Classes in Vancouver

A host of professional DJs armed with a suite of sound-shaping implements staff School of Remix, a mixing and scratching academy where fledgling DJs earn their wings. Turn fertile brainwaves into tuneful soundwaves with the aid of an hour-long introductory course in DJing, where knowing soundsmiths illustrate the principles of beat-matching, simple mixing concepts, proper use of equipment, and techniques to induce crowds to pump fists at the ceiling rather than your face. Professional DJs from Vancouver's club scene lead School of Remix's one-on-one sessions, where their encouragement and individual guidance sets neophytes on the path to party demigod-hood.

British Columbia local and Lakers player Steve Nash created his fleet of namesake Fitness World & Sports Clubs to honour the tenets of healthy living. The classes at both Fitness World and Sports Club locations are taught by engaging instructors who impart students with methods for getting fit that don’t involve traditional livestock lifting. Group fitness trainers lead exercisers through Bball Blast's stability-ball training, ICE indoor-cycling intensives, and Cardio Core's combinations of step, cardio kickboxing, and abdominal exercises. The Nash Smash class uses full-body metabolic training to sternly badger moping muscles into action, and Women on Weights builds toned musculature by pitting females against leaden opponents. Personal training sessions fit workouts for each client, tailoring them to individual's goals and personal theme song.

The amenities at each club differ—the Burnaby location boasts a swimming pool and spacious whirlpool. The staff strives to create a healthy environment for members and the earth alike, with floors made from sustainable bamboo and locker panels build with recycled car tires.

When Alfonso Arnold took time off from touring Canada as a musician, he planned to focus on business and marketing. But when a colleague asked him to snap a quick shot of a local artist, Arnold realized he had found a new artistic passion: photography. Since capturing that spur-of-the-moment image, he's crafted a diverse portfolio that encompasses fine art, commercial work, and a wide variety of subjects. He also teaches at Vancouver's LaSalle College of Design, imparting the photographic technique that's inspired the University of British Columbia and Amnesty International to commission his work. Arnold himself has been featured on CBC and MTV Canada.

As the instructor and founder of Photography Cures, he follows a philosophy that hinges on giving constructive critiques and paying close attention to students' skills so he can tailor each workshop and curriculum to individual needs. Not content to merely lecture, Arnold takes students on photo walks so they can get hands-on experience and try out their new skills.

Tantra Fitness's owner Tammy Morris, a professional pole dancer, helms a staff comprised of circus aerialists, choreographers, and fitness specialists to help women tone their bodies through alternative fitness regimens. Coaches lead an array of sensual fitness classes designed around their fun factor, value as body-weight-resistance exercises, and usefulness in mocking inflexible scarecrows. Topics include pole dancing, chair-based workouts, and dance routines ranging from ballet to hip hop as well as acro-stretch classes that challenge muscles to bend through exercises inspired by Chinese circus performers. Parties and private lessons bring small groups of students together to learn pole or lap-dance routines, or hone their professional jewel-theft techniques in a flexibility-enhancing exercise of their choice.

When doctors told Joey and Darryl Simon that their son Jet’s premature birth could result in learning disabilities, the couple immersed him in the world of art as a means of helping him overcome any educational obstacles. Their tutelage and care paid off, resulting in an impressive array of paintings from their child at a very young age. Jet’s talent and creativity inspired his parents to establish 4Cats Arts Studio in hopes of unleashing the inner artists of other children as well as adults. The Simons accomplish this mission through hands-on sessions in mixed media, painting, and Artist Focus classes, which concentrate on the histories and styles of certain artists, such as Picasso’s cubism and Andy Warhol’s self-portraits of soup cans.

Equipped with varied experience and an in-depth knowledge of alcohol and service regulations, the instructors at Fine Art Bartending School guide their students toward mixology mastery or job placement in the bartending industry during intensive five-day courses. While many schools focus solely on the craft, Fine Art's instructors also hone customer service skills through a guest bartending program at local bars and clubs—teaching students tip-enhancing approaches and how to graciously deflect customer's attempts at Bryan Adams sing-alongs. They also hold individual classes targeted at everyday drinkers, divulging industry-style instructions for blending specific drinks, performing difficult mixes, or pouring the perfect beer.