Summer FreeSkool Schedule

Please find descriptions of offered courses below:

Ceol Gaeilge as Damhsa - Irish Music and Dance
Instructors: Sam Krawec & Laurel Walsh
Contact: samkrawec@riseup.net
Day/Time: Wednesdays, 7-8pm
Location: InfoShop, 10 Summer Street

This class provides an opportunity for anyone interested in Irish music, dancing, or Celtic culture generally to meet up and learn some fun tunes and step dances! To participate in the music making you will need a penny whistle in D. They are available in most music stores for about $10; for example Ryson's Music on Court Street has a fine selection. No background or experience is required, all are welcome to grow and learn together, starting right from basic scales and steps. As we get more comfortable with the music we'll introduce a variety of common tunes and take any requests (The Lord of the Rings music? That whistle part from The Titanic?). Students can choose to spend the hour focusing on pennywhistle or step dancing if they prefer one over the other, but classes will end with everyone playing together - music and dance are inseparable!

Traditional music and dance bring people together from all walks of life, of all ages and for different reasons. These elements are the foundation of a sustainable community.

KindCycle
Instructor: Ben Krawec
Day/Time: Thursdays, 1-8pm
Instructor: benkrawec@gmail.com

Kind Cycle is a community based organization run with support from OPIRG. Kind Cycle’s primary goal is to ensure that the disadvantaged members of our society have the mobility they need in order to thrive independently. Kind Cycle does this by receiving donated bicycles and fixing them up so that they can be given away. The project was begun as part of an effort to ensure that the migrant workers in the Niagara Region have bikes in good working order to increase their quality of life, and that remains our primary focus. However, we also give bicycles to members of the local community, as well as offer free repairs and instruction on bike maintenance and repair. In conjunction with our primary goal we hope to encourage optimism and community bonding by providing a welcoming space for people to volunteer their time and talents for a greater purpose. We also seek to support a transition to a more sustainable, equitable and affordable way of life by providing environmentally sustainable transportation, showing initiative and making a direct and tangible demonstration of good will. This year Kind Cycle volunteers repaired numerous bikes, many of which were delivered to Migrant workers. The program also taught valuable skills to those wanting to learn bike repairs and maintenance. The InfoShop houses the Kind Cycle project. Donations to the Kind Cycle project for bike repairs help contribute to the “Sustain the InfoShop” fund.

KindCycle needs more teachers and students! We are in need of people who are either already experienced in bike repair or are eager to learn. We also need funding, parts, tools, bikes, and storage. This is a great opportunity great opportunity to help Migrant workers, learn bike repair, and build community.

If you are coming in to learn how to fix bikes it is recommended that you bring your bike for learning on, but it isn’t mandatory.

The Art of Breaking Boundaries
Instructor: Mike DiRisio
Contact: mike.dirisio@gmail.com
Day/Time: Thursdays 8-10 pm
Location: InfoShop, 10 Summer Street (right behind Pizza Pizza on St. Paul Street)

This class provides an opportunity for anyone interested in creating visual art to get together, meet and learn from other artists, and experiment with new techniques and media. No artistic background or experience is required, as each class will begin with the basics. Mediums and techniques may include drawing, painting, sculpture, found object, collage, printmaking (as we have access to a silkscreen) or anything else we can dream up. Each week will focus on a particular medium or combination of media (please contact instructor for schedule). As we get more comfortable with each medium, the class will act as a space to be creative and push boundaries. For more advanced students, we will also discuss ways in which the arts can address social and political issues, and act as a powerful means for social change. Please bring art supplies with you, as there will be a limited number of extra materials. In the first class we will discuss which media and techniques we're all interested in, and make the schedule of weekly media. The schedule of weekly media will then be posted on the OPIRG website (under the description of the class.

Beginners Guitar Class
Instructor Jaimie Godard
Contact: thisisjaimie@hotmail.com
Day/Time: every Friday of the month but the first one, 7-8 pm

This class is geared towards teaching the very basics of playing the guitar. My goal is to help students develop the skills necessary to eventually be able to teach themselves by practicing and learning songs. You do not need any knowledge of music theory or how to play guitar to take part in this class. You just need a guitar! I can also offer help getting started with bass, keys, or ukulele if anyone is interested. (BYOG) Bring your own guitar