Get creative in the new year with new arts classes at UAB’s ArtPlay

ArtPlay offers arts classes for all age groups, including dance, acting, musical theater, creative writing, photography, spoken word, improv comedy, music sampling and more.

Classes3Get creative in the new year with new arts classes just announced by ArtPlay.

ArtPlay offers arts classes for all age groups, including dance, acting, musical theater, creative writing, photography, spoken word, improv comedy, music sampling and more.

ArtPlay, part of the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Visual and Performing Arts, provides lifelong learning through the arts to people of all ages. With engaging weekly classes in fall and spring, summer camps, and fun, educational events for the whole family, ArtPlay connects the community with the arts.

Registration is open now. Class fees begin at $60, with a UAB discount available when registering by phone. Explore ArtPlay’s offerings online at www.alysstephens.org/classes or call 205-975-4769. Private instruction is also available in a variety of instruments, as well as group classes provided by local teaching artists.

Workshops include:

Classes7Pre-K classes

Glitter, Green and Gold, for ages 4-6 plus guardian, with teaching artist Alley Bulka. Class meets Saturdays from 10-10:45 a.m. Feb. 1-March 21. This mixed-media art class with Bulka, known as the “Wacky Nanny,” focuses on imagination and creation. Children will be led through fun visual arts projects that will open their creative minds and allow their ideas to come to life. Cost is $80.

Once Upon a Paintbrush, for ages 2-3 years plus guardian, with teaching artist Alley Bulka. Class meets Saturdays from 11 a.m.-11:45 a.m. Feb. 1-March 21. In this class, young artists will explore an exciting new story each week and use their imaginations to create a fun and engaging art project that brings a new dimension to the enchanting world of books. Cost is $80 for one child and guardian. 

Primary Ballet, for ages 4-6, with teaching artist Brooke Lofton. Class meets Saturdays from 9-9:45 a.m. Feb. 1-March 21. Beginning students are introduced to classical ballet, fundamental positions and movements to build their foundation for dance. Cost is $80.

Elementary/Middle classes

ArtPlay Kids Acting, for ages 7-12, with teaching artist Darrell Revel. Class meets Saturdays from 10-11 a.m. Feb. 1-March 21. Actor and educator Revel will guide participants through the basics of theater games, improvisation, monologues, scene work, stage makeup application, and voice and diction. The workshop will culminate with a showcase production open to parents and friends. Cost is $100. 

Get Creative! for ages 7-12, with teaching artist Tonya Wise. Class meets Mondays from 4-5 p.m. Feb. 3-March 30. Traditional and non-traditional art projects will delight and challenge little artists, using paint, oil pastel, markers and inks on recycled materials. Participants will make memories to cherish for years to come. Cost is $100.

Musical Theatre Basics, for ages 7-12, with teaching artist Jenn Palmieri. Class meets Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Feb. 5-April 8. All the world’s a stage, and a stage is meant for dancing and singing. Join Palmieri, from the UAB College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Theatre, as she shares her talents with young actors. Students will work on the basics of acting, singing and dancing as they prepare for a short showcase for family and friends at the end of class.

Teens/High school classesClasses11

From Studio to Radio: Hip-Hop Sampling, for ages 13-18, with teaching artist Rynea Soul. Class meets Saturdays from 9-10:30 a.m. Feb. 1-March 7. This class will examine the complex and controversial music process of sampling in hip-hop music and present a study that illuminates the history, creative mechanics and philosophy of this art. Cost is $60. 

Come on, Vogue! For Teens, for ages 14-18, with teaching artist Sammy Yassin. Class meets Wednesdays from 5-6 p.m. Feb. 5-26. Looking for a place to get away? Spend Wednesday evenings on the dance floor at ArtPlay. Students will learn the basics of vogueing, a dance style with a rich history, and acquire new skills for taking the dance floor by storm. Cost is $60. 

Capture This! for ages 14-18, with teaching artist Tonya Wise. Class meets Tuesdays from 4-5:30 p.m. Feb. 4-April 14. Does your teen have an affinity for taking pictures? Are they obsessed with Instagram? Students in this class can take that interest in the photographic image and turn it into an art form, working with digital and film formats and learning how to creatively alter images. Cost is $110.

Spoken Word Composition and Performance, for ages 11-18, with teaching artist EJ Marable. Class meets Mondays from 3:30-5 p.m. Feb. 3-March 30. Students will learn the history of hip-hop and spoken word and will engage with both forms, learning to compose pieces of their own. With these new expertise and performance techniques, the unit will conclude in a showcase to demonstrate the skills students have acquired. Cost is $75.

Intro to Watercolor, for ages 14-18, with teaching artist Michael Locke. Class meets Tuesdays from 4-5:30 p.m. Feb. 4-March 31. Learn the fundamentals of playing and exploring with watercolors from acclaimed artist Locke, who will share his process of selecting the proper paints and brushes to get started and teaches how to blend colors to create a unique palette. The essential information provided in this class will help you learn how to apply watercolor to different surfaces and create basic shapes using fun, easy techniques. Cost is $90. 

Adult classes

The Acting Studios, for age 16-adult, with teaching artist Susan McCain. Class meets Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m. Feb. 5-April 8. McCain follows the legendary Lee Strasberg’s design, beginning with sensory work and focusing on nailing that tricky audition piece. Cost is $160.

Intro to Watercolor for Adults, for ages 19-adult, with teaching artist Michael Locke. Class meets Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m. Feb. 4-March 31. Learn the fundamentals of playing and exploring with watercolors from acclaimed artist Locke, who will share his process of selecting the proper paints and brushes to get started and teaches how to blend colors to create a unique palette. The essential information provided in this class will help you learn how to apply watercolor to different surfaces and create basic shapes using fun, easy techniques. Cost is $120 plus materials.

Classes11Creative Non-Fiction: Write Your Life, ages 18-adult, with teaching artist Audrey Atkins. Class meets Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m. Feb. 4-March 10. Write the true stories of your life in this interactive class as you learn about establishing voice, theme, mood, character and place through weekly writing prompts. Bring your laptops for in-class writing time and one-on-one instruction. Participants will also have an opportunity to read their works and receive constructive feedback from the class. Cost is $90.

More Than Stand Up, ages 19-adult, with teaching artist Carla Youngblood. Class meets Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m. Feb. 4-March 31. This class is an intro to writing and performing stand-up comedy with a focus on finding the funny in everyday life situations, finding your unique comedy voice and developing stage presence. This class is great for people who are afraid of public speaking, are required to do presentations or want to do stand-up. Cost is $120. 

Come on, Vogue! for ages 19-adult, with teaching artist Sammy Yassin. Class meets Wednesdays from 6-7:30 p.m. Feb. 5-26. Looking for a place to get away? Spend Wednesday evenings on the dance floor at ArtPlay. Students will learn the basics of vogueing, a dance style with a rich history, and acquire new skills for taking the dance floor by storm. Cost is $80. 

Writing Creatively: The Basics, for ages 19-adult, with teaching artist Tina Braziel. Class meets Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m. Feb. 5-March 4. Learn how to distill your words and explore the fundamental techniques that make both poetry and prose compelling. Each week the class will read examples, respond to writing prompts and workshop their short pieces. Cost is $90.

Intro to Music Production Software, for ages 17-adult, with teaching artist Rynea Soul. Class meets Saturdays from 10:30 a.m.-noon Feb. 1-March 7. This class offers a glimpse into the world of beat making and provides students with the skills to make beats for a variety of genres, such as hip-hop, electronic dance music and pop. The class introduces students to four steps of beat production: digging, sampling, sequencing/mixing, and song arrangement. Students will work hands-on exclusively in FL Studio 12, using midi controllers to create a polished song from start to finish. Cost is $100.

Introduction to Improv Comedy, for ages 16-adult, with teaching artist Chris Davis. Class meets Mondays from 6-8 p.m. Feb. 3-April 6. This class will teach the fundamentals of long-form improvisation, including how to create strong characters, play at the top of one’s intelligence and build strong comedic scenes together out of thin air. Cost is $125.