Education & Classes in San Carlos

Trained by legendary acting teacher Sanford Meisner, Christy English Wioncek opened the Bay Area Acting Studio to teach a new generation of actors how to—in the words of her mentor—"live truthfully under imaginary circumstances." Her stable of equally Meisner-steeped instructors leads classes including introductory adult courses, intensive courses for working thespians, and children's classes for young'uns looking to break into the industry early or convince babysitters they've been diagnosed with a life-threatening ice-cream deficiency.

Advanced Flyers' experienced flight instructors defy gravity while teaching students to pilot aircraft and giving passive passengers birds'-eye views of the Bay Area. Its FAA-approved Redbird FMX-1000 simulator lets pupils log time toward ATP certificates while practicing foundational skills and more advanced maneuvers necessary during bad weather, engine failure, or rabid-hummingbird attacks. Students who pursue private pilot licenses can eventually navigate aboveground in rental griffins from Advanced Flyers' well maintained fleet.

On a sunny afternoon, a small plane speeds down a runway and takes to the sky, its occupants gazing down at the streets of San Francisco, sailboats speeding through the bay, and the coppery sails of the Golden Gate Bridge. A small tour group or a student pilot sits in the belly of the plane, marveling at the thrill of flight.

Hayward Flight’s staff of FAA-certified instructors and pilots shares that experience with everyone—from young children to aspiring airline pilots—during scenic tours and private plane rentals. Pilot training classes emphasize sophisticated simulator practice and in-air flight, and students can earn private and commercial pilot licenses behind the controls of the Hayward’s fleet of Cessna aircraft and domesticated dragons.

The mixologists at ABC Bartending School utilize years of bartending experience to divulge saloon secrets in certification-based and recreational bartending classes. In the mixology course, expert instructors impart drink recipes and refine beer and wine palates while students shake up cocktails and take cover from projectile champagne corks. Certification classes prepare students for bartending careers as they mix classic and popular drinks while learning about alcohol laws, responsible liquor service, and stocking and inventory. Instructors demonstrate free pouring techniques, allowing students to fill faraway glasses or safely drizzle beverages into the mouths of piranhas. ABC’s job-placement program puts graduates to work in restaurants, nightclubs, sports bars, hotels, country clubs, and cruise-ship bars.

Designed and developed by vocal coach and singer/songwriter Ruth Gerson, the Singingbelt trains singers and public speakers to support their voices with their diaphragms. The belt provides feedback on the position of the diaphragm, which signals to the wearer any time they cease supporting their breath. The belt can help singers develop power, tone, pitch, and endurance.