Fitness, Health, & Self-Interests   

Are you looking for an exercise program designed to improve your everyday life? Try Better Balance! Steady And Strong™. Work with a physical therapist to learn balance and strengthening exercises. Come join the fun and learn a program designed to improve your daily function while also decreasing your risk of falls and injury. No special equipment is necessary, and all exercises are completed sitting or standing. This program is suitable for beginners yet appropriate for those with more exercise experience as it can be adapted to fit individual needs. Participants will be given instructions on how to complete this program at home for continued benefits. Wear comfortable clothes and supportive shoes.

This course moves through traditional yoga poses (or asanas) that align each individual chakra, moving up the spine from the root chakra to the crown chakra. Chakras are energy centers located across different points on our spinal column. When energy becomes blocked in a chakra, it triggers imbalances that manifest in symptoms such as anxiety, lethargy, or poor digestion. This course is for members who like fluid, mindful practice that links alignment, movement, and breath. Participants should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing and have a yoga mat. While still accessible to a beginning student, this class is more challenging than the Gentle Yoga classes.

This course, appropriate for members of any level, begins by teaching the basic figures used in English country dancing and practices them in the context of beautiful historic and modern dance compositions. Members will explore the grace, elegance, and playfulness of this dance form (think of Pride & Prejudice). No partner or experience necessary. Participants will regularly switch partners in our dance sessions. Be prepared for physical, mental, and social stimulation! The focus will be on dancing and enjoying moving with the music.

Food is an ongoing and important part of our lives. How it is grown, processed, prepared, and stored are critical to both availability and our health. Aging is another factor that affects both the product and the host, and the results can be instant and long-lasting. This course will help explore food, diets, and health needs with the focus on the past, present, and maybe the future. Participants should bring questions but also understand that this course is not a personal prescription; it is an exploration of food and healthy nutrition.

Qigong translates to cultivating life energy. In this course, participants will enjoy theory along with active qigong: gentle movements, stretching, acupressure, self-massage, breath awareness, and visualization to encourage the flow of energy. Five-element theory encourages awareness of our connection with the rhythms of nature. This practice requires no props and can be enjoyed either standing or seated in a chair.

We will tour the country of France through its white wines. Each week we will taste and rate a wine from an appellation while we explore its terroir, the varietal, and possibly some regional history or architecture. We may try Chardonnay from Burgundy, Pinot Gris from Alsace, Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley, or Bordeaux, Viognier or White Grenache from the Languedoc, and a surprise dessert wine. It will depend on what is available and affordable at the store the weeks before the course. The instructor will identify the wines a few weeks before the course starts. Cheers!

This course is geared for those new to yoga, those interested in a slower and more gentle practice, or those recovering from illness or injury. It includes a combination of meditation, breath work, and flowing movement intended for all abilities. Participants will move from seated on the floor (or a chair) to standing and then will return to mats. Participants will experiment with balance, strength, flexibility, and stillness while practicing mindfulness and meditation techniques. 

NOTE: The Gentle Yoga A and B classes are companion courses. Members can just register for both or just one. 

This course is geared for those new to yoga, those interested in a slower and more gentle practice, or those recovering from illness or injury. It includes a combination of meditation, breath work, and flowing movement intended for all abilities. Participants will move from seated on the floor (or a chair) to standing and then will return to mats. Participants will experiment with balance, strength, flexibility, and stillness while practicing mindfulness and meditation techniques.

NOTE: The Gentle Yoga A and B classes are companion courses. Members can just register for both or just one.  

 

Most seniors in the Pittsburgh region will agree: Medicare shouldn't be this hard to understand. There is too much information and not enough clarity provided to ensure people can confidently thrive with their healthcare decisions. Through this course, the instructor will explain every part of Medicare and how participants can maximize their coverage selections.

Spain has been able to preserve it autochthonous varietals and old vineyards. It is at the forefront of sustainability while confronting climate change. We will tour Spain through its red wines. Each week we will taste and rate a wine from an appellation while we explore its terroir, the varietal, and possibly some regional history or architecture. We will try different wines from a variety of regions; choices will depend on what is available and affordable at the store. The instructor will identify the wines a few weeks before the course starts for members to purchase.

Laughter. Curiosity. Play. That is improv! Imagine that for 90 minutes, everything you say or do will be absolutely right—you cannot make a mistake. Games and scenes are inspired by your life experiences or made up on the spot. “Yes, and” means you agree with whatever suggestion your partner offers, then add something of your own to move the action forward. You make your partner look good. Your partner does the same for you. Everyone shines. You leave refreshed with the sound of laughter to brighten your day.

Do you want to stretch your creativity in fun new ways? This hands-on art course will have you experimenting with collage, drawing, music, and writing on the edge of your imagination. Discover unusual approaches guaranteed to have you looking at yourself and your world with new eyes. No previous experience necessary—just a willingness to play!

Traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture and herbal prescriptions, has been in continuous use in the world from 3,000 years ago to the present day. In the West we know it mainly by its technologies: acupuncture, cupping, massage, and herbs, but the real magic lies in its theories and philosophies about health and the role of humans in the universe. This course explores the theory and practice of Chinese medicine and how to apply this knowledge to understanding your own health.

This course involves walking through parks.

In this course we will walk in the city parks and discuss the wild edible plants we find. These include fruits like Kousa dogwood, crabapple and hawthorn; nuts such as acorn, black walnut and ginkgo; root vegetables like burdock; and leafy plants and mushrooms.

 

This gentle form of yoga is practiced using a chair as a prop/stabilizer for support during standing poses or adapted for sitting on a chair. It is especially beneficial for people concerned with balance or coordination issues or those who have felt they are unable to participate in other yoga experiences. The class includes poses for strength training, mobility in the joints, and more relaxing poses to help steady the mind. Modifications will be offered throughout the course so that participants learn to adapt to their personal situations and comfort as well as challenge themselves. The course is appropriate for all levels.