9-Year-Olds” will meet in the RAC studio on Wednesday afternoons beginning May 19 and “Mixed Media for 8- to 12-Year-Olds” will meet there on Thursdays afternoons beginning June 3. For more info about any of these classes, visit rowaytonarts.org/youth-classes-and-workshops.
The Rowayton Arts Center (RAC) is offering a Zoom “Paint Along to Live Music” experience from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020. — an announcement from Rowayton Arts Center
RAC Instructor Karen Siegel will lead participants through a watercolor landscape, while world renowned musician Mary Ann McSweeney plays live music in the background. Students are welcome to follow along or choose an image of their own
The fee for the class is $60. All you need to participate is a basic set of watercolors, #6 round brush, jar of water and paper towels. For more info and to register online, visit rowaytonarts.org/workshops or call (203) 866-2744 (x2).
The Rowayton Arts Center (RAC) is offering another Zoom “Paint Along” experience from 4:30 to 6 p.m., Thursday, July 9, 2020. It’s a great way to get back into painting or try it for the first time! RAC Instructor Anda Styler will lead students through a painting inspired by her garden but participants are welcome to choose an image of their own. Anda’s painting style is all about light and value, so this is a great way to be introduced to her technique. The fee for the class is $30.
The Rowayton Arts Center (RAC) is offering three weekly art classes for adults starting June 4 over Zoom. RAC Instructors Dana Goodfellow, Christy Gallagher and Susan Fehlinger will lead students online to provide an opportunity to learn and grow in their artistic specialties. — an announcement from Rowayton Arts Center
Dana Goodfellow will teach “From Realism to Abstraction” on Thursdays from 2 pm to 5 p.m., beginning June 4 for four weeks. The goal of this class is to use theories of composition, layout, design and perspective to allow for stronger realistic or abstract paintings. This class is a mixture of students whose work is either realistic or abstract or a mixture of both styles.
The Rowayton Arts Center is offering another Zoom “Paint and Sip” experience, this time with watercolors! The class will take place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 4, 2020. — an announcement from Rowayton Arts Center
— Editor’s note: The original announcement sent by the RAC included an image of a painting by another artist and wrongly attributed to McTague-Stock. The image here is her work. RAC Instructor Nancy McTague-Stock will lead students through a specific landscape painting, but participants are welcome to choose an image of their own.
Rowayton Arts Center is offering two new weekly online art classes for children in Kindergarten through Grade 5. — an announcement from Rowayton Arts Center
Both classes will be taught on Zoom by Muffy Pendergast, the well known “Empress” of New Haven’s annual Giant Puppet and People Making Mayhem Parade. Zoom has now made it possible to share her creative teachings with the students of our community. The classes will be age appropriate and will focus on teaching the various elements of art through engaging and fun-filled projects, using items you already have in your house. Any extra supplies will be delivered to homes on a weekly basis.
With it’s facilities closed to the public due to health and safety mandates, the Darien Arts Center is now offering all music lessons, visual arts and dance classes live and online while Darien schools remain closed. — an announcement from Darien Arts Center
DAC directors and students have quickly adapted to this new way of teaching and learning, and the DAC is providing new opportunities for students of all ages. Dance students have started attending the more than 40 dance classes offered by the DAC via Zoom. “It is a new way for the students to learn, but our dancers are adapting quickly,” said DAC Dance Director Bonnie Gombos. “We greatly appreciate the support and involvement of all who have made our online classes come together and the patience and flexibility of students and parents as DAC faculty and staff adapt to today’s challenging realities.
Adults and students in Grades 5-8 can improve their digital photography skills with professional photographer and Darien Arts Center instructor Brien Adams in classes at the arts center. — an announcement from Darien Arts Center
Classes take place at Darien Arts Center at 2 Renshaw Road, behind Town Hall. For Adults
Introduction to Digital Photography for adults takes place from March 4-25, on Wednesdays from 7-8:30 p.m. In this month-long class, adults learn the basics of taking beautiful digital photographs using their iphones or digital cameras. Topics covered include point and shoot techniques, photo editing, uploading to a computer, and using Instagram and social media to display photos. Fee for this class is $125; register at .
A Safe Boating Course will be presented at Darien’s Noroton Yacht Club, beginning at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday Feb. 4, continuing on consecutive Tuesday evenings for six classes, a review and an exam. — an announcement from the Darien Power Squadron
Taught by members of the Darien Sail & Power Squadron, this is the last presentation of the course for this boating season. Covered in the six classes are basic boat handling and seamanship, equipment and regulations, an introduction to charts and aids to navigation, basic piloting, and navigation rules. The course is directed at general, practical issues of interest to all boaters, and is not targeted to either power or sail.