# Chicago- Looking for Continuing Education **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 21, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-looking-for-continuing-education/460834 "2008-08-21T19:32:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-looking-for-continuing-education/460834/1 "2008-08-21T19:32:21Z")
My sister recently moved to Chicago and wants to take dance classes. I live in Minneapolis and we have pretty good adult continuing education stuff, like [this](http://commed.mpls.k12.mn.us/Adult_Enrichment.html). I just got a newsletter from them today and am stoked about possibly taking a class for next to nothing. So I thought, hey! Chicago must have something like this! I have Googled to little avail. Anyone in Chicago know if there’s something like community education for pretty cheap, around the brown line area? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-looking-for-continuing-education/460834/2 "2008-08-21T20:40:39Z")
I don’t know how cheap you are hoping for, but they have some neat classes at the [Old Town School of Folk Music.](http://oldtownschool.org/) Both the Lincoln Ave. and the Armitage locations are on the Brown Line. ---
**Author:** ![Alma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alma)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-looking-for-continuing-education/460834/3 "2008-08-21T20:48:07Z")
[QUOTE=Eva Luna] I don’t know how cheap you are hoping for, but they have some neat classes at the [Old Town School of Folk Music.](http://oldtownschool.org/) Both the Lincoln Ave. and the Armitage locations are on the Brown Line. [/QUOTE] I came in to mention the same thing. They are very [serious](http://oldtownschool.org/classes/adults/dance_ethnic.html) about dance. I don’t mean serious in a bad way, either, I’ve taken many classes there (not dance, though) and it’s always a wonderfully positive environment. The classes aren’t really cheap, though–I’d love to get into some of the dance classes, but I can’t afford anything else and I’m really invested in the ones I’m taking now. The dance students are always excited (and sweaty), and when I look through the classroom window they always look like they’re having a blast. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-looking-for-continuing-education/460834/4 "2008-08-21T20:59:50Z")
[QUOTE=Alma] I The classes aren’t really cheap, though–I’d love to get into some of the dance classes, but I can’t afford anything else and I’m really invested in the ones I’m taking now. The dance students are always excited (and sweaty), and when I look through the classroom window they always look like they’re having a blast. [/QUOTE] They used to offer discounts on classes for each hour you spend volunteering at the school - you might want to check whether they still do that, if that’s something you’re potentially interested in. ---
**Author:** ![Alma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alma)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-looking-for-continuing-education/460834/5 "2008-08-21T21:00:58Z")
You know, I had heard that not too long ago and promptly forgot all about it. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-looking-for-continuing-education/460834/6 "2008-08-21T21:47:46Z")
That looks great, just the type of think I was looking for. Yeah, it is a little pricey, but I know that our parents were willing to get her a class for some sort of gift, so that’ll help her get involved. I was really surprised that I couldn’t find any sort of community center doing dance classes, but I suspect that a more serious place is more what she’s looking for. And I think she’d get a kick out of volunteering, too. I know she’d love to teach dance, or be involved in some way with a studio. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-looking-for-continuing-education/460834/7 "2008-08-21T21:53:47Z")
Here’s a list of 61 meetup groups within 25 miles of zip 60610. [http://www.meetup.com/search/?keywords=dance&radius=25&country=us&locationPickerRef=0&dbCo=us&dbOutsideUsLink=&zip=60610&submitButton=Search](http://www.meetup.com/search/?keywords=dance&radius=25&country=us&locationPickerRef=0&dbCo=us&dbOutsideUsLink=&zip=60610&submitButton=Search) ---
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-looking-for-continuing-education/460834/8 "2008-08-21T22:23:32Z")
I’ll pass that on, too. Thanks, **lobotomyboy**. That’s just the kind of thing I never would have thought of. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-looking-for-continuing-education/460834/9 "2008-08-21T22:29:36Z")
[QUOTE=Zjestika] I’ll pass that on, too. Thanks, **lobotomyboy**. That’s just the kind of thing I never would have thought of. [/QUOTE] No problem. Here are 32 volunteer groups within 25 miles. > **[Meetup | Group not found](https://www.meetup.com/search/?keywords=volunteer&radius=25&country=us&locationPickerRef=0&dbCo=us&dbOutsideUsLink=&dbZip=60610&zip=60610&submitButton=Search)** ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-looking-for-continuing-education/460834/10 "2008-08-21T23:11:10Z")
[QUOTE=Zjestika] I was really surprised that I couldn’t find any sort of community center doing dance classes! [/QUOTE] You may also want to check out what the [Park District](http://programs.chicagoparkdistrict.com/programBrowser/) offers. ---
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-looking-for-continuing-education/460834/11 "2008-08-21T23:32:41Z")
That is excellent. Thank you, **Eva Luna**. Now she has tons of options. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-looking-for-continuing-education/460834/12 "2008-08-22T01:53:50Z")
Since the OP is requesting advice, this is better suited for IMHO than GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator