Classes in Pontiac

Pottery West offers classes and workshops in ceramics for for all levels from the absolute beginner to the professional artist. Our classes take place weekly and are scheduled during morning and evening hours. The best thing about Pottery West is the community of like-minded people who come together for the love of clay.

Born deaf and three months premature, Jordan Levin didn't hit the ground running. He had to work at it. After teaching himself to talk and read lips, he knew he could scamper toward any goal he chose. Now, this certified personal trainer and his wife, Hillary, propel others toward pride and achievement at their gym, CrossFit Bloomfield. During group workouts filled with weightlifting drills and gymnastics moves, clients morph into teammates who cheer one another toward personal bests. Cardio challenges such as rowing and running raise heart rates to increase endurance, and bodyweight exercises such as burpees and pull-ups build cores as stable as a barium isotope after years of psychotherapy. In addition to scaling the workouts to a variety of fitness levels, the Levins tailor programs to the needs of kids, first responders, and exercisers who are overweight or disabled. Clients can zero in on their goals in personal training sessions, in which a certified coach helps them hone their form and hurdle any obstacles hindering their success.

Instructors at Wow Fitness, many of whom boast certification from the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, cheer on clients during a diverse range of classes, including all-levels yoga, Zumba, and circuit training designed to maximize fat burning. Those with children can deposit them at onsite childcare for an additional fee or lie down on the floor and bench-press them to build muscle.

After learning to knit at her grandmother's feet in Romania, owner and clothes designer Mihaela Manitiu now marshals her crafting acumen to lead classes where, according to Splash, "students learn to understand the essence of their creations and are not only instructed, but inspired." Picking up pointers in the art of European-style knitting, visitors craft elegant woolly compositions such as scarves and other cozy accouterments while getting acquainted with the materials and techniques needed to knit their very own memoirs.

Serenity Now Yoga centers anxious minds and forges substantial mind-body connections for students of all skill levels during yoga classes in a variety of modalities. Sprinkled throughout the studio's weekly schedule, gentle beginners sessions banish stressful thoughts and recurring nightmares by giving patient instructors the opportunity to introduce fundamental poses at a slower pace while imparting invaluable deep-breathing techniques. The Vinyasa Flow class challenges experienced students with sequences of vigorously transitioning poses that occasionally incorporate headstands, handstands, and kickstands, honing the unwavering focus needed to maintain balance during a staring competition. To ease withheld tension in the body's canvas of connective tissues, the Yin Yoga class loosens tightly spooled muscles and opens inflexible joints with deep stretches and mindful breathing.

Marketti Academy of Cosmetology's 10,000-square-foot facility houses student aestheticians, manicurists, and cosmetologists who perfect their trades with hands-on training. Instructors lend one-on-one attention and hand-to-hand high-fives to each pupil, creating an intimate learning environment that celebrates individuality. In the clinic, 50 students hone their skills on actual clients. The burgeoning professionals perform inexpensive facials, Redken coloring treatments, mani-pedis, and other salon services.