Education & Classes in Hoover

Magic City Ballroom Dance Studio's experienced instructional feet ignite the dance floor with a variety of lessons that demystify the art of rhythmic motion for dancers of all skill levels. Dance styles such as the tango, mambo, and samba infuse hips with infectious Latin rhythms while the Viennese Waltz, the fox trot, and the lindy step add pizzazz to wedding dances or an expressive trip down the produce aisle. Not content to only host energetic classes, the studio also supports one-day dance competitions, inviting dancers to show off their hard work for a chance at prizes and statues of bronzed jazz hands.

Chef and instructor Kelly Viall returned to her hometown of Birmingham after 15 years of whipping up fresh-fish dishes in Seattle and along the Gulf Coast. Now hundreds of miles from a coast, she still clings to her passion for ocean-fresh seafood and teaches students to master a variety of culinary techniques. She also offers catering options, giving food art lovers a chance to have a marine Louvre brought to them.

Gabonese influences and knowledge picked up while studying at a French culinary school shine through in every dish that chef Serge Pambo prepares in classes or while serving as a personal chef or caterer. While roasting lamb to pair with truffle-infused mashed potatoes or crowning a goat-cheese salad with honey, the epicure displays useful tidbits of knowledge accumulated during more than a decade of traveling the world. Reporters have heaped Chef Serge with praise, and students sometimes gather around him for pictures after their lessons have concluded. Participants with food allergies, special dietary needs, or a fear of getting lost inside apron pouches should inform the chef prior to classes or meals to ensure proper accommodations can be made.

Nestled inside Art Off Main Creative Studios' homey Northport abode, crafters sidle up to canvases, cookies, or a scuffed pair of shoes and embellish each surface with their own inimitable outlook. Classes abound, from painting and sewing to after-school kids' sessions that turn uneaten sandwich crusts into mixed-media masterpieces. Open-studio classes enable do-it-yourselfers to harness the miscellany of materials at their disposal to create any imaginable type of project, and the studio stokes the flames of creativity while also paying homage to distinct pieces from local artists by hanging their handmade magnum opuses on the walls of one room in the house. The cozy confines make an ideal setting for birthday parties, as the accommodating staff is enthusiastically well versed in party planning and assists customers in creating a festive event such as a bridal shower or an elegant-yet-understated pet wedding

The FAA–certified instructors at Wesson Aviation instill safe-flying habits in budding aviators, whether their aim is to casually jaunt through the clouds or to pursue a license for flying a plane, helicopter, or really large, specially folded piece of paper. No matter their aerial pursuit, pilots learn on modern and well-maintained equipment. The Bell Jet Ranger helicopter has flown about 1,400 hours and spoils students with modern avionic equipment, such as a Garmin GPS, radar altimeter, and heating and air conditioning—creature comforts to revel in when playing long hide-and-seek games with a stealth bomber. Students can also work toward their FAA pilot certification for private, commercial, or instructor flight at more than 200 miles per hour aboard the outfit’s twin-engine Beechcraft Baron airplane.: