Things to Do in Fairfield

Bikram Yoga Shelton's certified instructors lead 90-minute classes that take place within a sultry practice space with 58% humidity and temperatures that reach as high as 103 degrees. In the therapeutic heat, they help students of all abilities achieve deeper, safer stretches and detoxifying perspiration. They walk their pupils through two breathing exercises and a powerful sequence of 26 standing and seated poses in each class to challenge muscles more effectively than bench-pressing a chakra. Each posture helps unleash torrents of oxygenating circulation throughout the body, promoting healthy organ function as the sustained stretches bolster stamina and flexibility. After class, students can rinse themselves in the onsite showers and retrieve any restless spirit animals they stashed in the studio's lockers.

Since 1997, ice skaters have gracefully glided beneath clear skies atop the shiny surface of the outdoor Westport PAL Rink at Longshore. Every night when the sun goes down, overhead lights flicker on around the boards to accommodate late-night triple axels and hockey games delayed by puck strikes. The rink’s instructors are each certified by the United States Figure Skating Association and offer group and private instruction in figure skating, hockey, or basic technique.

At LoveHealing Massage Studios, a licensed massage therapist relaxes bodies and relieves tension with a range of massage modalities that inspire mind-body harmony. These indulgent services are all performed within the cozy confines of her softly lit studio, that please clients' eyes as their bodies sink into relaxation. The studio also offers facial beauty massages that enhance the face's skin and provides a fresh look for the eyes.

The consortium of professional instructors at Fred Astaire Dance Studio, which was cofounded by the legendary toe tapper himself, shepherds students of all ages and skill levels through lessons that span the style spectrum. Low-pressure private sessions allow enthusiastic teachers to fine-tune individual students' techniques and form, using their expert eyes and mechanical dancing shoes preprogrammed to do the Charleston. Patrons can learn how to cavort through classic waltz and fox-trot romps or swivel through the modern steps of salsa, swing, or samba. For dancers hoping to hoof it up in a social setting, the group practice parties provide a one-night extravaganza of instruction, demonstrations, and amateur firewalking.

After his daytime gig as a financial planner in Manhattan, Eli Newsom returns to his theatrical roots as artistic director of Bridgeport Theatre Company, a nonprofit founded by a band of Connecticut-based artists in 2010. Eli harnesses more than 15 years of performing and teaching expertise into each season's productions, which range from acclaimed dramatic fare to beloved musicals. The company’s ace staffers strive to bring each script to life with local actors and designers, and the BTC New Works program annually highlights the work of local playwrights, actors, and directors. In addition to its local cast and crew, each production depends on the aid of 25–50 volunteers, who lend a hand with countless tasks such as set construction, ushering, and haunting the theater dressed in a phantom costume.

With a shared exuberance for the sport of rowing, Yan and Olga Vengerovskiy founded the Maritime Rowing Club in 1996. Yan honed his skills with the Ukrainian National Rowing Team, and Olga sharpened her oars with the Russian National Team, where she won a championship. After achieving their individual and team goals in the sport, Yan took to coaching the Soviet Union Junior Women's National Team from 1973 to 1991 and Olga shared her knowledge with students at the Specialized School of Olympic Reserves in the Ukraine. To bring the Maritime Rowing Club to fruition, the couple gathered a team of experienced rowers to help them share the experience of recreational and competitive rowing with their new community in Norwalk. The squad trains interested parties of all ages through programs covering both rowing styles of sweep and sculling along the dark blue waters of the Norwalk River. In recognition of their excellence in promoting the sport, USRowing honored Yan and Olga with the John J. Carlin service award in December of 2011.