Classes in Pontiac

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.

With more than a dozen years of pottery under her belt, Jamie Moorehead has squished her fair share of clay. She draws on this experience at her own studio, Super Awesome Cool Pottery, where she teaches kids to form shapes, mold, and paint decorative objects. Likewise, couples can drop in during date night to learn the art of wheel-throwing and how to recreate scenes from Ghost. The studio is also open to visitors after school or on weekends, when they can pick out pre-made ceramic bisques to glaze and decorate with provided brushes.

In print and online, Back Stage aims to organize a flood of information on casting calls, audition advice, and breaking industry news into a resource both aspiring and working actors can turn to daily. Tips on snagging representation, choosing headshots, and managing on-set frustration all help subscribers make the most of thousands of entertainment job listings for roles in commercials, films, and major state senates. In major cities around the country, Actorfest delivers its advice and opportunities in the flesh via intensive workshops, casting calls, and meetings with industry pros.

The interior of The Artist Lounge exudes inspiration, it's black walls dotted with quotes from artists of a variety of walks. Each session, artists line up before blank canvases during painting classes designed for all levels. Following the instructor's step-by-step guidance, painters can complete a work of art in one session they can later take home, gift to friends, or sneak onto the wall of a national museum. Designed to emphasize fun as much as education, the classes are appropriate for all ages and abilities.

Kids engage with the museum’s diverse collection of art—which includes Diego Rivera’s Detroit Industry and Vincent van Gogh’s Self Portrait—thanks to fun activities such as an eye-spy game in each gallery and a self-guided “nature hike” through the museum. The museum also hosts Family Sundays where guests will find performances and art-making workshops.

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.