Experience Level: Beginner

Learn about the high-energy dances that dominated the early 20th century at Historical Dancing: Titanic to the Talkies on Tuesdays, Sept. 23 through Oct. 28 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Mansion Library.

Instructor Jeanette Watts will help students explore the one step, castle walk, tango, foxtrot, Charleston, black bottom and other delights of early jazz.

In this era, the music was so infectious it required new kinds of dancing to go with it! Ragtime took over ballrooms with dances that shocked as well as delighted, while syncopated rhythms turned into the jazz of the Roaring Twenties. Meanwhile, Rudolph Valentino’s movie tango kept ballroom dancers like Irene and Vernon Castle popular.

$25/class (or $110/person for the entire series). Registration will close Sept. 21, two days prior to each class, or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia Bunting at owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Jeanette Watts has been teaching historical dances for more than 20 years. She is the founder of the Terpsichorean Delights Dance Assembly in Dayton, Ohio, Queen City Vintage Dance in Charlotte, North Carolina, and spent covid writing an 8-volume series of instructional dance manuals for historical museums.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn about how to improve your health by letting go of highly processed foods at Basics of Plant-Based eating on Wednesday, Nov. 5 from 5 to 7 p.m. in The Studio.

Instructor Karla Freeze will share the story of how she regained her health by adding more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds to her diet. She will also provide resources and tips for a healthy journey, including the six pillars of health as outlined by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

$25/person. Registration will close Oct. 29 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Karla Freeze credits the plant-based lifestyle she switched to about 12 years ago for greatly improving her health, helping her to reverse ailments including type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, psoriasis, sleep apnea, while also helping her lose weight.

“Plant-based education is my passion,” she said.

Karla has done many educational sessions throughout central Illinois and worked with an international dining services company in presenting health sessions in Dallas and Houston.

Experience Level: Beginner

Give new life to an old picture frame at Fix It! Picture Framing Basics on Thursday, Nov. 6 from 4 to 6 p.m. in The Studio.

Instructor Lou Ann Koebel will cover the basics of picture framing with store-bought mats and frames. This hands-on class will safely cover how to handle plate glass and use both hand and cordless drills as students work on a small framing project to take home.

$55/person*. Registration will close Nov. 3 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

*Students should bring:
— Scratch awl (example here)
— Side cutter pliers (example here)
— 12-inch ruler or retractable measuring tape
— Medium-size Phillips screwdriver
— Students are also encouraged to bring a picture frame project to discuss in class, their matt and  hardware options.

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia Bunting at owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Lou Ann Koebel currently leads a weekly dulcimer jam for the East Central Dulcimer Illinois Dulcimer Club at Lincoln Square. She also plays in a local band that visits and performs at local assisted living facilities.

Koebel has taught beginning dulcimer classes for The Farms, where she has had a wonderful time teaching the group and realized her love of teaching and passing on the tradition of playing a mountain dulcimer. Lou Ann also plays at area music festivals.

Experience Level: Beginner 

Have you ever had a smell trigger a memory? Learn why that happens at Herbal Magic: The Power of Aromatherapy on Thursday, Nov. 20 or Dec. 11 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Auditorium. 

In this hands-on workshop, instructor Candy Reeder will present the science behind how scents use your olfactory system to work with your body chemistry, and how to use this process to enhance physical, mental and emotional wellness.  

Students will also have the chance to create their own custom aromatherapy blend of essential oils and herbs to take home. 

$65/person. Registration will close 1 week prior to each class or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.  

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email owarren@illinois.edu. 

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken. 

About the instructor 

In 2018 Candy moved from a busy city to Champaign, where she truly met nature. She began gardening and wild schooling with her six kids, learning about native plants and wildlife, how to both give to and receive from Earth, creating natural remedies from “weeds”, and the power of connecting with nature to balance stress and sadness. Candy’s business is called Joyfully Blooming because she loves helping people find joy in discovering their authentic, natural self, hidden under the facade of social demands. 

Experience Level: Beginner 

Have you ever had a smell trigger a memory? Learn why that happens at Herbal Magic: The Power of Aromatherapy on Thursday, Nov. 20 or Dec. 11 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Auditorium. 

In this hands-on workshop, instructor Candy Reeder will present the science behind how scents use your olfactory system to work with your body chemistry, and how to use this process to enhance physical, mental and emotional wellness.  

Students will also have the chance to create their own custom aromatherapy blend of essential oils and herbs to take home. 

$65/person. Registration will close 1 week prior to each class or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.  

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email owarren@illinois.edu. 

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken. 

About the instructor 

In 2018 Candy moved from a busy city to Champaign, where she truly met nature. She began gardening and wild schooling with her six kids, learning about native plants and wildlife, how to both give to and receive from Earth, creating natural remedies from “weeds”, and the power of connecting with nature to balance stress and sadness. Candy’s business is called Joyfully Blooming because she loves helping people find joy in discovering their authentic, natural self, hidden under the facade of social demands. 

Step back in time and celebrate the season with easy-to-learn dances at a Victorian Christmas Soirée on Monday, Dec. 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Mansion Library. Jeanette Watts will lead you in period dances perfect for beginners and seasoned dancers alike. Enjoy festive drinks and light snacks, mingle with fellow history enthusiasts and immerse yourself in the holiday spirit.

Victorian costumes are encouraged but not required. Whether you choose a full ensemble or just a touch of 19th-century flair, come ready to dance and enjoy a magical evening!

$30/person. Register by Dec. 10. All sales are final.

If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate, please email owarren@illinois.edu.