City of Albany recreation & community services Winter/Spring 2018 © richellgen/iStockphoto.com community-building albany-style Danger: broken ice! So you’ve lived on your block quite a while—years, perhaps—and you still don’t know the name of the neighbor across the street? Ending the awkward- ness is a good first step in building community on your block. After all, com- munity starts at home! We dare you: ring the doorbell and introduce yourself. Sounds simple, but it can be intimidating to break the ice—especially if you have nodded hello to a perfect stranger for years. Just do it—you will both feel better. Another ice-breaker: Become a member of your Nextdoor neighborhood (see page 63). Nextdoor is a great way to meet your neighbors and to stay in- formed of neighborhood issues and events, find a lost cat or the best painter in town, or call the nice man down the street by his first name. For more information: how might albany create a stronger, safer, more vibrant community where democracy works at a local level? www.albanyca.org/community Getting to know one’s neighbors is a start. When neighbors interact— whether through block parties, home-garden produce sharing, or book club meetings—connections are formed between people and trust is built. Such social capital can lead to a stronger, safer community, a community where its members have a greater sense of belonging. contents time to bundle-up for spring Winter is the perfect time to be thinking of spring, and—believe it or not—it’s already time to be thinking about summer if you have offspring in Albany . Be warned that our popular camps fill up fast . See the Summer Camp Preview in this edition of the Activity Guide, and register early! TRY OUR free online Registration www.albanyca.org/onlinereg 7 9 16 22 Youth Activities Exercise & Dance . .42–43 Dance . 2 Read & Write . .44 Special Interest . 3–4 Birding . 45 Art & Music . 4–5 Special Interest . .46 Sports & Fitness . 6–7 Art . 47 Art & Music . 8–9 Travel. 48–50 Martial Arts . 10 Senior Events . .51 Mid-Winter & Spring Break Camps . .11 Arts Committee . 52 Summer Camp Preview . 12–23 Civics Academy. 53 Friendship Club. 24–25 @theCenter . 54 Teens@842 . 26 Events . .55–59 Adult Activities Albany FilmFest . .60–61 Martial Arts . 27 Map. 62 Cooking. 28–29 Neighbors . 63 Art . 30 Dance. 31 Get Connected. 64 Music. 32–33 Green Things . 65 twitter.com/AlbanyRecDept Special Interest . .33 Friends of Albany Parks . 66 facebook.com/albanyrec Exercise & Fitness . .34 Volunteers. 67 instagram.com/albanyrecreation Adult Sport Leagues . .35 Parks & Facilities . 68–69 Run Around Town. 36 City Information . 70–71 Senior Center . .38–40 Boomers & Beyond How to Register . 71 Walking . 41 Registration Form . .72 ACTIVITY GUIDE WINTER/SPRING 2018 Registration: WWW.ALBANYCA.ORG/ONLINEREG OR FORM ON PAGE 72 1 NEW Youth Tap: Beginning Dancing Around the World A GE S 3 . 5 – 5 AGES 5–12 Dance This class is an introduction to the basic steps of tap People has always used their bodies to express dance using age appropriate music and songs . themselves, connect with others and get energized . ALBANY NON- But each culture has done it in its own way and has DATE DAY TIME MEETS RESIDENT RES. something unique to teach us . Students will learn the Jan 5–Feb 23 Fri 2–2:30 pm 8x $84 $94 basics of different dances around the world . Some Mar 2–Apr 20 Fri 2–2:30 pm 8x $84 $94 of them have structured choreographs, such as the Instructor: Mary Lyons Chacarera, and some others leave room to improvise, Location: Albany Community Center, Rooms 1 & 2 such as Belly Dance . What they share is the beauty of Min: 6; Max: 25 movement and joy! This is a class for those who want Ballet: Beginning to open their minds thought and their bodies while Tap: Level 1 having fun! It's also a great workout that improves AGES 3.5–5 AGES 5–7 coordination, self-esteem and teamwork . This is an introduction to basic dance movements, to ALBANY NON- This class builds on the techniques to include simple DATE DAY TIME MEETS RESIDENT RES. age appropriate music, using fantasy and imagination combinations with partners . Jan 18–Feb 8 Thur 1:15–2:15 pm 4x $52 $62 which helps develop basic motor movements . ALBANY NON- Feb 22–Mar 15 Thur 1:15–2:15 pm 4x $52 $62 ALBANY NON- DATE DAY TIME MEETS RESIDENT RES. DATE DAY TIME MEETS RESIDENT RES. Mar 22–Apr 19 Thur 1:15–2:15 pm 5x $64 $74 Jan 5–Feb 23 Fri 4:05–4:35 pm 8x $84 $94 Jan 5–Feb 23 Fri 1:30–2 pm 8x $84 $94 Mar 2–Apr 20 Fri 4:05–4:35 pm 8x $84 $94 Instructor: Leila Halsband Mar 2–Apr 20 Fri 1:30–2 pm 8x $84 $94 Location: Albany Community Center, Rooms 1 & 2 Instructor: Mary Lyons Min: 4; Max: 15 Instructor: Mary Lyons Location: Albany Community Center, Rooms 1 & 2 Location: Albany Community Center, Rooms 1 & 2 Min: 6; Max: 25 NEW Min: 6; Max: 25 Homeschool Beginning Ballet Tap: Level 2 AGES 5–12 Ballet: Level 1 AGES 8–13 This class is a fun introduction to ballet . We will AGES 5–7 This class introduces more complicated rhythms and learn basic ballet positions and movements at the Your child will be introduced to more specific bal- timing with pattern and direction . barre and in the center . We will also learn steps let movements, which stimulate musical awareness, across the floor and work on learning a short dance . ALBANY NON- grace and muscular development . DATE DAY TIME MEETS RESIDENT RES. Each class will end with some "free dance" time, in ALBANY NON- Jan 5–Feb 23 Fri 5:30–6:15 pm 8x $112 $122 which your dancer can express themselves through DATE DAY TIME MEETS RESIDENT RES. Mar 2–Apr 20 Fri 5:30–6:15 pm 8x $112 $122 movement to different styles of music . The focus Jan 5–Feb 23 Fri 3:30–4 pm 8x $84 $94 Instructor: Mary Lyons of this class is building a solid foundation of ballet Mar 2–Apr 20 Fri 3:30–4 pm 8x $84 $94 Location: Albany Community Center, Rooms 1 & 2 technique, with an emphasis on creative expression Instructor: Mary Lyons Min: 6; Max: 25 and having fun! Location: Albany Community Center, Rooms 1 & 2 ALBANY NON- Min: 6; Max: 25 DATE DAY TIME MEETS RESIDENT RES. Fluid Feet Jan 22–Feb 26* Mon Noon–12:45 pm 5x $54 $64 Ballet: Level 2 AGES 6–13 Mar 5–Apr 2 Mon Noon–12:45 pm 5x $54 $64 AGES 8–13 We'll focus on all the proper techniques of jazz dance Instructor: Melissa Rosales (jazz walks, pirouettes, jumps, etc .) with a mix of Location: Albany Community Center, Rooms 1 & 2 Your child will be introduced to more specific bal- Min: 3; Max: 10 *No class on Feb 19 some hip-hop and modern style dancing . This is a let movements, which stimulate musical awareness, great class for youth who want a bit less structure grace and muscular development in the older child . NEW than ballet but more technique than hip-hop . ALBANY NON- Homeschool Ballet I DATE DAY TIME MEETS RESIDENT RES. Students can wear jazz shoes or be barefoot . AGES 7–12 Jan 5–Feb 23 Fri 4:40–5:25 pm 8x $112 $122 AGES 6–8 Mar 2–Apr 20 Fri 4:40–5:25 pm 8x $112 $122 This class will introduce your dancer to ballet . We ALBANY NON- will learn a basic barre, do a short stretch and then Instructor: Mary Lyons DATE DAY TIME MEETS RESIDENT RES. Location: Albany Community Center, Rooms 1 & 2 Jan 4–Feb 8 Thur 4–4:45 pm 6x $75 $85 work on movements (basic port de bras, adagio and Min: 6; Max: 25 Mar 1–Apr 5 Thur 4–4:45 pm 6x $75 $85 allegro) in the center as well as across the floor . We will end the class learning a short dance . The focus AGES 9–13 of this class is building a solid foundation of ballet ALBANY NON- DATE DAY TIME MEETS RESIDENT RES. technique, with an emphasis on artistic expression, Open House at Jan 4–Feb 8 Thur 5–6 pm 6x $75 $85 all while having fun the last class of Mar 1–Apr 5 Thur 5–6 pm 6x $75 $85 ALBANY NON- ballet & tap sessions. DATE DAY TIME MEETS RESIDENT RES. Students can sign up Instructor: Beth Ellis-Dickson, BethEllisDance .com Jan 22–Feb 26* Mon 1–2 pm 5x $64 $74 for “Summer Holiday"or Location: Albany Community Center, Rooms 1 & 2 “Winter Wonderland.” Mar 5–Apr 2 Mon 1–2 pm 5x $64 $74 Fee & rehearsal Min: 5; Max: 12 required. Instructor: Melissa Rosales Location: Albany Community Center, Rooms 1 & 2 Min: 3; Max: 12 *No class on Feb 19 2 City of Albany RECREATION & COMMUNITY SERVICES 510 524-9283 EW N YOUTH Little Lits Elementary: For Home Write On! Creative Writing Lab Schoolers for Kids Special Interest AGES 5–8 AGES 8–12 The emphasis in this class will be on well-rounded For the reluctant writer to the enthusiastic, this learning through wonderful, age-appropriate picture intensive writing program is designed to strengthen books . Every week we will have several interac- students' abilities to express themselves through the tive read-a-louds—narratives from diverse genres written word with special emphasis on skill-building including mythology, folk-tales, realistic fiction, and (mechanics, editing, spelling) .