Broadway Hill Club   

Class Overview

Would you like to stretch and strengthen your body but need a simple and gentle approach? Discover chair-based yoga to help improve your fitness while reducing the strain on your limbs and joints. 

Explore postures, breathwork, and meditation while seated in a chair with a supportive sturdy back. Chair yoga practice promotes stability and flexibility with the body, self-awareness, clarity with the mind, and a sense of calm and balance with emotions. We will focus on different areas of the body including shoulders, arms, back, legs, and knees, as well as restorative breathing exercises. Improve your overall wellness with every session, and learn how to practice this type of yoga on your own. 

This is a non-intimidating class, perfect for anyone who is new to yoga, as well as those who have experience with yoga but would like to learn how to pose on a chair.

This class is part of our Broadway Hill Club offerings, designed for older students and offered during the daytime on diverse topics, though students of all ages are welcome.

Supplies Needed

• Chair with a supported back
• Yoga mat or carpet to go under the chair
• Stretchy strap to aid in the poses

Learning Objectives

• Help with over wellbeing of mind, body, and spirit
• Increase flexibility and balance for everyday life

Who Might Enjoy This Class

• Anyone who would like a gentle approach to increasing flexibility, balance, strength and overall wellness
• People who have done yoga before, and would like to return to yoga in a safe and gentle way
• Seniors with knee or back issues to help with everyday life and overall wellness
• No experience is needed -- everyone is welcome!

Class Overview

Chi Kung (also spelled “qigong”) is an ancient health-giving exercise that began in the stone age in China. Combining breathing and movement, it acts like an internal massage for the organs of the body while strengthening the limbs and the spine. "Chi" is translated as breath, and "kung" means exercise.

In this class, learn the 18 movements of Chi Kung and the Swimming Dragon exercise. These are beautiful movements that feel good in the body. This practice can offer many benefits such as focus, balance, relaxation, strengthening, stretching, mindfulness, and overall well-being. The history of Chi Kung includes Chinese medicine, Taoism, martial arts, Confucianism, and Buddhism. All will be discussed to provide a greater understanding and appreciation of this practice.
This gentle exercise is geared to seniors, and anyone who wants to support good health. People who wish to extend the length and quality of their functional life will benefit. 
This class is part of our Broadway Hill Club offerings, designed for older students and offered during the daytime on diverse topics, though students of all ages are welcome.

Please wear comfortable clothes that you can move in.

Chi Kung Exercise Hour - FREE!

Curious about Chi Kung and if you'd enjoy our Chi Kung class? Give it a try! Enjoy an hour Chi Kung lesson led by Continuing Education instructor, Richard Aries, and enjoy this beautiful movement and healthful exercise.

Location: Broadway Edison Building (Room BE 1139B) at Seattle Central College Broadway campus
Date: Thursday, March 30; 1-2 pm -- please register by Monday, March 27 by 2pm

Register for the FREE Exercise Hour

Learning Objectives

• The history and background of Chi Kung
• 18 movements of Chi Kung
• Swimming Dragon exercise
• Improve your flexibility and balance

Who Should Take This Class

• Individuals seeking a low-impact exercise routine
• Anyone interested in improving their flexibility and balance
• People interested in developing their focus, relaxation, and overall wellness
• Seniors wanting a supportive exercise class
• No experience is necessary; everyone is welcome!

Class Overview

This dance class is designed to help you enjoy lifelong well-being in all stages of life. 

Did you know that dance plays a key role in memory and learning? There is much-untapped wisdom available in dance.

In this class, discover how dance can have a positive effect on the brain as you age. Learn how to use your diaphragm and breath to improve your wellness. Explore movement and musical skills that can aid your postural alignment, balance, and coordination. Gain awareness about what works for your body and how you can optimize your individual potential.

The instructor will guide you on how to work with any mobility issues and limitations you might have with chair-based dance movements. We will discuss how dance relates to culture and health.

The movements and activities will reveal the deep satisfaction and connection to life that dance offers, along with a renewed sense of purpose and inspiration. We will have fun! 

This class is part of our Broadway Hill Club offerings, designed for older students and offered during the daytime on diverse topics, though students of all ages are welcome!

Learning Objectives

Who Might Enjoy This Class? 

Class Overview

Increase your imagination, creativity, and perception through the practice of drawing! Drawing is the fundamental basis of all visual art, and it can provide a lifetime of enjoyment. Get started drawing in this engaging class geared for seniors, but open to all ages.

Discover the fundamental concepts of drawing such as light, shadow, proportions, details, and perspective. Learn how to draw many subjects including animals, nature, people, and “still life” objects. Explore how you can use a pencil to create an image that looks like it has three dimensions.

You’ll be surprised how quickly your skills will improve by observing the instructor and drawing along in a step-by-step method. Class presentations make it easy to learn and put the techniques into practice. Once you learn these skills, you will find they start to become second nature. Increase your ability to represent the world around you!

This class is part of our Broadway Hill Club offerings, designed for older students and offered during the daytime on diverse topics, though students of all ages are welcome.

Supplies Needed

• Pencils (graphite): 2B, 4B, 6B; optional: 8B; optional: woodless pencil (6B or 8B) 
• Drawing paper pad - either 9"x12" or 11"x14"
• White vinyl eraser
• Mechanical eraser, or pink eraser on the back of common pencils (for detail erasing and drawing white lines on gray areas)
• Paper blending stomps, 3-4 in a variety of sizes;  (or you can use paper towel or tissues if you can't find these for the first day)
• Pencil sharpener (preferably with shaving collector)
• Set of colored pencils (24 to 48)

Learning Objectives

• Explore the various uses for drawing tools and supplies 
• Draw representational objects and scenes
• Represent 3-dimensional space through the use of light, shadow, and detail
• Become familiar with blending techniques
• Accurately draw 3-dimensional objects, the building blocks of all other drawings
• Combine 3-dimensional objects to make more complex drawings
• Expand your use and understanding of form and line
• Be able to draw proportions accurately 
• Represent 3-dimensional objects and scenes using simple perspective
• Utilize light and dark details
• Maximize the use of value, contrast, line, marks, and details to draw with expression

Who Might Enjoy This Class 

• Anyone who is interested in enriching their lives with the joy of drawing
• People who would like to gain or improve their drawing skills and apply those skills to draw a variety of subjects
• Anyone wanting to develop new skills to express themselves
• People who would like to gain foundational drawing skills to support any other visual art medium
• No experience is needed -- everyone is welcome!

Class Overview

Have you ever wanted to draw in color? Colored pencils are a wonderful medium that combines the detail you can get in drawing, with the vibrant colors available in painting. In this class, learn the basic skills of colored pencils, and apply them to create beautiful, finished colored pencil drawings.

By developing skills and techniques with colored pencils, you can add a whole new dimension to your art exploration. They are easy to use, portable, and these days you can easily find a wide and exciting variety of colors. Colored pencils allow you to capture the vibrancy, detail, and colors in your subjects, whenever and wherever you wish. Begin a creative and rewarding adventure in the dynamic medium of colored pencils!

This class is part of our Broadway Hill Club offerings, designed for older students and offered during the daytime on diverse topics, though students of all ages are welcome.

Supplies Needed

• Drawing pad (70 lb. or higher): 9x12” or 11x14”, whichever size you’d prefer
• Graphite pencils: HB, 2B, and 4B
• Large white vinyl eraser
• Handheld sharpener (preferably one that can catch pencil shavings)
• Set of at least 36 colored pencils (set of 48, 72 or higher is recommended); Prismacolor colored pencils brand is recommended since they blend better than many other brands
• Colorless blender pencil (Prismacolor is a good option)
• Optional: detail eraser (Tombow Mono Knock 3.8 is one good option)
• Optional: electric pencil sharpener (i.e., School Smart, X-ACTO)

Learning Objectives

• Use a variety of the basic techniques of colored pencil
• Be able to use skills such as blending, details, texturing, light source, shadows, layering, etc.
• Understand many of the principles of color such as: color mixing, color relationships, use of complementary colors, warm and cool colors, light and dark colors, pure and neutral colors, etc.
• Be able to apply the basics of drawing such as proportions to your artwork as well.

Who Might Enjoy This Class

• Anyone interested in a beautiful, colorful, fun medium
• People who like to draw and would like to easily add color in detail
• Anyone who would love a great, portable color travel medium
• Artists who would like to learn the basics of color and value to bring an extra dimension to their artwork
• No prior experience or skill needed; everyone is welcome!

Class Overview

Acrylic painting can provide a lifetime of enjoyment. Learn how to express yourself using the vibrant colors of this delightful paint.

Discover how to use the basic techniques of acrylic painting: blending, texturizing, brush handling, detailing, stippling, glazing, wet in wet, and alla prima. Learn about color mixing, complementary colors, warm and cool, hue, value, intensity, and proportions. 

You will be surprised how quickly your skills will improve by observing the instructor and painting along, during step-by-step class presentations. The format will make it easy to get started and build upon what you learn, gaining new techniques and putting them directly into practice. As you develop these skills, you’ll find them becoming second nature.

Enjoy the satisfying ability to represent the world around you in liquid colors, as you create unique works of art. 

This class is part of our Broadway Hill Club offerings, designed for older students and offered during the daytime on diverse topics, though students of all ages are welcome.

Learning Objectives

• Color mixing: proportions, hue, value, intensity, complementary colors, and warm/cool
• Using color schemes to add extra interest to your paintings: monochromatic, analogous, complementary, split complementary, and triadic
• Techniques such as blending, texturizing, and detailing; might include stippling, glazing, washes, alla prima, dry brushing, impasto, swirling and dabbing, etc.
• Various painting styles such as realistic, impressionistic, abstract, etc.
• Ability to paint a variety of subject matter such as animals, plants, landscapes, still life, etc.
• Represent 3-dimensional form in painting, in both black and white and in color, by using value, contrast, light, and shadow 
• Atmospheric perspective makes entire scenes and landscapes appear more 3 dimensional, with the illusion of depth and space
• Apply proportion and perspective to your paintings

Who Might Enjoy This Class

• Anyone who is interested in enriching their lives with the joy of painting 
• People who would like to gain or improve their painting skills and apply those skills to paint a variety of subject matter
• Anyone who would like a creative outlet and learn to express themselves through painting
• Budding artists who would like to gain the foundational skills of painting to apply to any visual art medium 
• Seniors looking for interesting activities to do with other seniors and community members
• People interested in daytime classes
• No experience is necessary; everyone is welcome!

Supplies Needed

PALETTE

• 1 disposable palette pad 9x12” or 12x16” (or paper plates for the first day)

BRUSHES

• Long-handled brushes are preferable – you can use short-handled brushes if you already have them - white nylon or brown taklon bristles
• Round brushes: #1 or #2 - (1/16" or 1/32" wide) 
• Filbert brushes: 2-3 at least
• A small and a large: 1/8", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2"
• Flat: 1" wide
• Angle brush (optional): small - 1/4" wide, or less  

CANVASES

• 2-4 canvases in a size like 11x14”, 12x16”, 14x18”, or 16x20” – depending on preference and availability (students often like to start with smaller canvases and then go up in canvas size as the class goes on)
• One 9x12” watercolor pad, 120 lb for practices and exercises (or 3-5 sheets of watercolor paper)

PAINTS

Examples of brands, student-grade: Liquitex Basics, Galeria, Grumbacher Academy, Utrecht, Pebeo

Colors:

Titanium white, any light yellow (examples: cadmium yellow light hue, Acra or Hansa yellow light, light yellow, or lemon yellow), any medium yellow: (cadmium yellow medium hue, Acra or Hansa yellow medium, or medium yellow), any medium red: (cadmium red medium hue, Acra or Hansa red medium, or medium red), magenta, ultramarine blue, phthalo blue, Mars black

Optional (recommeded) Colors:

Any medium orange: (cadmium orange medium hue, Acra or Hansa orange medium, or medium orange), dioxazine purple, phthalo green, burnt sienna, burnt umber 

OTHER SUPPLIES

• Water jars, glass or plastic (such as peanut butter, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc or large plastic cups or containers)
• Paper towels
• Pencil: 2B or HB 
• White vinyl eraser (or pink pearl)
• Sharpener (preferably with shavings catcher)
• Optional: palette knives (plastic or metal) 

Class Overview

Tai Chi is a health sustaining exercise and a tool for improved body awareness. Practiced by the elderly for balance and circulation and the young for relaxation and martial arts, it is a wonderful holistic activity for all ages.

During this class, you'll learn:

• the Yang Tai Chi short form, which is comprised of 35 individual movements
• Chi Kung, a warm-up exercise and relaxation activity with 18 movements
• elements of Chinese Medical Philosophy, such as Yin/Yang theory and Five Elements transformation
• the basics of Taoist philosophy

We'll focus on learning the entire Yang short form, and you'll receive guidance in developing your own regular practice at home.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this class, you will be able to:

• learn basic warm-up stretches to improve your overall movement
• discover the Yang-style short form of Tai Chi
• practice the Yang-style under the direction of an expert instructor
• gain knowledge about the history and background of Tai Chi

Who Might Enjoy This Class?

• Individuals seeking a low-impact exercise routine
• Anyone interested in improving their coordination and balance
• People interested in developing their focus, relaxation and overall wellness

Class Overview

Discover the warm and wonderful culture of Thailand. Enjoy learning about Thai food, good places for vacation, and basic words and phrases.

In this class, you will have an introduction to the culture of Thailand and learn why it is called the “land of smiles.” Discover a bit about the history of Thailand and the region of Southeast Asia. Learn about the art of Thai cooking and gain tips on how to cook like Thai people who were born in the United States.

Enjoy easy conversation with basic Thai words and phrases, plus cultural norms and differences. If you’re planning a trip to Thailand, this class will be especially useful, and you will gain tips for safe and affordable travel.  

We will go out for lunch at a nearby restaurant together for a fun cultural immersion experience. No skill or knowledge is needed to enjoy this class focused on Thai culture.

This class is part of our Broadway Hill Club offerings, designed for older students and offered during the daytime on diverse topics, though students of all ages are welcome.

Supplies Needed 

Lunch at a restaurant - you will pay for your own lunch, or an appetizer and drink.

Learning Objectives

• Easy Thai cooking or Thai-American home cooking.  Cook like Thai people who were born and live in the US.
• Learning about Thai culture – a big plus to build understanding across the two cultures and to create a sweet harmonious life.

Who Might Enjoy This Class

• Anyone who has an interest in Thai culture
• Seniors who have time and interest in doing fun activities 
• Someone who works in a diversified business environment
• People interested in visiting Thailand
• No experience is necessary; everyone is welcome!

Class Overview

Supplies Needed

Learning Objectives

Who Might Enjoy This Class?

Class Overview

Because the cultural richness of Italy is so vast, most people don’t have the time or experience to explore more than a few major cities, such as Rome, Florence, and Venice. Some travelers might take side trips to a few suggested towns beyond Florence, but afterward might say, “If only I had more time to explore other areas of Tuscany.” If you’re intrigued to know more about the fascinating region of Tuscany from an “insiders” perspective, this class is for you!

Discover attractive and different areas of Tuscany, through lectures, maps, videos, photos, stories, and food. These are places where the casual tourist does not typically venture. Learn about different sub-regions of Tuscany, and what makes them special.

Our holistic “slow” approach will be to sample the artistic, historical, cultural, and touristic smorgasbord offered by the small to medium-sized towns that populate these areas. Enjoy learning about the rich Medieval and Renaissance history and art that is abundant in this region.

This class will be experiential. Enjoy simple and enriching homework assignments/opportunities to have a more active experience in learning about Tuscany. Enjoy a class potluck consisting of Italian specialties from Tuscany on the last day of class.

Gain a basic understanding of the rules for Italian pronunciation so that you can enjoy participating in the enchanting language, and feel more comfortable articulating all those “r’s”. Glean basic travel tips and resources, though this is not a travel planning class.

This class is part of our Broadway Hill Club offerings, designed for older students and offered during the daytime on diverse topics, though students of all ages are welcome.

Learning Objectives

• Familiarity with sub-regions of Tuscany and what makes them special
• Better understanding of the art, history, culture, and landscapes of Tuscany
• Locate various sub-regions of Tuscany on maps, and be familiar with how to get there from Florence or Rome

Who Might Enjoy This Class

• Anyone interested in Italian art, history, culture, or language
• Italian language students wanting to gain a greater understanding of Italy
• People who are planning a trip to Italy, whether for the first time or returning
• Anyone interested in the “Slow” travel movement (related to the “Slow Food” movement)