Arlington Community Education

Essentrics is a full-body workout that lengthens and strengthens every muscle in the body through a dynamic combination of movements. This completely original workout draws on the flowing movements of tai chi and ballet to create a balanced, flexible, and pain-free body. Essentrics rebalances the body, prevents and treats injuries, unlocks tight joints, and develops lean, strong, and flexible muscles with immediate changes to your posture. Please note: Have a yoga mat, towel, and water on hand for each class. Gentle Stretching is those looking for a gentle, slow-tempo class that will help produce greater joint mobility. The first 5 classes will be led by Severina Gates and the last 5 by Diane Najarian. Stretch & Tone moves at a moderate tempo. Cues will be given to help you adjust your workout to be more gentle or more challenging, depending on your personal fitness level and goals. Full-Body moves at a faster tempo and is ideal for the physically active.Instructors Lewis & Stevenson will teach alternate weeks.

Shake, shimmy, slide, and sweat your way through great music that gets your heart pumping and your body moving. Join this energizing and calorie-burning workout session moving to salsa, merengue, swing, and more. You’ll get a total workout through cardio, muscle conditioning, balance, and flexibility and you won’t even realize what a great workout you’re getting because you’ll be having so much FUN! Dances are easy to learn, fun to follow, and gentle on your joints. Open to all fitness levels, no experience necessary.

Regular practice of hatha yoga brings calm, focus, increased flexibility, and strength to your life. This moderately-paced yoga class encourages students to move with meditative awareness and attention to alignment and breathing. Class may include active and physically challenging poses as well as more passive, longer holds. You are continually encouraged to explore your inner flow and turn within for guidance—on and off the mat. Suitable for beginners as well as more experienced students. Please note: Have a yoga mat, a yoga strap or belt, and two blocks (if you have them) on hand for class.

You may know parkour for its high-flying flips and big jumps, but its basic principles can also be used to help active older adults become physically stronger and more mentally confident. In this transformative course for ages 50+, improve your balance and agility with low-impact moves under the guidance of trained and supportive coaches. Learn how to avoid falls, or how best to fall if it happens; how to turn obstacles into opportunities; and how to incorporate functional fitness into your everyday movements.

With roots in traditional Chinese medicine, qigong’s goal is to cultivate and balance our life energy, or “qi.” Qigong practice typically involves meditative, slow-flowing movement coordinated with deep rhythmic breathing to produce a calm state of mind. Part of traditional Chinese medicine, the practice is similar to tai chi, but simpler, and benefits can include improved immunity, better balance, and lower blood pressure. We will work with the Seven Precious Gestures and the Eight Brocades, as well as some basic walking and breathing practices. Flex and stretch gently and learn simple routines you can practice at home.

Release stress and loosen tense muscles with a deeply relaxing yoga session. Restorative yoga focuses on resting in supported poses that help us listen to the subtle cues from our bodies. There are many benefits to restorative yoga, including a decrease in stress hormones, a strengthened immune system, and improved quality of sleep. This practice will help unwind tension in your body so you can approach life’s challenges from a place of clarity and calmness. All levels welcome. Please note: Have a yoga mat, belt, two blankets that can easily be folded, as well as a pillow and yoga blocks (if you have them) on hand for class.

Travel back in time and learn some dance steps with roots in African-American communities starting as early as the 1800s. Solo vernacular jazz dance is all about rhythm, individuality, and self-expression. Come dance to jazz and swing music while focusing on syncopated steps and learning to call and respond to the music. Develop a fresh bounce in your step as we learn classic steps like the Charleston, the Shorty George, Fall-off-the-log, Apple Jacks, Tacky Annie, and more. Remember, as Ella Fitzgerald sang, “Tain’t what you do, it’s the WAY that you do it.” No experience required. Wear comfy shoes! Photo: Dancers at The Savoy, Harlem, c.1950, courtesy of the New York Times