Education & Classes in Landover

Since 1976 Joy of Motion Dance Center, a nonprofit arts organization, has strapped on its ballet flats to kick down the doors that traditionally bar people from learning dance. Since then, it’s won two Mayor’s Arts Awards, one for Excellence in Service to the Arts, and the other for Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education. In 11 studio spaces across three different locations, instructors teach adult and youth programs, and lead an outreach initiative that gives disadvantaged kids the chance to learn dance with free classes or merit-based scholarships. Additionally, the center holds performances and showcases where students and patrons get a taste of professional performance without having to become zombies.

The masterminds behind Authentic Bartending School of Maryland dedicate their resources to creating a new generation of mixologists by offering comprehensive training programs and job-placement services. Emphasizing background knowledge and practical skills, the instructors who lead he hands-on courses aim to teach attendees a slew of drink-slinging techniques, including how to mix basic cocktails, craft fruit garnishes, and make a cash register spell "hello" when turned upside down. During the nationally recognized TIPS training, they'll show students how to responsibly serve patrons and defuse risky situations with intoxicated customers. The folks in job-placement services then help graduates seek out potential openings by networking with alumni and bribing senators to keep prohibition off the books.

Today's side deal invites you to party for a good cause—or three good causes—with tickets to the annual Fashion Fights Poverty runway show for $37—half off the normal price. This fashion-forward non-profit is celebrating five years of sustainable style with a fundraising event at the elegant Renaissance Mayflower Hotel on Friday, September 25, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Saphira, the matriarch and founder of Saffron Dance, didn’t even exist 20 years ago, much like “I survived Y2K” bumper stickers. Saphira was known as Rachael Galoob-Ortega, a lawyer who practiced in DC and Florida for a decade. But her high-power career and hefty paycheck couldn’t extinguish her passion for dance. And so she became Saphira, an international belly-dance artist and instructor with numerous accolades, including being featured in American Belly Dancer, a documentary about belly dance in the United States.

Along with a staff of 14 fellow instructors, Saphira channels her years of expertise into dance courses that get progressively more challenging from week to week. Welcoming all levels, her classes teach both Egyptian-inspired belly dance and community-focused tribal belly dance. Regardless of the class type, Saphira and her teachers encourage pupils to express their unique voices through dance, all while keeping proper alignment, mastering precision, and having fun.

Saphira and her team of talented teachers serve as stomach-waving sherpas on your journey to discover belly dancing. Teachers make fundamentals easy to follow for any skill level, and each class builds on the moves learned during the last. All classmates start from scratch, learning maneuvers such as snakey-arm movements, shimmies, hip accents, traveling steps, and combinations in encouraging unison. As with blindfolded archery and turtle care, the secret to belly dancing is precision and control. You'll utilize and isolate underused muscles and untapped energy stores buried deep below skin's resource-rich crust.

Uncork'd Art's instructors invite artists of all skill levels to let their creativity flow while practicing no-pressure painting. During their adult classes, experienced local artists unlock latent talents with a complimentary glass of wine, a brought-from-home snack, and muses equipped with brass knuckles. Instructors lead students in painting experiments during Just For Fun sessions, and provided materials allow for the creation of acrylic-adorned masterpieces. Uncork'd also offers private parties for groups of 10 or more, as well as happy-hour classes, which include helpful instruction with complimentary wine and supplies. Prospective pupils can schedule their next creative frenzy by perusing the online calendar.