Things to Do in Santa Monica

Surrounded by walls tacked with sunny works of art, rows of easels prop up paintings in progress, their evolving canvases commanding the attention of aspiring artists. This scene plays out every day at Paint Lab, a creative haven where talented instructors ignite pupils' imaginations with positive encouragement. The studio's classes teach the technical elements of acrylic, watercolor, or oil painting while students craft their own rendition of a classic work, capture the human form in figure-drawing sessions, or turn their pen toward anime and cartoons. Adults pique their artistic sensibilities with liquid inspiration during classes that provide refreshments and cheese, and younger Picassos can pay homage to their favorite lunchbox by painting it in battle dress during after-school or weekend children's workshops.

Each week, the 32 lanes at Pinz sparkle beneath the strobe lights and disco balls of Shake, Rattle & Bowl. When they’re not glowing or being incubated by confused chickens, the bowling balls can be hurled by visitors and league bowlers alike, rolling swiftly past the 10-foot video screens that line the alley’s far wall. Behind the scoring table, in the VIP billiard room, plasma TVs help to ensure that guests can play pool without missing critical sports moments or any commercials starring famous cats. And in the on-site arcade, players can enjoy more than 40 games including air hockey, skee-ball, and video bowling.

The Acting Corps, a school endorsed by Oscar winner Sydney Pollack as well as Rainn Wilson of The Office, takes a modern approach to acting instruction. In classes with an average of 16 students, creativity flows unimpeded and students overhear the whispered names of Hollywood’s best agents quite clearly. Actors with MFA degrees lead programs that help acting students find an authentic style, and also pilot advanced classes with mock auditions that challenge experienced actors. Four- or six-week acting boot camps incorporate aspects of the Meisner technique and the Michael Chekhov technique. In classes engineered for international acting students, teachers elucidate methods for developing a convincing American accent or faking a convincing cheeseburger craving.

Like many of her fellow dance teachers at Gotta Dance Studio, owner Cindy Gebelein first donned ballet flats at age 6. Throughout a lifetime of performing and 35 years of teaching, she’s worn through copious dance shoes while sharing her passion with others. She opened Gotta Dance Studio in 1995 to further pass on her love for performance, arming younger generations with the technical skills to develop into true artists.

The instructors elucidate a variety of dance styles, from perennial favorites such as ballet, jazz, and tap to modern styles such as hip-hop and contemporary. For students truly taken with the stage, a musicaltheater and performing arts program builds upon the physical conditioning and movement training of dance with voice- lessons and resume-building performances. Three dance troupes, each with their own particular focus, partake in demonstrations and competitions at both the local and national level. Thanks to their travels, these squads have come home with multiple awards and at least a dozen stray tap-dancing cats.

Home to two stages and an art gallery, the Edgemar Center for the Arts more than meets the needs of the local visual and performing arts communities. The center places an emphasis on collaboration, uniting creative minds of all ages and persuasions both in the classroom and on stage. Hosting musical performances, question-and-answer sessions with Hollywood actors, and theatrical productions old and just sprouted, the space has attracted the likes of Don Cheadle, Christian Slater, Malcolm McDowell, and Jason Alexander.

Waves crash rhythmically, as Cinch Fitness founder Nicole Currie leads small groups through core-tightening moves in the salty open air amid an oceanside park. Her master’s degree in dance from New York University informs her graceful instruction style during the studio’s signature Pilates fusion classes. During each class, instructors spend 90 minutes familiarizing students with the workout routine, which combines short bursts of calorie-torching cardio, the weight-bearing exercises of Pilates, deep yogic stretching, and abdomen-flattening trips through an oversize pasta maker. During most sessions, instructors corral between 10 and 30 participants or two fitness-minded giant squids just flopped in from the surf.