This is a sponsored article on behalf of City Lit.
The turkey is eaten, the tree is moulting, and all that remains of that box of Quality Street is a few desolate orange creams. Yes, 2014 is over and a new year has been welcomed in. But what does 2015 have in store for you?
If your answer is a resigned “er … same old, same old” why not make this the year you finally pursue a passion or try something new? With over 5,000 courses to choose from, City Lit is London’s biggest provider of of adult part-time courses and offers classes in a multitude of areas from chess to biscuit decoration. Really, the choice is huge and incorporates languages, music, drama, art, history, science, food and drink, technology, fitness and more.
Last month we took to the streets and asked random passers-by what they had always wanted to learn. Turns out you’re a passionate bunch, and we’ve already looked into the City Lit offerings on the top three answers: languages, art and music. But seeing as there’s so much on offer, here are our picks of the best of the rest.
Dance
City Lit leave few stones unturned when it comes to the world of dance. There are the classic options such as ballet, tap and contemporary but you can also branch out with classes in Bollywood, belly and flamenco dancing too. Strictly Come Dancing fans will be pleased to know that they can get to grips with ballroom or Latin American dances, while those of a more modern disposition can give street/hip hop classes a go.
See the full list of dance classes.
History
We may be biased (history was always our favourite subject at school) but City Lit’s history offerings look mighty tempting. You can choose from six broad categories: Victorian, American, Modern, European, Garden and London history and then within these, a variety of specialist areas unfurl. The result is a spectrum ranging from the broad to the niche, with courses in areas such as scientific and political progress in the 19th century, America at war, various monarchial periods, great gardeners and their gardens and, our personal favourite, an in-depth look at the London gin craze.
See the full list of history classes.
Writing
There are a series of creative writing courses on offer, plus tasters in writing for children, screenwriting, story development workshops and poetry masterclasses too. But there are also options for those who want a make, or develop, a career in writing. Introductions to journalism, copywriting, travel writing and how to write a press release all feature, as do a couple of courses on essay writing for all you struggling with your dissertations.
See the full list of writing classes.
Fitness and Relaxation
If you find it hard to switch off from daily London life then a relaxation class may be for you. Choose from meditation, reiki healing, stress reduction classes and even biodanza (a system of self-development that uses music, movement and positive feelings to deepen self-awareness, apparently!).
Yoga and pilates courses are also available, as are tai-chi, chi kung, self-defence and posture improvement classes.
See the full list of fitness and relaxation classes.
Food and drink
Whoever compiled City Lit’s food and drink courses must have been spying on Team Londonist’s eating and drinking habits as they’re a veritable treasure trove of goodies. There’s biscuit and cupcake decoration, tea tasting, macaron and truffle making, and a class on how to make perfect pasta. We’ve no doubt that their variety of wine and beer tasting classes will be exceptionally popular too...
See the full list of food and drink classes.
All courses are designed for adults and can easily be fitted around full-time jobs or other commitments. So, what are you waiting for? Sign up today and make 2015 the year you learn something new.
