interesting classes in san francisco

December 25, 2008 11:31 AM

I will be living in San Francisco for seven months from the beginning of February to the beginning of September, and I'm looking for places to take affordable (and accessible art, language and other classes).

I will be living in the city off the J-Church and BART lines, but going out to the East Bay would be doable as well. I'm looking for a few good ways to meet people, and while I have other ideas in mind, I'd like to take a class or two for self-edification. I won't have a car. Stuff in San Fran is preferable, but not necessarily a requirement.

I am not a California resident, and won't be for the duration of this assignment, so I think that community college classes are out.

I'd like to find:
- advanced Spanish classes / beginning Portuguese classes
- a basic dance class
- a creative writing class
- a basic art class.

If the classes cost money, I'd prefer that it not be more than $300-350 for the duration. I don't need something super-professional, just something fun and where i could meet new people.

posted by waylaid to education (7 comments total)

Spanish, that's an easy one.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 2:56 PM on December 25, 2008

Writing workshops flow like wine. I'd audit them to find the right one for you.

Dance is tricky, kinda depends what kind of dance. Latin? Something traditional?

As for art, wait two years till you get residency and hit city college
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 3:09 PM on December 25, 2008

I don't think you need residency to take continuing ed classes at City College, and they're quite affordable. (I've taken an ornithology class there, and it was excellent.)
posted by rtha at 3:38 PM on December 25, 2008

@Milton: I'm only there for seven months....but those writing workshops look great.

@rtha: fantastic idea. I think CCSF may be my starting and stopping point!
posted by waylaid at 9:30 PM on December 25, 2008

There are dance classes all over town- ODC in the mission has an enormous schedule of all different kinds of classes that you can take.

You also might consider the Circus Center and Acrosports, they have great classes (a little pricey but you really do get what you pay for in this case) where you'll have tons of fun and meet really interesting people. It's worth taking a class at the Circus Center just to see the pros hanging out and working on their routines.
posted by tumbleweedjack at 9:32 PM on December 25, 2008

826 Valencia has a lot of cool writing workshops. And while you're there you can pick up some pirate swag!
posted by radioamy at 10:59 PM on December 25, 2008

Oh if you want to take hip hop dance, Micaya is the teacher. It looks like she has some classes ongoing in SF.
posted by radioamy at 11:01 PM on December 25, 2008