Sports in Sunny Isles Beach

The consortium of professional instructors at Fred Astaire Dance Studios, which was cofounded by the legendary toe tapper himself, shepherds students of all ages and skill levels through lessons that span the style spectrum. Low-pressure private sessions allow enthusiastic teachers to fine-tune individual students' techniques and form, using their expert eyes and mechanical dancing shoes preprogrammed to do the Charleston. Patrons can learn how to cavort through classic waltz and fox-trot romps or swivel through the modern steps of salsa, swing, or samba. For dancers hoping to hoof it up in a social setting, the group practice parties provide a one-night extravaganza of instruction, demonstrations, and amateur firewalking.

Though cage-fitness and cardio boot-camp classes are a modern invention, at Young Tae Kwon Do Martial Arts Center, these newer disciplines are infused with Korean tae kwon do, an art with nearly two millennia of history. Classes for men, women, and children stress respect and discipline in addition to a focus on physical fitness.

Calling on experience gleaned on stages from Broadway to Istanbul, the multicultural staff of CooLAM Dance Studio powers a diverse selection of dance and fitness classes. Like the secret ninth Ivy League school, CooLAM is literally open to anyone—its name is a derivative of the Hebrew word for "everybody." Whether dabbling in dance for fun or seeking intense pre-professional training, adults and children aged 3 and older can register for group or private classes covering 18 disciplines. Depending on which class they choose, students might entrust their feet with such instructors as Sonic, an Israeli-born hip-hop and break dancer who has worked with Rihanna and Kanye West, or SusiQ, a salsa instructor who discovered the dance style in Cuba and eventually taught it all over Europe. CooLAM also boasts an eclectic array of event services, which equip parties with basic DJ and décor services and extra entertainment that ranges from face-painting and pony rides to a mechanical bull and auctioneer karaoke.

After its cameo in the 1998 movie There's Something About Mary, The Aqua Golf Driving Range became famous, summoning visitors to hit golf balls into aqueous landing areas. Before the movie, however, the 20-acre lake turned state-of-the-art golf facility was a local legend for more than 50 years. Beginners can start down the road to becoming a master golfer under the expertise of onsite golf pros during lessons, which make an ideal gift. Under a long, doublewide canopy or in the sunshine, golfers can also hit golf balls onto floating greens or buoyant caddies. The range also has a pro shop and synthetic short-game center on dry land to practice chipping, putting, and taking off the golf-bag scuba tank needed for second shots at the range.

Though flat and polished to a brilliant gleam, the floor at Miami Beach Ballroom is as much a springboard as it is a dancing surface. Students from the school have taken the steps learned in the ballroom and gone on to compete on some of the biggest stages possible, from the US Grand National finals to the sets of So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars. Instructors take students step-by-step through the tango, rhumba, salsa, and other popular styles.

Defensive Shooting Instructors' training staff includes Special Forces members, SWAT officials, and intelligence specialists. Drawing from these backgrounds, the highly trained team teaches dozens of public courses that cover everything from pistols to shotguns to hand-to-hand combat. Rather than guiding their students through simple lessons, the instructors run drills that simulate real-world conditions and aim to create safe-yet-intense environments. Depending on the class, they might have groups race through obstacles, run up stairs, or even roll in the dirt. For firearms training, they travel to local ranges and put shooters through repetitive drills focused on speed, accuracy, and consistency. In addition to civilian instruction, Defensive Shooting Instructors designs courses for law enforcement officers, military members, and deploying journalists. Its staff mans a gun shop.