Education & Classes in Rio Rancho

Myra Krien has belly danced since she could walk. Coming from a family that produces zen philosophers and artists, she harbored a natural curiosity for the arts, and when her mother brought her to her first belly-dancing lesson at the age of 3, Myra never toddled away. In the intervening years, Myra has studied with some of the Middle East's most prolific and respected dancers, and her dancing has earned her gigs opening for musicians and other artists throughout the United States.

Now, as the owner and director of Pomegranate Studios, Myra and her team of instructors introduce new dancers to the art and refine intermediate dancers' skills in myriad classes. Students can learn styles spanning from Asia to urban America or tone up muscles in sessions designed for fitness. The studio's dance company trains performers aspiring to become professional dancers, and Myra's afterschool S.E.E.D.S program helps young women avoid the normal afterschool hopscotch gambling rings while teaching them about empowerment and educating them in the arts.

Tina Tapia, the owner of Adorabella Beauty Academy and of her own salon, knows that hands-on experience is key for students perfecting the arts of cosmetology, barbering, and nail technology. Accordingly, the pupils at Adorabella transform manes and nails under the close supervision and guidance of a licensed instructor. They wield Paul Mitchell products as they color tresses, relax curls, or perm limp locks. Those in the nail-technology program pamper fingertips with nail art, CND manicures, and fiberglass wraps. The academy teaches classes in both English and Spanish, enabling talented students who speak either language to pursue their dreams of speaking either language in the dreams where they are doing Selena's hair.

The staff and club members of SouthWest MotorSport have a passion for horsepower. Four times each year, they meet to showcase and drive their vintage racers and sports cars at Sandia Motor Speedway, giving fellow enthusiasts a glimpse at their sparkling rides. At these events, they put their driving skills to the test during clean, friendly races that strive to avoid damaging the autos or subjecting them to hurtful comments about their paint jobs. When not exorcising inner speed demons, the staff instructors lead driving-school classes that teach students the techniques of high-performance driving and set them on the course to obtaining a competition license.

You'll spend your first half hour on terra firma, covering basic maneuvers such as turns, climbs, and descents, as well as entry-level safety tips (stay away from the ground). After your earthly lessons, you'll strap into the cockpit of one of Sierra's airplanemobiles, such as the Cessna 172 or Diamond DA40, and put what you've learned to the test. These safe, sturdy workhorses of the clouds feature a high wing design that provides excellent, beginner-friendly stability and unobstructed, beautiful views of the Jemez and Sangre de Cristo mountains, ideal for distracting meddlesome backseat pilots.

The instructors at Deep Blue Scuba teach aquatic proficiency through the rigorous and comprehensive ANDI certification system. ANDI certification imparts pupils with the skills necessary to dive self-sufficiently or with companions, and trains students via pool sessions and open-water dives set in the crystalline Lake Travis. After mastering descent and ascent techniques, students can expand their knowledge base through a slew of specialty courses including underwater navigation, night diving, and wreck diving. Scuba instructors map out the best local dive locations and host periodic Discover Scuba outings where divers sample new gear and reacquaint themselves with watery skills. The diving enterprise also hosts expeditions to far-away waters, piloting trips that explore Australia and Mexico, and confront the notorious gangs of clownfish that lay claim to the Florida Keys.

The Instituto Cervantes, founded in 1991 by the Spanish government to facilitate a better understanding of Spanish and Latin American culture, offers online classes that build fluency and increase familiarity with the diverse Spanish-speaking world. Their language tutorials range from introductory lessons to advanced literature courses, which immerse fluent speakers in notable Spanish texts and let authorial ghosts reminisce on how awesome their writing was. The Instituto Cervantes also hosts regular cultural events, such as Hispanophone movies, concerts, and art displays.