Education & Classes in Cleveland

Helmed by Julie Buckeye, a globe trekker who has learned dozens of dances during her travels, the team of instructors at World of Dances teaches children and adults of all skill levels to shimmy with international flair and self-confidence. Julie approaches each of her classes with an enthusiasm for disparate cultures and a desire to help students feel great about their own lives, whether they're stretching toward the sun during yoga classes, undulating their hips during belly-dancing classes, or high-fiving themselves during hip-hop classes. Bouncing sun rays enter the World of Dances studio through floor-to-ceiling windows and join students in boogie routines, while the sprawling parking lot outside encourages cars to relax as they work on their suntans.

Grape guru and oenophile Marianne Frantz, who holds a diploma from London's Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and who earned an Advanced Sommelier qualification from the Court of Master Sommeliers, founded American Wine School in 2002. She and her school have gone on to shepherd more than 10,000 sippers through classes, tastings, and grape-lookalike contests. Marianne, along with her knowledgeable staff, impart their vino wisdom in classes that range from the basic Wine 101 to the more extensive WSET certification courses. The school's classes and special events have even spilled into seven different states, teaching tongues across the nation to swirl, sniff, and taste the adult beverages and analyze why drinking wine while doing taxes is a bad idea.

Originally from Haiti, lead instructor Anderson Sylvestre brings his Caribbean flair to the floor, whether he is stepping out for a national ballroom competition or teaching first-time dancers. Along with his fellow teachers, Anderson imparts the skills, self-confidence, and excitement of learning a new dance to students of all levels. His classes cover a host of styles, including tango, merengue, West Coast swing, and bolero, and also teaching old-time dances such as the lindy—inspired by Lyndon Johnson's graceful movements after stubbing his toe on Air Force One.

Michelle Alpern, an avid swimmer and Red Cross-certified lifeguard since high school, is the founder of the Kids and Infant Safety Swim (KISS) Swim Program. Tailoring lessons to each student’s needs, Michelle and staff lead sessions for infants, toddlers, kids, and adults, focusing on the swim-float-swim method in a fun, safe, and nurturing environment. She specializes in childhood education, and her training includes more than 175 hours of pool instruction, child psychology and physiology, and CPR and AED certifications.

Coffee-shop owner, barista, and coffee consultant Tony DiCorpo and his fellow bean specialists acquaint curious coffee sippers with the art of crafting brews during hands-on classes in the school's full espresso bar. With curricula geared toward everyone from home enthusiasts to professional baristas and coffee-shop owners, classes include coffee tastings and roasting courses, during which students learn how to transform green coffee beans into mature java seeds by way of gentle roasting and exposure to sentimental coffee jingles. During intensive barista-training workshops, teachers brew espresso-based beverages, imparting techniques for pulling the perfect shot, frothing milk for lattes or cappuccinos, and advice for maintaining peak percolating conditions in shop machines.

Bright sunshine fills Red Hawk Farms’ outdoor riding area, where dusty earth quickly transforms into horse-shaped clouds as equestrians ride majestic steeds. Red Hawk Farms also boasts an indoor arena that ensures that riders can ride rain or shine. Trumpeteer Stables, Quiet Meadow Farm, and Hampton Hill Stables share both spaces, which set the stage for pintsized beginners and experienced riders to hone their riding skills and practice neighing each other's names. Athletes lace up boots and don helmets before embarking on lessons or daytime summer camps that, for older attendees, stretch into sleepovers on Thursday night. A more competitive environment prevails when riders on the Interscholastic Equestrian team launch their horses over hurdles and around sharp bends during shows.