Arlington Community Education

Join us for an introduction to some of ballroom’s most popular social dances. Two left feet? No rhythm? No problem! We will break down the basics of footwork, musicality, and partnering in swing, salsa, rumba, and more. Once you learn the basic steps, you’ll be able to spice up any dance floor you step on. Open to couples and singles and no experience is required. Please note: If attending as a couple, both dancers must register individually.

In just two hours, you can learn the essentials of bike repair and maintenance from the head mechanic at Arlington’s hometown bike shop. This hands-on class will teach you how to fix a flat, adjust gears and brakes, and other topics dictated by the interest of the group. Please bring your own bike to class.

One great thing about yoga is that it can be adapted to suit anyone’s needs. Chair yoga is especially beneficial for beginners, senior citizens, people with injuries, or those looking to learn how to apply yoga techniques at the office. As we practice chair yoga, our bodies relax and our minds quiet. During our time together, we will increase our self-awareness and revitalize our lives. Yoga has been proven to improve strength and flexibility as well as reduce stress and manage pain. The chair yoga postures taught in this class can be integrated throughout your day.

Learn how your body and mind can work together to overcome habitual unconscious patterns of movement and create a whole new way of being that allows your skeleton to support you without excess muscular strain. Moshe Feldenkrais developed this body awareness method in the 1950s after a knee injury and today there are over 7,000 Feldenkrais practitioners worldwide. Address tightness or restricted movement in muscles, joints, or areas of chronic pain with a variety of slow, gentle, simple movement patterns as you become aware of the changes that they create in your body.

From tiny honky-tonks to festivals and arena concerts, country fans love to two-step. This class will teach newcomers the basics, such as underarm turn, side by side, and promenade, while offering more experienced dancers new moves and techniques to expand their repertoire. We’ll also include some couple dances such as El Paso and Shadow. You must sign up with a dance partner.

There’s nothing more fun than country western line dancing! You don’t even need a partner. Come get low-impact exercise as we dance to (mostly) country western music. Just bring your two left feet, because in line dancing there are no mistakes! Beginner: If you’ve never line danced before or have only done a few classes, we’ll start from the very beginning, with simple dances that teach you the basic building blocks of line dancing. Intermediate: For those who have been dancing for a while and are ready for a new challenge, these dances are longer, faster, and have more turns.

Essentrics lengthens and strengthens every muscle in the body through a dynamic combination of movements. This completely original full-body 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. Gentle Stretching is for all ages and fitness levels and for those who are looking for a gentle, slow-tempo class that will help produce greater joint mobility. Stretch & Tone moves at a moderate tempo. Cues will be given to help you adjust your workout based on your personal fitness level and goals. Full-Body moves at a faster tempo and is ideal for the physically active.

Dance joyfully and expressively to great music as we connect the mind, body, and spirit with easy movements and repetitions inspired by Haitian dancer and choreographer Herns Duplan and 20th-century American choreographer and anthropologist Catherine Denam. We’ll play with different energies, shifting from soft to powerful movements. Engage your body—and your voice if you feel like it—to be fully present, focused, and engaged in the moment as we celebrate our collective energy and the elements of nature. No experience necessary, just a willingness to just let go.

Shake, shimmy, slide, and sweat your way through great music that gets your heart pumping and your body moving. Join this energizing workout session moving to salsa, merengue, swing, and more. Get a total body workout through cardio, muscle conditioning, balance, and flexibility. 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.

Ride local roads (and the occasional dirt path or trail) both east and west of Arlington asfall comes to New England. We will also stop to visit some places of historical significance. Our starting locations will vary and include Arlington, Weston, Carlisle, and occasionally beyond. We will ride 20-25 miles, maintain an average pace of 12 mph and climb some hills—because New England is definitely not flat! Please note: Riders must wear helmets and have recently tuned road or hybrid bikes with fully inflated tires. Electric assist bikes that you must pedal are also welcome.

Please note: Due to popularity, select one session only please. We will notify registrants if any spots remain open. Tired of the Minuteman Bikeway and looking for a change of cycling scenery? We’ll explore interesting routes within a 30-minute drive of Arlington. Riders should be able to maintain a 10-12 mph average pace and ride 16-20 miles. This is moderate, but not leisurely riding. Rides will be on roads, paved rail trails, and on packed trails through the woods. Please note: Riders must wear helmets and have recently tuned road or hybrid bikes with fully inflated tires. Bring water, a snack, a great attitude, and a spare inner tube (just in case). Meeting location will be emailed one week prior to the date of first class. Weather cancellations will be made up as needed.

Please Note: This class is a morning class. Morning yoga classes ease you into your day with poses that connect the mind, body, and spirit. Particular attention is given to helping each student understand and work with their body to achieve proper alignment. Regular practice of yoga brings calm, focus, increased flexibility, and strength to your life.

There’s more to running than just “left, right, left, right, left, right.” Stretching, strengthening, and core control are all important parts of a healthy and balanced running regimen. But it really starts with your mind. We’ll show you how easy and simple it can be to establish a daily fitness routine. These classes stress proper running form, focusing on the lower back and core muscles. Learn how to track miles using your device or an old-fashioned notebook to achieve your fitness goals. Fit to 5K: Get strong and stay injury free in this slow-moving, safely-progressing, and endurance-building eight-week running program, which builds up to a 5K (3.1 miles) that we will run together. Fit to 4K:Not ready to commit to a 5K? This class focuses on overall fitness and concludes with a 4K (2.5 miles) run at Fresh Pond on the Saturday after the last 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.

Treat yourself to a relaxing evening yoga class that includes gentle movement, easy-to-learn breathing techniques, and guided meditation in a long, final resting pose (savasana). Ayurveda, which is the sister science to yoga that means “life knowledge” in Sanskrit, recommends that evenings be spent unwinding before bedtime and yoga practice should be aligned with the seasons. This class will help settle your mind and restore your body to prepare for restful sleep in the autumn and winter months. Adults of all ages and abilities are welcome, including anyone new to yoga.

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 are welcome.

Explore special places right in your own “backyard” on these scenically-beautiful and historically-fascinating day trips designed to delight cyclists of all abilities. These small group tours are led by both a historian-cyclist who will share the area’s historic and natural highlights and an expert bike tour guide who will also offer tips on how to capture the perfect shot with your phone. Ipswich Land and Sea: If you love history, architecture, and cycling along scenic rural roads with outstanding coastal vistas, Ipswich is the perfect day trip destination. Our tour starts at the Riverwalk Mural beside the Ipswich River in downtown Ipswich. We take beautiful Argilla Road to Crane Beach, with a short climb to Crane Castle, and beautiful views looking across Plum Island to the Atlantic. We loop back to downtown Ipswich on scenic rural roads and through historic neighborhoods of 17th and 18th Century houses. After a lunch break, we'll ride out to Jeffreys Neck across the Great Salt Marsh, with a couple of scenic climbs on Little Neck and Great Neck. At the end of our day, we ride back into town through the greatest collection of "First Period" houses in America. Your guide Gordon Harris is the Ipswich town historian, and shares information about the area’s historic and natural highlights. This ride has a total of about 1000 ft. of climb over 26 miles. (* the route can be viewed at https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39149974) The Wonders of Newburyport: This beautiful tour starts at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters and takes us to scenic Plum Island where we ride for several miles alongside dunes and salt marshes with frequent views of migratory wildlife. After a short hike on the new Hellcat boardwalk trail, we reverse course and meander through historic 18th Century neighborhoods to downtown Newburyport for our lunch break. The ride continues past Federal-era mansions on High St. to Maudslay State Park, following quiet wooded roads beside the lovely Artichoke Reservoirs. Wide-shouldered Scotland Road opens up with three miles of uninterrupted cycling past the Wet Meadows and Common Pastures Conservation Areas. The Clipper City Rail Trail brings us back through Newburyport and along the Merrimack River Waterfront, with a total of 30 miles. Throughout the day, your guides will share information about the area’s historic and natural highlights. This ride has about 800 ft. of climb over a total of 30 miles. (* the route can be viewed at https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39373281) Please note: Participants should be experienced enough to be comfortable cycling 25 to 35 miles over a 4-5 hour period. Exact meeting locations will be in your Course Confirmation emails. Riders must wear helmets and have recently tuned road or hybrid bikes with fully inflated tires. Bring water, a snack, a great attitude, and a spare inner tube (just in case). There will be time to stop in town for snacks / lunch. Weather cancellations will be made up as needed.

The ultimate in no-impact aerobics, tai chi naturally relaxes the body, promoting calm and peace of mind while improving posture, balance, and flexibility. The practice increases blood flow throughout the entire body, keeps joints flexible, and restores elasticity to muscles. It is a form of exercise that actually becomes better for you as you age. Each class focuses on a portion of the Hwa Yu short form. You will learn fundamental skills such as stance, step patterns, basic blocking, and whole-body movement. No prior experience is needed for the Beginner class, which teaches a short form that embodies the basic principles of tai chi and can be practiced in a limited space environment.

Tai chi is both a cultural experience and an excellent way to exercise and improve balance and coordination. Classes are taught by a 6th-generation tai chi master and native of China. All classes will focus on accuracy, consistency, and fluency to further strengthen your body’s balance. Appropriate for all fitness levels. All Levels: This introduction covers the first 16 postures of the 88 postures in the traditional Yang style tai chi long form. Learn steps, hand movements, balance, and form. The instructor provides individual attention and a strong sense of the history and context in Chinese culture for these movements. Level 2: For students who have experience with the first part of the Yang style tai chi and who are ready to move on to postures 17 to 50. Level 3 We continue with postures 51 to 88 of Yang style tai chi. Level 3 We continue with postures 51 to 88 of Yang style tai chi.

This course is perfect for those just beginning or coming back to yoga, but experienced yogis will also enjoy the attention given to proper alignment and will benefit from the poses. People of every age, fitness level, physical challenge, or shape will find their mind, body, and spirit invigorated in this welcoming class. In addition to standing poses and mat exercises, each class includes modified yoga poses using a chair. The instructor individualizes postures to suit all students.

This gentle dance fitness class incorporates the Latin and international music and dance movements of Zumba at a lower intensity and is suitable for older adults and anyone looking for a fun, low impact exercise class. The easy-to-follow choreography focuses on balance, range of motion, and coordination using a fun fusion of moves from styles like salsa, merengue, reggaetón, and flamenco.