Classes & Activities
BalletRox Dance
When:
Mondays 3:00-7:00pm; Wednesday 4:00-7:00pm; Saturdays 8am-noon
Fee:
Our sliding fee scale ranges from $200 to $800 per year depending on classes taken, family income & size.
September to May Community Dance Program: BalletRox Dance! offers affordable, professional dance classes at Spontaneous Celebrations Community Center located at 45 Danforth St, Jamaica Plain, MA, to children in grades K-12, from September to May (30 weeks of classes). This program is designed to make dance accessible to all Boston youth. Classes are open to the community for a nominal, sliding scale fee; there is no pre-requisite or audition required. Tuition includes all dancewear and recital costumes at no additional charge. There are classes for all ages, from 4 to 18, and all levels beginning to advanced. At each level, students spend half their time studying ballet, and half their time on a variety of dance forms, including jazz, tap and hip hop. Dance classes are taught by BalletRox instructors who also teach in the BalletRox/BPS Dance Program.
On line registration and application for reduced tuition: http://www.balletrox.info/registration
Class Schedule:
Level I: grades K0-K2; Level II: grades 1-3; Level III: grades 3-6, Level IV: grades 6 and up. These are suggested age and grade levels, but may vary by prior experience and teacher recommendation.
- Saturday, 8:00 – 9:00 am, Level IV – Ballet (prior experience required)
- Saturday, 8:15 – 9:00 am, Level II - Tap
- Saturday, 9:00 – 9:50 am, Level I - Creative Movement and Beginning Ballet
- Saturday, 9:00 – 10:00 am, Level II - Ballet
- Saturday, 10:00 – 11:00 am, Level III/IV - Tap
- Saturday, 11:00 – 12:00 noon, Level III/IV - Ballet
- Monday, 3:00 – 5:00 pm, Level IV - Ballet, with Pointe (prior experience required)
- Monday, 5:00 – 6:00 pm, Level III/IV – Tap (prior experience required)
- Monday, 6:00 – 7:00 pm, Level III/IV - Ballet
- Wednesday, 4:00 – 5:00 pm, Level III/IV – Hip Hop Street Jazz
- Wednesday, 5:00 – 6:00 pm, Level III/IV – Modern Fusion: Caribbean Soca
- Wednesday, 6:00 – 7:00 pm, Level II/III – Hip Hop Street Jazz
Contact:
For more information, email us at info@balletrox.org or call 617-224-7386
Beantown Society
When:
Tuesday, Thursday 2-7pm
In the summer of 2004, the youth of Spontaneous were charged with the task of choosing an issue in their community and designing a Project of Change that would address this issue. The teens chose to focus on youth violence, and the lack of programming for teens in their community. In response, they created their own youth program at Spontaneous Celebrations called Beantown Society.
The vision of Beantown Society is to unite youth in Boston across race, class, culture, and neighborhood to end youth violence. We believe in changing youth's oppression, neglect-ion, rejection, and depression into youth power. We work towards this vision by offering a youth run after school program as well as workshops, projects and events based on youth interests. We provide a space for youth to express themselves, receive one-on-one support, and become leaders in their community.
Contact:
Adanarys Barrigan, Director ·adanarys@beantownsociety.org · 617-524-6373
Beginner African Marimba Classes
When:
Sundays 1/15, 1/22, 1/29, 2/12,2/19 10:30-11:30
Learn how to play simple songs on these simple African instruments! No experience necessary. Instruments will be provided.
Marimbas are wooden instruments (similar to xylophones) that bring out the unique, energizing harmonies and rhythms of the music Much of our marimba music is based on the mbira tradition of the Shona people, the majority cultural group in Zimbabwe. The mbira is the ancient tribal instrument of the Shona peoples, dating back thousands of years.
This music is known world wide for its intricate interlocking polyrhythmic melodies.
The appeal of marimbas is they are fun to be played in a group! After the six-week session, we will put on a short recital for friends and family.
Contact: Tchukki 352.328.7397
Contact Improv
When:
Thursdays 7:15-9:30 starting 6/1/17
Fee:
Cost: $5-10 sliding scale
And it’s fun!
All levels of experience welcome, no experience necessary but classes can be physically intense!
Class will consist of a structured beginning that may involve Labs or Skill sharing and will end with a Jam (open movement space).
Bring loose fitting comfortable clothes and water (no shoes needed)
Contact:
jaredtwilliams@gmail.com
La Piñata
When:
Saturdays 12-4pm
La Piñata is a folkloric performance group that has been meeting every Saturday afternoon at our center since our doors opened. This Latin American Family Cultural Network involves young people ages 7-17 in learning songs, dances, and traditions from Latin American cultures. During school vacations, they work with our teens to form a Brazilian Samba Band, which performs annually at First Night and our major festivals.
Contact:
Rosalba Solis · 617-522-6430
Primal Practice
When:
Thursdays 7:15-8:15 pm
Fee:
Monetary donation welcomed! ($5-$15)
Primal Practice is an intuitive, relational and playful experience that draws from multiple yoga, martial, meditation and movement disciplines for inspiration and insight.
Contact:
everett@everstrenght.org
Festival Arts Instruction
When:
By appointment
We provide stilt, junk percussion ensemble, banner making, and parade/party regalia workshops by appointment at our place or yours!
Contact:
Maaak Pelletier · maaak@spontaneouscelebrations.org · 857-498-2438
Spontaneous Stilts
When:
Stilts...Sunday morning @ 1pm--No classes holiday weekends
Fee:
$5 suggested donation
Informal Sunday morning stilt classes for ages 8 and up. Parents can learn along with their kids! Bring the family, it's a fun way to spend time together. Maybe you can join us in a parade!
Contact:
Maaak · 857-498-2438
Toddler Drumming!
When:
Saturdays, 10:00 -11:00 am (toddlers, children, parents)
Fee:
by donation
Our new drum leader offers fabulous percussion classes and workshops on Saturday mornings at our community center. The classes are also available at other community centers in Jamaica Plain and Roxbury.
Contact:
James 774-521-7675
Capoeira Gerais Boston
When:
Wednesdays, 7:30 - 9:00 pm
Fee:
$15/class. Membership packages available.
Learn the art of capoeira with Capoeira Gerais Boston. These classes will teach you a combination of martial arts, dance, music, and the rich cultural traditions that are Capoeira. Gerais means “general” in Portuguese. This name was chosen to signify that Capoeira is for everyone–all ages, all physical abilities, all ethnic and social backgrounds. Through Capoeira’s unique history of discrimination and freedom, we seek to promote diversity, tolerance and self-expression.
Contact:
fcfpoon@gmail.com
Salsa Classes - Semi-private by Meta-Movements
When:
Saturdays 4-5pm
Fee:
$15 drop-in; $45 4-week package
Rapidly learn and improve your salsa dancing skills
Personalized instruction to achieve your individual goal
Beginner and intermediate levels available
Contact:
info@metamovements.com or call 617-286-6382
Shim Gum Do Zen Martial Arts
When:
Tuesday, 5pm to 7pm and Sunday, 4pm to 5pm
Fee:
$25 registration, $80 a month, $150 for two months (scholarships available).
Do is a martial art and meditation proactive with roots in Korean Zen Buddhism. The words Shim Gum Do translate to Mind Sword Path. It is taught throughout the world with schools and headquartered in Brighton, MA. (Zen Karate, Zen, Sword, Self Defense, Sen Meditation.) American Buddist Shim Gum Do Association at 203 Chestnut Hill Avenue, Brighton, MA 02135. http://www.shimgumdo.org
Contact:
Sebastian Rizzon, mushimgum@gmail.com, 617-429-8024
SingPositive, JP!
When:
Sundays from 4:15-6:00pm, from September to December and February to May
Fee:
Tuition is $150 for adults and $100 for kids (toddlers-18 y.o.) for each 15 week semester. We have scholarships -- please don't hesitate to sign up if finances are tight!
Want a chance to make real, quality music from many different genres? Want to meet other JP musicians of all ages? Parents -- tired of watching your kids perform from the audience?
SingPositive, JP, a community-based family chorus, rehearses at Spontaneous Celebrations each Sunday from September-December and February-May.
Who: You, your family, and all your friends!
What: Folk, pop, rock, and world music for singers and instrumentalists
Contact:
Joel Sindelar @ joel@SingPositive.org.
Zumba
When:
Tuesdays 6-7 pm with Nancy and Thursdays 6-7 pm with Joya
Fee:
$10 per class or $45 for 5-class card, $80 for a 10-class card (note: separate cards for Nancy's and Joya's classes)
Are you ready to party yourself into shape? Zumba is an exhilarating, effective, easy to follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness party. Zumba classes feature exotic rhythms set to high-energy Latin and international beats, such as salsa, merengue, reggaeton, cumbia, bachata, hip hop, West Aftrican and Arabian. Before participants know it, they are getting fit and their energy levels are soaring. It's easy to do, effective and exhilarating, often building a deep-rooted community among returning students. All levels welcome, no dance experience necessary.
Contact:
Joya - joyafitness@gmail.com or Nancy - getfitwithnancy@gmail.com