Things to Do in Rochester

The Rochester Americans trace their roots back to the 1956–57 AHL season, when they entered the league with a bang by advancing all the way to the Calder Cup championship. They ended up losing the series to the Cleveland Barons, but their fast start did, indeed, portend future success; in a stunning spell of dominance, Rochester won three Calder Cups from 1964–68, losing in the championship series in 1966–67, the one season they failed to capture the title. The Amerks seized Calder Cup glory again in 1983, 1987, and 1996 for a total of six championships. Today, the Amerks are in their 31st season as the AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres and remain one of the league’s most storied franchises.

Over the last 24 years, Chris Herzog has been in and out of the ring, competing in kickboxing, judo, and Russian sambo competitions, just three of the combat styles in which he holds an instructional certification. Joined by 16-year boxing veteran Wally "The Weapon" MacDonald—nicknamed for his ability to set off airport metal detectors with his mind—the two provide comprehensive instruction in many styles of martial arts popular in professional fighting today.

The academy divides its programs into classes focused on learning a particular skill. Striking packages focus on the essentials of muay thai and Western boxing, while grappling packages draw from Brazilian jujitsu, judo, and Russian sambo. The ironfisted instructors even tailor their classes to kids, teaching character development and confidence.

When the instructors at MGOS Academy of Irish Dance—certified by the Ireland’s An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha to teach Irish dance—wanted to branch out, they created Ashford Ballet Company. Today, the two studios partner up to cover a diversity of dance styles to children, with Ashford Ballet Company’s New York State–certified staff tutoring tykes in the intricate steps of ballet, tap, and jazz.

The family-friendly studio makes the kid-centric space amicable for parents—who can sit in and watch their children's classes or cheer silently from behind the observation window—as a way to put kids at ease. When designing the curriculum, co-director Caitlyn Redmond and her fellow instructors swapped tales about their own childhood dance experiences (both good and bad), and from those stories settled on a philosophy based on nurturing individual progress, rather than adhering to a strict curriculum. "When you have a cookie-cutter approach to teaching dance, some kids don't fit the mold," she said. But at Ashford Ballet Company, "they all have a place to dance and feel included."

That includes the kids in her Movement for Dancers with Special Needs classes, which Caitlyn, who is also a special education teacher, began teaching to combine her two passions. "It increases their level of self-confidence. It gives them an opportunity to express themselves in a different way," she said.

She believes all their dancers—who range from toddlers to teenagers—reap those same benefits as they work together in a non-competitive atmosphere. At the end of the year, students perform in a one-hour recital designed to highlight each student's growth and show off their skills with plenty of solos, offering a departure from traditional dance studios' four-hour Macarena marathons.

With a variety of colorful sewing notions and fabrics in tow, Each 1 Stitch 1’s army of instructors demystifies the art of garment construction for aspiring seamstresses and tailors. With access to professional-grade cutting devices, sewing machines, and dyeing stations, students and members can fully customize their own style of pants, dresses, and tote bags for carrying smaller, less fashionable tote bags. Private and group instruction for all experience levels teaches sewing techniques and fundamentals, and membership options offer discounts and studio time.