Lockdown is opportunity to find our creative side
Will Scotland emerge from Covid-19 as a nation of polyglots, dancers, musicians and yoga masters, or will we slump back to our old pre-pandemic couch potato habits?
Certainly, there are plenty options for those with a desire to put this enforced downtime to positive use, and a diverse range of online hobbies, pastimes and new skills can offer up something of interest for even the hardest to please.
LET'S DANCE
With summer holidays and foreign jaunts confined to wishful thinking, some may welcome the chance to import an invigorating splash of South American style in to their living rooms, and Scotland’s leading Argentine tango tutors, Jenny and Ricardo Oria, can do just that.
With their popular weekly dance classes at Dance Base in the Grassmarket and St Paul’s Church in Pilrig put on hold, the dashing couple are helping dancers to practice their tango embrace and steps with a series of online courses.
The classes are suitable for all levels, including newcomers who may want to dip in to the world of tango before starting classes post-lockdown, and they can be taken by individuals or couples.
Jenny and Ricardo have been dancing together since 2002 and appear regularly at tango festivals throughout the UK and Europe.
Jenny said: “We really miss our teaching classes but we have not been sitting around with our feet up. After a lot of late nights and early mornings, we are excited to present our online tango offering and we we are adding to it every day.
“These on-line tutorials focus on techniques for both roles, solo techniques, core steps and variations, and are designed for all different levels. We have done everything as a subscription service, so people can pay per month and can cancel whenever they want.” www.oriatango.com
LET'S TALK
For those who have promised for years to get yacking in a foreign language, Yakety Yak Language Café now have an online offering for anyone looking to parlo
Italiano, or indeed improve their French, Spanish, German, Gaelic, Portuguese, Greek, Japanese, Chinese or Russian.
Pre-coronavirus, Yakety Yak met in small conversational groups in cafés and bistros in Edinburgh, Glasgow and East Lothian, with each group hosted by a native speaking tutor.
Participants need a basic knowledge of their particular language and to be able to hold a simple conversation. Now, Yakety Yak is keeping conversation alive with online sessions.
Yakety Yak founder, Jordan Peyroche, said: “Zoom works very well for our needs and since going online, as well as our regulars in Edinburgh and Glasgow, we have had new participants from the Borders, the Highlands, London and the Netherlands.
"When our meetings get back to normal we will keep the online service for people who are isolated or who love too far away to travel to our meet-ups in person.”
yaketyyak-languagecafe.co.uk
For those who prefer 1-1 lingua, Edinburgh based Italian-French couple Mariangela Cafagna and Julien Presles offer classes in their native languages from beginners to all levels. Tailored lessons, study plans or just the chance to chat to a fluent speaker, are provided on Skype or Zoom and they offer the first trial lesson free to see if it suits the starter student.
Mariangela, who hails from Puglia on Italy's heel, said: “For people stuck at home in this strange situation it’s an ideal time to take up that language they always promised they would learn and to keep their minds busy. We have seen a real increase in the number of weekly lessons, and if people can’t get away on holiday at least the language can visit them.
"I have been teaching Italian online since 2016 and I really love my job. It is my goal to combine my range of experience with my ability to be an upbeat, enthusiastic and informative tutor who will make a positive contribution to the improvement of your Italian."
Parisian Julien moved to the UK in 2012 in order to perfect his English, and has taught French to hundreds of students over the last eight years.
He said: "Throughout these years I have had the privilege to teach to a diverse range of people, from children to seniors, from beginners to advanced level, from people coming from the UK to people coming all the way from South Korea."
Online lessons can be 30, 60 or 90 minutes and their colleagues offer teaching in Chinese, Portuguese and Spanish. www.languagesunited.org
LET'S MOVE
For people confined to home yoga may be a solution for keeping body and soul refreshed in these challenging times.
A number of city yoga studios
"After a lot of late nights and early mornings, we are excited to present our online tango offering."
have taken classes online, including The Yoga Room in Forth Street, whose owner, Stacey Chavis, said: “Making time for yourself and your practice has never been more important than it is today.
"During this time of social distancing, we have an opportunity to pause and ‘refuel’ in preparation for our return to life after lockdown. Our studio has been forced to temporarily close its doors due to Covid-19 however my classes, and several of my partner teachers, have simply moved online.” edinburghyogaroom.com
LET'S PLAY
And lockdown blues could be lifted with a tinkling of the ivories as music teacher Andrew Walker offers flexible lessons for children, young people and adult of all ages.
Pre-pandemic, the Andrew Walker School of Music taught more than 45 students a week in three locations at Bruntsfield, Elm Row and Barnton Park, but online piano tuition could be music to the ears of people (if not their neighbours) who have had their fill of Netflix and crave something more creative.
andrewwalkerpiano.com