Things to Do in Shelby

After performing as a soloist with the Metropolitan Ballet Society, Lori Burton sashayed out of her pointe shoes and down the avenue of her new, fiery passion. She took the Argentine tango circuit by storm, showing off her 25 years of dance experience on ESPN, PBS tango exhibitions, and in several well-known Detroit news publications. So infatuated was she with her fueling her soul as well as her knowledge of Argentine tango, she traveled to Buenos Aires twice a year to study with the art form's masters. It's this commitment to excellence that has garnered Lori numerous top teacher awards and a loyal following at Argentine Tango Detroit.

The light–footed headmaster recruited a team of experienced instructors to teach graceful dance steps and passionate partner work. They designed their private or group tango classes to benefit dancers of all abilities, guiding students through stylized moves and complex spins during beginners and advanced lessons. They also train feet to flit through salsa dance's high-energy moves, and lead private dance lessons so that students may conquer their crippling fear of dance shoes in peace. Weekly milongas, or open practice parties, offer students a chance to practice their new moves in a judgment-free environment. Argentine Tango Detroit also hosts a variety of accomplished guest instructors, who broaden students' horizons with their own unique dancing styles and perspectives.

Physical fitness takes center stage during Zumba classes as instructors help get students in prime dancing condition. They harness the same Latin dance moves and cardio workouts during these heart-pumping dance-fitness classes.

Scrapbook Emporium serves as a home base for scrapbooking hobbyists, supplying raw materials and regularly hosting classes and get-togethers. In front, shelves are stuffed with materials including vibrant papers, page kits, and Cricut accouterments, including a large savings section and resale area for bargain finds. A schedule of scrapbooking classes molds nascent scrapbookers into masters, while crop nights allow hobbyists to socialize as they add new pages to albums. Scrapbook leagues facilitate nights of friendly competition as team members race through assembly, earning points for completed pages or number of memories given physical form.

While almost everything else that is five millennia old has fossilized, the ancient practice of yoga remains relevant. At The Yoga Studio of Shelby, teachers with a minimum of 200 training hours teach students the age-old art, which builds strength, enhances flexibility, and aids with stress management. The studio’s classes range from hot Vinyasa, which is a flowing style taught in an 85-degree room, to Hatha, where meditations help to clear students’ minds without making them forget their Social Security numbers. Expectant mothers can stretch with low-impact poses in prenatal-yoga classes. Studio workshops on partner yoga, meditation, and other specialty topics round out the schedule.

Inaugurated in 2007, the Muddy Watters trail series fuses the tough terrain of trails, mud, and rivers into single 5-kilometer routes hindered by frequent stops for boot camp-style exercises. Along with three main races throughout the summer, several offshoot versions adapt the rules into new themes, such as a women-only run and a miniature, 1-mile scramble ideal for kids and 5,000-foot-long snails. Despite the tenacity of the courses, the slog pays off in more ways than one: beyond building character and doling out awards for the speediest participants, the race helps benefit local charities, which in the past have included Volunteers of America and the Alzheimer’s Assocation.

With its rotating cache of handmade accessories, including wooden picture frames, necklaces, and fuzzy scarves, Simply Creative Boutique feels more like someone’s inviting living room than an arts-and-crafts studio. A constantly changing roster of classes taught by owner Jennifer Kaczmarek encourages artists of all skill levels to try their hand at such specialties as creating a piece of jewelry or weaving a basket out of newspapers. Kaczmarek enhances her studio's community vibe with conversational blog posts, informing her customers about upcoming open houses, giveaways, and grudge matches between the warring Decoupage and Macramé families.

Jeff Warmuth and the talented artisans at Canterbury Stained Glass draw on their nearly 40 years of experience crafting commissioned artwork to fill their showroom and teach others the art of glass manipulation. More than 40 educational programs—divided into short workshops and longer, weeks-long pursuits—focus on beginner, intermediate, and expert glass techniques of all sorts. Students can assemble glass jewelry, fuse patterned glass into bowls, or use their glass-blowing skills to build a see-through glass dome around endangered penguins. A fully stocked shop sells books, glass cutters, and other useful tools for finishing glassmaking and fusing projects.