Sticking around for the summer? Well you’re probably going to end up with a lot of spare time on your hands – indoors. Here’s a thought: why not fill that time by learning a new skill? If you’ve always fancied yourself as an undiscovered artist, musician or dancer, or perhaps just want to brush up on your language skills, there’s somewhere in Abu Dhabi you can go to realise your potential – and now’s the time to make it happen. We’ve found 21 exciting skills that you can learn over the next month or so, and we’re sure one of them will suit you down to the ground.
Bang some drums
As the city quiets down for the summer, you’ll soon find yourself lumbered with a lot of excess energy. Let off some steam by making a racket over at the International Music Institute, where they’re offering personal drumming tuition (as well as classes in guitar, if you’d rather be John or Paul than Ringo) throughout the hotter months. You’ll be bashing away for the delight of the crowds at PJ O’Reilly’s by Christmas. Maybe.
Dhs90 for 30 minutes, Dhs45 for 45 minutes, Dhs170 for an hour. Open daily 9am-noon, 3pm-8.30pm. Bin Halyal building, Zayed the 1st Street, Al Khalidiyah (02 621 1949).
Sing like a diva
If people start running for cover when you start reaching for the karaoke mic, it’s high time you did something about it. If you want to improve your warbling, a few singing lessons ought to do the job. The International Music Institute offers vocal training for adults and children over five, alongside classes in a variety of instruments. Head on down and unleash your inner Beyoncé.
International Music Institute. Bin Halyal building, Zayed the 1st Street, Al Khalidiyah (02 621 1949).
Cover a canvas with oil paint
Try your hand at an oil painting class and you could be well on the way to creating the next ‘Mona Lisa’ before the summer is out. You’ll learn how to mix your paints to develop the best colours and effects on the canvas, and then all you’ll need is some inspiration to create a classic masterpiece – Abu Dhabi sunset, anyone?
Dhs500 per month. National Theatre (02 657 6355).
Play the Oud
House of Oud’s Syrian tutor describes his instrument as ‘the grandfather of the guitar’, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s a doddle to play. Those with experience in axemanship will certainly have an advantage, but for musical newcomers, this 12-stringed, fretless cousin of the European lute is a surprisingly tricky beast. As well as tuition in musical theory and technique, the school also demonstrates how students can make their own oud – a skill considered as crucial to mastering the instrument as strumming and picking.
Dhs1,000 per month for three one-hour lessons a week. House of Oud, behind One to One Hotel (02 641 5699).
Paint glass
Arts ’n’ crafty types will love ADACH’s glass painting sessions, where you’ll learn techniques for decorating windows, candle holders and glasses. Who needs boring old paper and canvas when you can create designs that take on a whole different appearance when illuminated by morning sunshine or evening light?
Dhs500 per month National Theatre (02 657 6355).
Snap cool photos
With modern digital cameras cramming in more buttons and dials than your average space station, it pays to know what you’re doing before you decide to get snap happy. Thankfully, with Abu Dhabi International Photographic Society running sessions at ADACH throughout the summer, you need never clog up your memory card with blurry nonsense ever again. There are basic, intermediate and advanced classes on offer, in which you’ll learn how to perk up your pics by tinkering with your aperture, shutter speed and more.
Dhs300 per month for three sessions a week. Classes take place Thursday 5pm-7pm at ADACH, Airport Road (02 657 6355).
Practise the art of calligraphy
As one of the most ancient and respected disciplines of the Arab world, calligraphy has always been among the capital’s most popular artistic pursuits. And who better to learn from than Mohammed Mandi – the artist behind the calligraphic designs currently gracing the UAE’s bank notes, as well as the 99 names of Allah on the Qibla inside Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque? The master quill-smith hosts weekly sessions for adults at Al Qattara Arts Centre in Al Ain, and these are open to scribes of all experience levels.
Classes cost Dhs300 per month. Thursdays, 10am-noon (ladies), 5pm-7pm (men). Call 03 761 8080 for information and bookings.
Sculpt a masterpiece
Reckon you could be the next Anthony Gormley or Henry Moore? Get involved with ADACH’s courses to gain experience in a variety of different three-dimensional disciplines, from delicate, realist carvings to bolder, abstract creations. The course might be pricier than most, but at least you’ll have something nice to put on your mantelpiece once you’ve finished. Or a semi-attractive doorstop, at the very least.
Dhs500 per month. Mondays and Wednesdays, 10-noon and 6-8pm. Call 02 657 6355.
Experiment with silk painting
If you like experimenting with bold, rich colours and patterns, a series of silk painting classes might be just the thing to unleash your inner artist. Designs can be as complex or simple as you like and it’s relatively easy to create a striking piece you can display in your home afterwards to elicit gasps from admiring visitors. ‘Oh that? Yes, just something I painted earlier…’
Dhs 500 per month. National Theatre (02 657 6355).
Sketch a scene
One of the more affordable and most rewarding skills, all you need to whip up a prime piece of art is a few pencils and a sketch pad. And while a hefty helping of raw talent is also pretty useful, almost anyone can create something wall-worthy with enough practice and the right teacher. Give Al Qattara Arts Centre’s classes a go, and you could soon be throwing around words such as ‘perspective’ and ‘charcoal sketch’ as though you were Van Gogh himself (only hopefully without all the tragedy).
Al Qattara Arts Centre in Al Ain has lessons in drawing for both kids and adults. Call 03 761 8080 for information.
Be a fashion designer
What could be more rewarding than designing your very own piece of clothing? If you want a one-off creation, but don’t want to splurge on a designer piece, ADACH is offering courses in sewing and design. Get good enough, and you could soon be sporting the season’s latest looks cut and sewn by your own fair hand.
ADACH. Call 02 657 6355 for information.
Design the perfect home
Can’t learn good taste? Rubbish, of course you can. Taking an interior design course will help you develop your own style and ideas about choosing themes for rooms, making the most of space and natural light and, of course, matching different colours, fabrics and styles. Then you can go home and fix up your pad just the way you want it over the summer.
Dhs500 per month National Theatre (02 657 6355).
Spice up the dance floor
Funky outfits, swirling skirts, and seriously hot beats to move to – what’s not to like about salsa dancing? It’s one of the few dance classes you might even be able to drag your male friends along to. Zayed Sports City’s The Clubhouse holds regular classes in contemporary Latin American dancing on Wednesdays, taught by members of the Abu Dhabi Salsa Team. Lessons are followed by complimentary snacks and social dancing with the DJ playing a mix of salsa music, bachata, zouk and merengue until midnight. Best of all, the classes are completely free.
Intermediate and advanced classes are from 8pm onwards, and beginner’s classes from 9pm until 10pm. ZSC, The Clubhouse (02 403 4200).
Float around the ballroom
Whether you’re panicking because there’s a traditional wedding coming up, or just fancy learning a few romantic moves with your partner, it’s always a good time to learn the waltz. Prepare to drift around the ballroom, or opt for some of the quicker dances such as the foxtrot, tango or quickstep. Learn the waltz to dance at a wedding, or simply to float dreamily in your partner’s arms. Try the social foxtrot or get energised with the quickstep or the sharp movements of the ballroom tango.
Classes run throughout the summer at Hilton Abu Dhabi and InterContinental. Call 050 4101 535 or visit www.danceabudhabi.com for class details.
Become a computer whizz
You might be looking to boost your career by souping up your IT skills, or you might just want a refresher course in some of the basic programs. Whatever you need to turn you into a computer whizz, you can learn it at New Horizons, which offers a range of courses, including everything from using design software to making the most of the basic office programs you use on a day-to day basis. If you want to get up to speed across the board, consider the Microsoft Office Application course that covers Powerpoint, Excel, Word and the rest of the Microsoft Office package at basic, intermediate and advanced levels.
Prices and timings of courses on request.
Call New Horizons on 02 626 6667, or visit www.newhorizons.com.
Fold some Origami
One of the most iconic pieces of origami is the crane. And if you can fold 1,000 to perfection, you’ll be granted a wish (at least according to Japanese legend – we can’t guarantee this). Classes and demonstrations are often held in the city (keep an eye on the Japanese Embassy website – www.uae.emb-japan.go.jp), but you can master it at home. Stock up on materials at Daiso in Al Wahda Mall (02 643 7863) and get folding.
Develop magic hands
Think of the Beach Rotana’s couple’s massage lessons as an investment in domestic bliss. Visit with a loved one and you’ll learn a series of basic Balinese massage techniques that you can practise on each other under the watchful eye of one of the hotel’s expert masseuses. You’ll be taught about which muscle groups to pay attention to, spine positioning, knots and pressure, as well as the smaller professional details, such as making sure you tuck a towel under your partner’s toes so their feet don’t get cold during the massage. And, of course, you’re left with the perfect excuse to demand a massage at home next time you’ve had a hard day at work.
Massage lesson Dhs350 for one hour, Dhs525 for 90 minutes, Dhs700 for two hours, all subject to 10 per cent service charge and six per cent tourism fee. Zen The Spa, Beach Rotana (02 697 9000).
Learn to drive
Always fantasising about road trips to cooler parts of the Emirates? Want to explore the sand dunes, coastal areas and mountains of the UAE? Abu Dhabi’s roads might seem a little daunting whether you’re an experienced driver or not, but once you’ve learnt how to drive, you’ll have the freedom and flexibility to take yourself adventuring right across the country.
Emirates Driving Company (02 551 1911).
Speak a new language
Page editor Rebecca Morice brushes up on her Japanese
‘Everyone has their reasons for picking a language to learn, and, due to the huge number of expats from a huge variety of backgrounds, if you want to learn in Abu Dhabi there are plenty to choose from. I had always wanted to speak a language other than my native Welsh and English, and a love of manga, Murukami and Harajuku style made Japanese the obvious choice for me. Unfortunately, growing up in a tiny village in Wales, I had never actually met a Japanese person – let alone spoken to one – until I was 20 (turns out, Llangwyryfon, with its sheep, grass and not much else, is not a big draw for Tokyoites).
I tried to learn from a book at first, but I found that while I was learning about politeness levels and sentence structure, masu verbs and particles, I couldn’t really get to grips with the flow of the language. Before I came to Abu Dhabi, I had managed to find a tutor and pass a GCSE, but arriving in the city with the pressure of a new job meant my language skills soon started to slip. When I discovered I could continue my studies in the city, it was something of a relief. I took the level six class, and although some of it was material I had covered before, the fact that the tutor only spoke in Japanese really boosted my learning.
He also taught a more natural, conversational level of politeness, so whereas all my GCSE studies had been geared towards polite speech, I was now learning the more practical day-to-day forms. The classes are from level one-six, and you can try out different levels in the first week of study to see which one suits you best. They cater to students of all ages and from a variety of backgrounds – and you’ll definitely be made to feel welcome.’
Dhs300. Classes are run by the UAE-Japan Society. Full details and application forms are available on the Japanese Embassy website, www.uae.emb-japan.go.jp/cultureandeducation.htm.
Mould some clay
Art & Culture editor David Clack has a go on a potter’s wheel.
‘I’m convinced that the potter’s wheel is one of the most fraudulently portrayed pieces of apparatus in history. How can something that looks so simple and graceful be so infuriatingly difficult to get to grips with? Demi Moore managed okay in Ghost, and she had Patrick Swayze’s wandering hands to worry about. Yet when I got my mitts mucky during a recent visit to Abu Dhabi Pottery, things didn’t go quite so smoothly.
‘Centering your clay is the first challenge (and was my first stumbling block) – fail to make sure your raw material is smack bang in the middle of your wheel and free of air bubbles, and you might as well replace your hands with wooden spoons.
Having furnished me with a fresh lump of clay, owner, proprietor and whirlwind potter Homa Farley showed me how to press my thumb in the centre to create a well, then cup my left hand around the edge while applying pressure to the inside of the well to coax the sides of my pot upwards. After some brief success (at least three or four seconds’ worth) things started to get wobbly. Seconds later, it’s in two pieces – a ragged ring of clay in my right hand and an unsightly splat slumped over in the middle of the wheel. ‘Don’t worry,’ said Homa, nursing my ego. She nodded at the limp hoop of brown still clenched hopefully in my right fist. ‘Everyone ends up with a bracelet after their first go.’
Homa hosts pottery building and throwing classes every Saturday, 4.30pm-6pm for children and adults, and 6pm-7.30pm for adults only, with the same classes on Sunday, plus an additional 10.30am-noon session. Each session is priced at Dhs150, or Dhs480 for four weeks of classes. Abu Dhabi Pottery is located on 16th Street, opposite Khalidiyah Garden. Call 02 666 7079 for more information.
Be a make-up artist
Deputy editor Helen Elfer learned how to make the most of her make-up
‘Before meeting make-up artist Lina Hussein, my cosmetics bag included several ancient capsules of garish eye shadow, a crusty mascara, a couple of eyeliners and four or five lipsticks that I’ve never, ever worn. And don’t like. And am not even really sure where they came from in the first place – but the thought of just binning them had simply never crossed my mind. ‘Lina’s popular lessons are targeted at anyone who needs a hand with their make-up, including persuading people like me to ditch the old stuff that doesn’t suit them.
She helps out professionals who want an office-appropriate look, mums who bring their daughters in the hopes they’ll skip the goth-meets-tramp stage and anyone else who’s just after advice on the type of products that suit them. During my session, Lina taught me which shades looked good with my colouring and gave me lots of application tips that made a huge difference to the way the make-up looked. Zig-zagging the mascara brush and blending everything until there are no hard lines were the two pieces of advice that stuck in my mind and really made a difference to the way certain products looked. I’d recommend the session to anyone who likes using make-up, because it’s a really fun, girly way to spend the afternoon.
Afterwards, Lina even gives you a printout of all the advice she gave you during the session, complete with diagrams, so you don’t forget all her tips. I had to return to the office wearing a full face of dramatic, glittery shades, but if you want to make better use of your new look, book a session with Lina before you go out for the evening – she’ll not just leave you looking glamorous, but also with all the skills you need to recreate the look for yourself in future.’
Lina’s Make-up Artistry. Call 050 937 6640 or visit www.linasmakeup.com for a list of prices.
