Ontario Education and Classes

Nella Cucina grants the fabled power of food preparation to neophyte cooks through a variety of classes. Each month brings new classes and new cuisine styles, ensuring that you’ll find at least one tasty tutorial in which to immerse yourself. The month of May, for example, kicks off with a Malaysian-cuisine class ($95) in which instructors from Arvinda’s Artfully Created Indian Spice Blends will teach the spice-tinged ins and outs of the Indian-Thai hybrid cuisine through such dishes as fragrant lemongrass-coconut soup, Malaysian chicken curry, and vanilla-coconut-chai ice cream. Break open a piñata of possibility with May 11’s class in Mexican cuisine ($125), taught by chef Jose Hadad of Frida Restaurant & Bar, or scale summits of pasta and prosciutto at May 19’s class in authentic Italian cooking ($125), courtesy of chef Gabriele Paganelli of Romagna Mia. The snowy winds of summer bring classes in Latin-American cuisine ($125) on June 16, classic soup and stew stocks ($95) on June 19, and authentic Chinese cooking ($95) on July 7. Peruse Nella Cucina’s list, with classes detailed into the autumn months, to find the cooking course that best speaks to the ladle of your heart. (The letters next to the prices are a key to the types of classes: I for individual, G for group/team, D for demonstration.)

Dance District straightens out pairs of left feet with instruction in a variety of dance styles, including ballroom, salsa, disco, tango, and swing. With this deal, clients will get a one-hour private dance lesson from one of Dance District's dexterous instructors. Hit the private lesson solo to hone your skills with one-on-one attention or bring along a sweetie for no additional cost. Having spent 60 minutes conquering the two-headed beast of rhythm and coordination, guests will be eligible for two supervised practice dance sessions, held on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Each two-hour practice session is overseen by a Dance District instructor, ensuring that pitfalls and bad habits are both side- and box-stepped. This Groupon also grants clients access to a Dance District dance party, held on the last Friday of each month. The 2.5-hour dance party brings together an armada of earnest movers and shakers, expanding guests' social circles through the unbridled power of dance and mutual interest in raspberry jam.

Every Thursday, Jive Nation Toronto's students and instructors step into the studio to hone their dance abilities in a social setting. But before hitting the dance floors of local restaurants and clubs, the individuals dedicate their time to learning new moves. Fresh pop tunes fill the air as instructors guide students through a fusion of modern-jive, salsa-inspired, and swing moves. From this combination, beginners can absorb three–four common steps after their first lessons without having prior dance experience or recollections from past lives as Astaires. Partners are not required for lessons, as the instructors pair students together, which allows them to make new friends while learning how to become confident dancers.

Gavin has been working and teaching behind the bar for almost 20 years, making drinks in 14 countries across 5 continents. His experiences inspired him to design and teach programs for home enthusiasts to create cocktails at their own parties, and to train students to secure professionally and financially rewarding positions in the hospitality industry almost immediately after graduation.

As BartenderOne’s CEO, Gavin and his team of professional mixologists and bar chefs helped design a curriculum based on interviews of bar, lounge, club, and banquet-facility owners. The certification courses still teach students to make a number of trendy and classic cocktails, but they emphasize the kinds of customer-service, cash-handling, and break-dancing skills that employers value. Instructors also train their small groups of students outside of a typical classroom environment, giving attendees experience behind an actual bar as opposed to a staged set. Additionally, BartenderOne gives its graduates a leg up by sending weekly emails with new job opportunities.

Paul Stewart's passion for pottery is genetic. And, as The Pottery's resident potter, he spins more than 25 years of experience between his steady hands. It was 1985 when Paul decided to follow his father's footsteps and enter the profession. For some time after, Paul bounced around Toronto-area studios until landing in Bloor West Village, where he's remained for more than a decade.

Over that time, Paul has created award-winning works that have appeared in magazines, on TV, and in films, and many of his pieces can be bought and added to private collections or worn as part of all-ceramic wardrobes. More than just the birthplace of porcelain decor, Paul also utilizes The Pottery's space to lead lessons and workshops–something he's done for a dozen years. He instructs all ages of students during introductory sessions, as well as during themed workshops and curriculum-based courses.

Jacqueline Gobeil believes that everyone can dance. She decided to prove her theory by teaching dance lessons form her own living room. Over the past 10 years, her one-room outfit has expanded to five studios in three locations and an annual recital showcasing more than 150 dancers of all ages. With each lesson, she teaches her students to exude confidence through their toes as they tickle the floor with an eclectic blend of ballet, hip-hop, and tap steps. Her curriculum aims to increase self-confidence, foster the development of new friendships, and improve fitness in students at any level or age.