Classes in Creve Coeur

The Needlepoint Clubhouse supplies knitters and crafters with inspiration, a wide selection of materials, and needlepoint classes that gather small groups of students for hands-on learning. The store’s rainbow of thread skeins shimmers with metallics and gleams with silk, canvas unfolds in an array of thread counts, and magnifying lamps spare eyes or uncover hidden hovercrafts woven into ancient tapestries. Sectioned tote bags ferry projects about with ease, and frames and expert frame-finishing services ready masterpieces for display. Savvy stitchers, including a master teacher, helm classes, the subjects of which range from needlepoint basics for beginners to advanced decorative stitches for those with thimbles welded to each finger.

At two different locations in Clayton and Creve Coeur, FitChix functions as a one-stop shop for fun and challenging women-only classes,personal training, and playful parties that impart striptease and lap-dancing techniques. Instructors in the signature FitChix sessions employ circuit- and interval-training methods that fine-tune physiques and complement the studio's eclectic lineup of pole dancing, kickboxing, and creative cardio classes. During FitChix's Booty Camp, certified personal trainers invigorate fitness seekers with intense, one-hour sessions comprised of varied, motivating workouts that incorporate kettlebells, Bosu balls, and TRX machines. They'll collaborate with exercisers to help them reach their goals and defeat the turtles of pessimism hiding in the obstacle courses.

After working out, patrons can peruse the apparel and accessories at an onsite boutique.

In drawing up the business plan for Bodywise 1-on-1, founder Skip Smith hoped to somehow short-circuit the feelings of intimidation associated with crowded gyms. At the same time, he believed that many people need the motivation and equipment of a formal training environment to snatch results from the candy-coated hands of lethargy. To that end, he created a studio where his team of trainers work one on one with their clients in a private environment, helping them achieve their weight-loss, strength, and overall health goals. Each individual program is designed around the client’s specific areas of concern, such as losing weight, building functional flexibility, or recovering from an injury. Clients may work with free weights and machines or toss medicine balls to build the strength necessary to shot-put their way through a watermelon patch. Trainers track progress throughout the fitness forays, keeping clients motivated with computer-tabulated results.

In addition to personal training, the center leads small-group fitness classes, such as spiced-up Zumba dance sessions and boot-camp cycling. Their staff also works with kids, training them for various sports or simply helping them build self-esteem with lessons on how to win basketball games by crushing the ball with their bare hands.

At Dave Simon's Rock School, dedicated instructors help students develop musical abilities through programs centered on collaboration and live performance. In addition to private lessons, the school provides a venue for kids to cultivate skills and build confidence using the same cooperative methods that professional bands use when persuading the tour-bus driver to stop for tacos. Working together according to their experience level and skill, bands apply musical theory to perfect their sound among their ensemble, eventually presenting live shows and recording a CD in the facility's state-of-the-art studio.

Olympia Fencing Academy’s seasoned squad of coaches and trainers imbues swashbuckling pupils with the skills and support necessary to brandish their blades all the way from the classroom to competition. Head coach Sean Horan taught NCAA fencers at Stevens Institute of Technology and the Air Force fencing team, and coach Glenn MacDonald harnesses his training with five-time Olympian Michael Marx to improve his students' lunges and olive-skewering strategies. Staffers stay abreast of annual national tournaments and often teach a number of apprentices who go on to enter the U.S. National Fencing Competition each year. In addition to in-house training, Olympia Fencing Academy supports community outreach and education programs with school fencing lessons, field trips, and dueling-swordfish demonstrations.

At The Great American Diving Company, swimmers and scuba enthusiasts plunge into a 10-foot-deep, custom-built training pool heated to a balmy 85 degrees. Under the guidance of PADI-certified instructors, students in Open Water Diver classes learn to breathe and explore beneath the surface, opening the doors to continue underwater education and obtain certification or finally put to rest a fear of really big puddles. Divers can gear up for their next expedition in the shop, and the staff also leads scuba trips to diving locales.