• Tuesdays, 7:30 – 8:30 pm

    Tai Chi is the slow, meditative Chinese martial art practiced to promote health, balance, mental calm, and clarity. Come and join us to learn and practice this profound and wonderful art. No previous experience is necessary.
    • Ages: Adults and Mature Teens 14+
    • Session: Ongoing, meets year-round
    • Instructor: Uri Sella
    • Cost: Pay-what-you-can (suggested donation of $5/class.) Pay online below or in person before class with cash/check
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • How to Register: Email classes@cliftonculturalarts.org with “Tai Chi” in the subject line.
    This is a "Pay-what-you-can" class! We determine the "suggested donation" amount based on the absolute minimum that it costs the center to run this class. If that amount is out of your reach today, enter an amount that you are comfortable with in the box below, then hit "donate" to register. If you can afford it, we encourage you to pay the "suggested donation" amount (or more) so CCAC can continue offering creative experiences that are available and accessible to everyone! If you do not see a "donate" option, the program is full.
    Uri Sella Uri grew up in Israel, where he served in the Israeli army and studied law. Upon graduation, he clerked on the Israeli Supreme Court and, in 1994, moved to New York City to start a career as a corporate lawyer. In New York, he discovered a passion to express himself with paint. Twice a week, after a long day in the office, he would shed his suit and tie and travel downtown to attend Jack Potter’s evening classes on drawing and composition at the School of Visual Arts. Several years later, he decided to abandon the practice of law and joined his wife in Cincinnati. Upon the birth of his first child, he became a stay-at-home father. He also studies and teaches tai chi.
  • Tuesdays, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.

    Born in Southern California during the Swing Era, Balboa is a close position partner dance that mixes well with Lindy Hop and Charleston. Legend has it that the dance halls in that region were so packed that dancers had to confine their movements to smaller spaces, giving rise to the style and technique of Balboa.
    • Age: Adults
    • Session: April 30 - May 21 (4 weeks)
    • Difficulty Level: Medium/Low
    • Instructor: Joel Domoe
    • Cost:
      • One (4-week) Session of Balboa: $40
      • One (4-week) Session of Balboa and Vernacular Jazz: $60
      • Drop In (1-hour) Balboa: $15
      • Drop In (2-hours) Balboa and Vernacular Jazz: $20
    • Class Size: minimum of 8 students required to run class, no more than 16 enrolled.
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: April 26, 2024
    Joel Domoe Joel Domoe coordinates the design, development, and teaching of Swing Dance Foundations in collaboration with CCAC and other swing dance luminaries in the Cincinnati Area. Joel is the founder of SupermurgaNati, whose mission is: To amaze, enable, and empower Cincinnati's Jitterbugs and Lindy Hoppers creatively, technically, and socially by providing opportunities for elite instruction, generous mentoring, exciting collaboration, supportive connections, and amazing dance. Joel has been teaching, performing, community building, and producing events in the Swing Dance community all over the Eastern United States for 25 years. He is a former Virginia State Open Jitterbug Champion and Southwestern Regional Lindy Hop Champion. He has served as Competition Coordinator and/or Head Judge for the American Lindy Hop Championships (Stamford, CT), Lindy Focus (Asheville, NC), and Beantown Dance Camp (Boston, MA) multiple times. Joel has taught classes at far too many events to name. He is a founding and honorary lifetime member of the Piedmont Swing Dance Society in Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and was a founding member and first president of the Atlanta Swing Era Dance Association. He has founded and directed three different Swing Dance Troupes: Bums and Bombshells (Greensboro, NC), Heavens to Murgatroid! (Atlanta, GA), and The Cinci SnapShots (Cincinnati, OH). In Cincinnati, among other things, Joel served as a co-producer of SwinGallery (Cincinnati’s longest-running weekly swing dance event) from 2006-2016. To learn more about SupermurgaNati, find out exactly who is teaching each course, and see other activities and offerings, please visit supermurganati.com.
    • All classes are open to students with any range of experience, from beginners learning for the first time to experienced dancers looking to solidify fundamentals or expand their knowledge base.
    • Students are not required to bring a partner to class.
    • In class, we use a partner rotation system where Leads dance with all the Follows and Follows dance with all the Leads. All students are expected to participate in the rotation unless there is an extenuating circumstance. Our classes are not designed for students to stay with the same partner.
    • Students are allowed to choose their own role in class, Lead or Follow. Students may also switch roles as frequently as they like.
    • It is highly likely that in every class, students will dance with some partners of the same gender and some of different genders during the rotation. The expectation is that all students be respectful of all other students at all times.
  • Tuesdays, 8:15 - 9:15 p.m.

    Charleston, Shim Sham, and Big Apple are some of the African-American dances that became world-wide crazes and are featured in this class. We’ll introduce you to “vernacular” movements such as Suzy Q, Shorty George, Tacky Annie, Spank the Baby, and Camel Walks so you can “speak the language” of Swing Dance.
    • Age: Adults
    • Session: April 30 - May 21 (4 weeks)
    • Difficulty Level: Medium/Low
    • Instructor: Joel Domoe
    • Cost:
      • One (4-week) Session of Vernacular Jazz: $40
      • One (4-week) Session of Both April 2024 Classes (Balboa and Vernacular Jazz): $60
      • One A la Carte (1-hour) May Class: $15
      • Both A la Carte (2-hours) May Classes: $20
    • Class Size: minimum of 8 students required to run class, no more than 16 enrolled.
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: April 26, 2024
    Joel Domoe Joel Domoe coordinates the design, development, and teaching of Swing Dance Foundations in collaboration with CCAC and other swing dance luminaries in the Cincinnati Area. Joel is the founder of SupermurgaNati, whose mission is: To amaze, enable, and empower Cincinnati's Jitterbugs and Lindy Hoppers creatively, technically, and socially by providing opportunities for elite instruction, generous mentoring, exciting collaboration, supportive connections, and amazing dance. Joel has been teaching, performing, community building, and producing events in the Swing Dance community all over the Eastern United States for 25 years. He is a former Virginia State Open Jitterbug Champion and Southwestern Regional Lindy Hop Champion. He has served as Competition Coordinator and/or Head Judge for the American Lindy Hop Championships (Stamford, CT), Lindy Focus (Asheville, NC), and Beantown Dance Camp (Boston, MA) multiple times. Joel has taught classes at far too many events to name. He is a founding and honorary lifetime member of the Piedmont Swing Dance Society in Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and was a founding member and first president of the Atlanta Swing Era Dance Association. He has founded and directed three different Swing Dance Troupes: Bums and Bombshells (Greensboro, NC), Heavens to Murgatroid! (Atlanta, GA), and The Cinci SnapShots (Cincinnati, OH). In Cincinnati, among other things, Joel served as a co-producer of SwinGallery (Cincinnati’s longest-running weekly swing dance event) from 2006-2016. To learn more about SupermurgaNati, find out exactly who is teaching each course, and see other activities and offerings, please visit supermurganati.com.
    • All classes are open to students with any range of experience, from beginners learning for the first time to experienced dancers looking to solidify fundamentals or expand their knowledge base.
    • Students are not required to bring a partner to class.
    • In class, we use a partner rotation system where Leads dance with all the Follows and Follows dance with all the Leads. All students are expected to participate in the rotation unless there is an extenuating circumstance. Our classes are not designed for students to stay with the same partner.
    • Students are allowed to choose their own role in class, Lead or Follow. Students may also switch roles as frequently as they like.
    • It is highly likely that in every class, students will dance with some partners of the same gender and some of different genders during the rotation. The expectation is that all students be respectful of all other students at all times.
  • Tuesdays, 8:15 - 9:15 p.m.

    Emerging in the 1920s as a combination of the rhythm, styling and technique of African Dance (a la The Charleston) with the lead/follow partnering aspects of European dances (like the Waltz), Lindy Hop takes its name from a coincidental historical event of the same time period: the first ever trans-atlantic flight piloted by Charles Lindberg in 1927. Created by African-Americans and traditionally danced to Big Band Jazz Music, Lindy Hop is the “founding father” of all future Swing Dance idioms.
    • Age: Adults
    • Session: April 2 - April 23 (4 weeks)
    • Difficulty Level: Medium
    • Instructor: Joel Domoe
    • Cost:
      • One (4-week) Session of Lindy Hop: $40
      • One (4-week) Session of Both April 2024 Classes (Partnered Charleston and Lindy Hop): $60
      • One A la Carte (1-hour) April Class: $15
      • Both A la Carte (2-hours) April Classes: $20
    • Class Size: minimum of 8 students required to run class, no more than 16 enrolled.
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: March 29, 2024
    Joel Domoe Joel Domoe coordinates the design, development, and teaching of Swing Dance Foundations in collaboration with CCAC and other swing dance luminaries in the Cincinnati Area. Joel is the founder of SupermurgaNati, whose mission is: To amaze, enable, and empower Cincinnati's Jitterbugs and Lindy Hoppers creatively, technically, and socially by providing opportunities for elite instruction, generous mentoring, exciting collaboration, supportive connections, and amazing dance. Joel has been teaching, performing, community building, and producing events in the Swing Dance community all over the Eastern United States for 25 years. He is a former Virginia State Open Jitterbug Champion and Southwestern Regional Lindy Hop Champion. He has served as Competition Coordinator and/or Head Judge for the American Lindy Hop Championships (Stamford, CT), Lindy Focus (Asheville, NC), and Beantown Dance Camp (Boston, MA) multiple times. Joel has taught classes at far too many events to name. He is a founding and honorary lifetime member of the Piedmont Swing Dance Society in Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and was a founding member and first president of the Atlanta Swing Era Dance Association. He has founded and directed three different Swing Dance Troupes: Bums and Bombshells (Greensboro, NC), Heavens to Murgatroid! (Atlanta, GA), and The Cinci SnapShots (Cincinnati, OH). In Cincinnati, among other things, Joel served as a co-producer of SwinGallery (Cincinnati’s longest-running weekly swing dance event) from 2006-2016. To learn more about SupermurgaNati, find out exactly who is teaching each course, and see other activities and offerings, please visit supermurganati.com.
    • All classes are open to students with any range of experience, from beginners learning for the first time to experienced dancers looking to solidify fundamentals or expand their knowledge base.
    • Students are not required to bring a partner to class.
    • In class, we use a partner rotation system where Leads dance with all the Follows and Follows dance with all the Leads. All students are expected to participate in the rotation unless there is an extenuating circumstance. Our classes are not designed for students to stay with the same partner.
    • Students are allowed to choose their own role in class, Lead or Follow. Students may also switch roles as frequently as they like.
    • It is highly likely that in every class, students will dance with some partners of the same gender and some of different genders during the rotation. The expectation is that all students be respectful of all other students at all times.
  • Tuesdays, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.

    Charleston and Lindy Hop are inexplicably linked together technically and historically. This class will focus on some of the more complex movement ideas in Lindy Hop. They feature lots of kicking and are very fun, but also demand higher-level partnering and movement technique. This class will be a fun challenge and inspiration.
    • Age: Adults
    • Session: April 2 - April 23 (4 weeks)
    • Difficulty Level: Medium
    • Instructor: Joel Domoe
    • Cost:
      • One (4-week) Session of Partnered Charleston: $40
      • One (4-week) Session of Partnered Charleston and Lindy Hop: $60
      • Drop In (1-hour) Partnered Charleston: $15
      • Drop in (2-hours) Partnered Charleston and Lindy Hop: $20
    • Class Size: minimum of 8 students required to run class, no more than 16 enrolled.
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: March 29, 2024
    Joel Domoe Joel Domoe coordinates the design, development, and teaching of Swing Dance Foundations in collaboration with CCAC and other swing dance luminaries in the Cincinnati Area. Joel is the founder of SupermurgaNati, whose mission is: To amaze, enable, and empower Cincinnati's Jitterbugs and Lindy Hoppers creatively, technically, and socially by providing opportunities for elite instruction, generous mentoring, exciting collaboration, supportive connections, and amazing dance. Joel has been teaching, performing, community building, and producing events in the Swing Dance community all over the Eastern United States for 25 years. He is a former Virginia State Open Jitterbug Champion and Southwestern Regional Lindy Hop Champion. He has served as Competition Coordinator and/or Head Judge for the American Lindy Hop Championships (Stamford, CT), Lindy Focus (Asheville, NC), and Beantown Dance Camp (Boston, MA) multiple times. Joel has taught classes at far too many events to name. He is a founding and honorary lifetime member of the Piedmont Swing Dance Society in Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and was a founding member and first president of the Atlanta Swing Era Dance Association. He has founded and directed three different Swing Dance Troupes: Bums and Bombshells (Greensboro, NC), Heavens to Murgatroid! (Atlanta, GA), and The Cinci SnapShots (Cincinnati, OH). In Cincinnati, among other things, Joel served as a co-producer of SwinGallery (Cincinnati’s longest-running weekly swing dance event) from 2006-2016. To learn more about SupermurgaNati, find out exactly who is teaching each course, and see other activities and offerings, please visit supermurganati.com.
    • All classes are open to students with any range of experience, from beginners learning for the first time to experienced dancers looking to solidify fundamentals or expand their knowledge base.
    • Students are not required to bring a partner to class.
    • In class, we use a partner rotation system where Leads dance with all the Follows and Follows dance with all the Leads. All students are expected to participate in the rotation unless there is an extenuating circumstance. Our classes are not designed for students to stay with the same partner.
    • Students are allowed to choose their own role in class, Lead or Follow. Students may also switch roles as frequently as they like.
    • It is highly likely that in every class, students will dance with some partners of the same gender and some of different genders during the rotation. The expectation is that all students be respectful of all other students at all times.
  • Saturday, April 27 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

    Since 1987, Cincinnati has seen tremendous growth in salsa music from the days of the Havana Martini Club featuring a salsa band every Sunday evening to the twenty-two weeks of Salsa on the Square during the summer months. But, how did salsa music evolve? How did it get to Cincinnati? This workshop will time-travel back to Cuba, the origins of salsa music. It will visit and explore the evolution of salsa music through each decade from the 1920s to the 2000s and its arrival in Cincinnati. We’ll listen to music from the 1930s during the rhumba era, the mambo craze of the 1950s, boogaloo of the 1960s in New York City, and finally the salsa explosion of the 1970s. If you want, come with your dancing shoes!
    • Age: Adults (18+)
    • Session: One Time Workshop, meets on April 27, 2024
    • Instructor: Victor Vélez
    • Cost: $40/student
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: April 20, 2024

    Victor Vélez

    Victor Vélez, a native of Puerto Rico, grew up in New York City and now lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. His creative talents are expressed through multiple artistic disciplines as a writer, poet, photographer, and musician.  Victor studied Communication Arts at St. Francis College in Brooklyn, New York and began his writing career as a freelance writer in the early 1980s. Victor’s published work includes A Quest for Answers: A Personal Journey (2003)Salsa on the Square: A Summer of Photos (2010) celebrating the annual summer salsa series on Cincinnati’s Fountain Square, Donde Esta, Señor? (Where Are You, Lord?) written in Spanish, and most recently, the suspense thriller Triduum of All Hallows (2022).  He is the author of five poetry books.
  • Tuesdays, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.

    Blues music is diverse. So is Blues Dance. As we explore how to dance to blues music, we will focus on the “conversation” you have with your partner while dancing and how to establish and maintain great communication with each other. Difficulty level: Medium/Low
    • Age: Adults
    • Session: March 12 - March 26 (3 weeks)
    • Difficulty Level: Medium/Low
    • Instructor: Joel Domoe
    • Cost: $45/student
    • Class Size: minimum of 8 students required to run class, no more than 16 enrolled.
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: EXTENDED! March 9, 2024
    Joel Domoe Joel Domoe coordinates the design, development, and teaching of Swing Dance Foundations in collaboration with CCAC and other swing dance luminaries in the Cincinnati Area. Joel is the founder of SupermurgaNati, whose mission is: To amaze, enable, and empower Cincinnati's Jitterbugs and Lindy Hoppers creatively, technically, and socially by providing opportunities for elite instruction, generous mentoring, exciting collaboration, supportive connections, and amazing dance. Joel has been teaching, performing, community building, and producing events in the Swing Dance community all over the Eastern United States for 25 years. He is a former Virginia State Open Jitterbug Champion and Southwestern Regional Lindy Hop Champion. He has served as Competition Coordinator and/or Head Judge for the American Lindy Hop Championships (Stamford, CT), Lindy Focus (Asheville, NC), and Beantown Dance Camp (Boston, MA) multiple times. Joel has taught classes at far too many events to name. He is a founding and honorary lifetime member of the Piedmont Swing Dance Society in Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and was a founding member and first president of the Atlanta Swing Era Dance Association. He has founded and directed three different Swing Dance Troupes: Bums and Bombshells (Greensboro, NC), Heavens to Murgatroid! (Atlanta, GA), and The Cinci SnapShots (Cincinnati, OH). In Cincinnati, among other things, Joel served as a co-producer of SwinGallery (Cincinnati’s longest-running weekly swing dance event) from 2006-2016. To learn more about SupermurgaNati, find out exactly who is teaching each course, and see other activities and offerings, please visit supermurganati.com.
    • All classes are open to students with any range of experience, from beginners learning for the first time to experienced dancers looking to solidify fundamentals or expand their knowledge base.
    • Students are not required to bring a partner to class.
    • In class, we use a partner rotation system where Leads dance with all the Follows and Follows dance with all the Leads. All students are expected to participate in the rotation unless there is an extenuating circumstance. Our classes are not designed for students to stay with the same partner.
    • Students are allowed to choose their own role in class, Lead or Follow. Students may also switch roles as frequently as they like.
    • It is highly likely that in every class, students will dance with some partners of the same gender and some of different genders during the rotation. The expectation is that all students be respectful of all other students at all times.
  • Tuesdays, 8:15 - 9:15 p.m.

    The term “Jitterbug” means many different things to many different people of many different backgrounds. This class will start with the most universal 6-count rhythms and movements across all idioms of Swing Dance. We’ll get you on the dance floor quickly and present fundamental concepts that will guide the development of your technique and style in the future.
    • Age: Adults
    • Session: March 12 - March 26 (3 weeks)
    • Difficulty Level: Low
    • Instructor: Joel Domoe
    • Cost: $45/student
    • Class Size: minimum of 8 students required to run class, no more than 16 enrolled.
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: EXTENDED! March 9, 2024
    Joel Domoe Joel Domoe coordinates the design, development, and teaching of Swing Dance Foundations in collaboration with CCAC and other swing dance luminaries in the Cincinnati Area. Joel is the founder of SupermurgaNati, whose mission is: To amaze, enable, and empower Cincinnati's Jitterbugs and Lindy Hoppers creatively, technically, and socially by providing opportunities for elite instruction, generous mentoring, exciting collaboration, supportive connections, and amazing dance. Joel has been teaching, performing, community building, and producing events in the Swing Dance community all over the Eastern United States for 25 years. He is a former Virginia State Open Jitterbug Champion and Southwestern Regional Lindy Hop Champion. He has served as Competition Coordinator and/or Head Judge for the American Lindy Hop Championships (Stamford, CT), Lindy Focus (Asheville, NC), and Beantown Dance Camp (Boston, MA) multiple times. Joel has taught classes at far too many events to name. He is a founding and honorary lifetime member of the Piedmont Swing Dance Society in Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and was a founding member and first president of the Atlanta Swing Era Dance Association. He has founded and directed three different Swing Dance Troupes: Bums and Bombshells (Greensboro, NC), Heavens to Murgatroid! (Atlanta, GA), and The Cinci SnapShots (Cincinnati, OH). In Cincinnati, among other things, Joel served as a co-producer of SwinGallery (Cincinnati’s longest-running weekly swing dance event) from 2006-2016. To learn more about SupermurgaNati, find out exactly who is teaching each course, and see other activities and offerings, please visit supermurganati.com.
    • All classes are open to students with any range of experience, from beginners learning for the first time to experienced dancers looking to solidify fundamentals or expand their knowledge base.
    • Students are not required to bring a partner to class.
    • In class, we use a partner rotation system where Leads dance with all the Follows and Follows dance with all the Leads. All students are expected to participate in the rotation unless there is an extenuating circumstance. Our classes are not designed for students to stay with the same partner.
    • Students are allowed to choose their own role in class, Lead or Follow. Students may also switch roles as frequently as they like.
    • It is highly likely that in every class, students will dance with some partners of the same gender and some of different genders during the rotation. The expectation is that all students be respectful of all other students at all times.
  • Tuesdays, 9:30 - 10:45 am or Thursdays, 7:15 - 8:30 pm

    Tai chi and qigong are complementary traditional Chinese arts that help to improve one’s health, vitality, and well-being. Tai chi is a series of gentle flowing movements based on martial arts. Qigong is a mind/body exercise that helps stimulate “elemental life force.” In this class, we will focus on the basic forms of traditional Yang tai chi and in particular the Yang 10 step form in January and the Yang 8 step form in March. Over time we will begin to explore the Yang 16 step. Both of these forms are excellent preparation to practice the longer Yang 24 step form. We will also learn the Daoyin Bao Jian Gong, a simple qigong form. Both the tai chi and qigong forms can be performed standing or seated. In addition we will explore some of the philosophy and basic principles behind these arts.
    • Ages: Adults (50+)
    • Session: 
      • Spring 2: Tuesdays, 9:30 - 10:45 a.m., March 12 – May 14, 2024 (10 weeks)
      • Spring 3: Thursdays, 7:15 - 8:30 p.m., March 14 – May 16, 2024 (10 weeks)
    • Instructor: Rick Warm
    • Cost: $50 for 10-week session
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    Rick Warm Rick Warm has practiced martial arts including tai chi for 40+ years. His study of tai chi and qigong has become more serious and focused over the past 10 years, and he is a certified instructor from the prestigious Deyin Institute in the UK. Rick is also the director of the Center for Wisdom and Leadership. 
    Though the crux of Rick's work has centered on leadership and the development of wise leaders, for the last decade Rick has also focused on  wisdom in “second half of life,” the midlife transition, and in particular what it means to be an elder. Rick has taught classes and run seminars and workshops on the topics of wisdom, spirituality and aging. He also  leads a number of Elder Wisdom Circles around the city. Elder Wisdom Circles are groups of older adults, generally in retirement, that gather weekly to discuss such topics as conscious aging, spirituality, and the journey towards wisdom. The circles gather to learn from each other, encourage lifelong learning and growth, and discern how they can make a difference in the world – small or large. 
  • In this fast-moving, immersive workshop, you will have an opportunity to select the glass, prepare a pattern, cut and fit glass, and then wrap and solder for a finished piece that can be hung suspended on its own or in a corner. Come learn the art of breaking glass!
    • Age: Adults and Mature Teens 14+
    • Sessions: One-Time Workshop
      • Session 1: Friday, March 22 | 6:00 - 9:30 pm (SOLD OUT)
      • Session 2: Friday, April 26 | 6:00 - 9:30 pm (SOLD OUT)
      • Session 3: Wednesday, May 15 | 6:00 - 9:30 pm
    • Instructor: Kerri Brammy
    • Cost: $60/student
    • Class Size: minimum of 8 students registered to run class; no more than 12 students total
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline:
      • Session 1: March 21, 2024
      • Session 2: April 22, 2024
      • Session 3: May 10, 2024
    Kerri Bram Kerri is a long time artist and art educator, specializing in the design, construction and repair of architectural stained glass windows. She is the owner and operator of Tea Stained Studio, is an old pickle deli/residence located in the Clifton/University Heights area of Cincinnati, Ohio. As an artist, she uses natural elements as the media for her work (glass, metal, rocks, wood and fibers) to alter both one’s perspective and relationship with their environment. At the end of the day, she loves the sound of breaking glass.
  • Friday, April 19 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

    Mark your calendars each month for the most fun evening of creativity that you'll find. Craft a unique piece of art while enjoying the evening's signature cocktail (or any other drink). At this month at Crafts & Cocktails, we're building mini terrariums.
    • Age: Adults 21+
    • Session: One Time Workshop, meets on April 19, 2024
    • Instructor: Melinda Welch
    • Cost: $60/student (includes 1 drink ticket)
    • Class Size: minimum of 7 students registered to run class; no more than 24 students total
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: April 18, 2024
    Melinda Welch Melinda E. Welch earned her Master’s degree and teaching license in Art Education from the University of Cincinnati’s school of Design Architecture, Art and Planning. Melinda’s Masters thesis focused on developing a visual arts curriculum for a community arts center. Currently, Melinda is teaching for the Clifton Cultural Arts Center and leading art classes at Bridgeway Pointe, UC Health, an assisted living residence.  Melinda’s teaching experience includes 14 years as Art Director at the Wyoming Fine Arts Center. While Art Director, she developed her vision for a visual art community driven by a strong, cohesive art curriculum and relationships with her students and families. She sought to connect with surrounding communities by integrating free art programming through connections with local schools, libraries and recreation centers. She often collaborates with diverse music teachers, and other non-profit organizations such as Elementz and BioKoto.  While in graduate school, she was employed by Kennedy Heights Art Center to teach adult and youth art classes. She also taught after-school art at Pleasant Ridge Montessori and the Pleasant Ridge Library. Her student teaching experience includes Walnut Hills High School, Sherwood Elementary, North Avondale Montessori, and Anderson High School. For the Contemporary Art Center, she taught an arts integration curriculum at Bond Hill Elementary. For the CAC she also led art programing at various local schools and in the UNMuseum. She has completed internships at the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Taft Museum of Art, Manifest Gallery and Prairie Gallery. She was part of a youth community photography program in conjunction with Happen Inc, Prairie Gallery and the Mill Creek Restoration Project. Melinda is an active and experienced artist who works in ceramics, photography, collage and whatever else strikes her artistic fancy. She and her husband reside in Camp Washington with their two children.
  • Friday, May 17 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

    Mark your calendars each month for the most fun evening of creativity that you'll find. Craft a unique piece of art while enjoying the evening's signature cocktail (or any other drink). At this month at Crafts & Cocktails, you can work with alcohol ink to fashion colorful and functional abstract works of art.
    • Age: Adults 21+
    • Session: One Time Workshop, meets on May 17, 2024
    • Instructor: Melinda Welch
    • Cost: $60/student (includes 1 drink ticket)
    • Class Size: minimum of 7 students registered to run class; no more than 24 students total
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: May 16, 2024
    Melinda Welch Melinda E. Welch earned her Master’s degree and teaching license in Art Education from the University of Cincinnati’s school of Design Architecture, Art and Planning. Melinda’s Masters thesis focused on developing a visual arts curriculum for a community arts center. Currently, Melinda is teaching for the Clifton Cultural Arts Center and leading art classes at Bridgeway Pointe, UC Health, an assisted living residence.  Melinda’s teaching experience includes 14 years as Art Director at the Wyoming Fine Arts Center. While Art Director, she developed her vision for a visual art community driven by a strong, cohesive art curriculum and relationships with her students and families. She sought to connect with surrounding communities by integrating free art programming through connections with local schools, libraries and recreation centers. She often collaborates with diverse music teachers, and other non-profit organizations such as Elementz and BioKoto.  While in graduate school, she was employed by Kennedy Heights Art Center to teach adult and youth art classes. She also taught after-school art at Pleasant Ridge Montessori and the Pleasant Ridge Library. Her student teaching experience includes Walnut Hills High School, Sherwood Elementary, North Avondale Montessori, and Anderson High School. For the Contemporary Art Center, she taught an arts integration curriculum at Bond Hill Elementary. For the CAC she also led art programing at various local schools and in the UNMuseum. She has completed internships at the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Taft Museum of Art, Manifest Gallery and Prairie Gallery. She was part of a youth community photography program in conjunction with Happen Inc, Prairie Gallery and the Mill Creek Restoration Project. Melinda is an active and experienced artist who works in ceramics, photography, collage and whatever else strikes her artistic fancy. She and her husband reside in Camp Washington with their two children.
  • Saturday, March 30 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

    Create beautiful cards that have a handmade look using ink and your own linocut stamp.
    • Age: Adults and mature teens 13+
    • Session: One Time Workshop, meets on March 30, 2024
    • Instructor: Mary Woodworth
    • Cost: $60/student
    • Class Size: minimum of 7 students registered to run class; no more than 12 students total
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: March 27, 2024

    Mary Woodworth

    Bio coming soon.
  • Wednesdays, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

    Learn about printing by carving imprints and using them to add flair to your new tote bag.
    • Age: Adults and mature teens 16+
    • Session: May 8 - May 15 (2 weeks)
    • Instructor: Melinda Welch
    • Cost: $70/student
    • Class Size: minimum of 7 students registered to run class; no more than 15 students total
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: May 15, 2024
    Melinda Welch Melinda E. Welch earned her Master’s degree and teaching license in Art Education from the University of Cincinnati’s school of Design Architecture, Art and Planning. Melinda’s Masters thesis focused on developing a visual arts curriculum for a community arts center. Currently, Melinda is teaching for the Clifton Cultural Arts Center and leading art classes at Bridgeway Pointe, UC Health, an assisted living residence.  Melinda’s teaching experience includes 14 years as Art Director at the Wyoming Fine Arts Center. While Art Director, she developed her vision for a visual art community driven by a strong, cohesive art curriculum and relationships with her students and families. She sought to connect with surrounding communities by integrating free art programming through connections with local schools, libraries and recreation centers. She often collaborates with diverse music teachers, and other non-profit organizations such as Elementz and BioKoto.  While in graduate school, she was employed by Kennedy Heights Art Center to teach adult and youth art classes. She also taught after-school art at Pleasant Ridge Montessori and the Pleasant Ridge Library. Her student teaching experience includes Walnut Hills High School, Sherwood Elementary, North Avondale Montessori, and Anderson High School. For the Contemporary Art Center, she taught an arts integration curriculum at Bond Hill Elementary. For the CAC she also led art programing at various local schools and in the UNMuseum. She has completed internships at the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Taft Museum of Art, Manifest Gallery and Prairie Gallery. She was part of a youth community photography program in conjunction with Happen Inc, Prairie Gallery and the Mill Creek Restoration Project. Melinda is an active and experienced artist who works in ceramics, photography, collage and whatever else strikes her artistic fancy. She and her husband reside in Camp Washington with their two children.
  • Select Tuesdays 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

    Add a DIY flair to your look with your own custom-made jewelry. Join a laughter-filled and memorable experience where you'll learn the basics of jewelry construction, like how to string, crimp, and finish your work. Find out how to bring balance and harmony to your piece so it doesn't droop, and unveil the secrets of color theory to make your jewelry pop! Walk away from the evening with a necklace and earring set of your own making.

    • Age: Adults and mature teens 16+
    • Session: One-Time Workshop
      • Session 1: Tuesday, March 19 | 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
      • Session 2: Tuesday, April 16 | 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
      • Session 3: Tuesday, May 21 | 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
    • Instructor: Dawn Grady
    • Cost: $80/student
    • Class Size: minimum of 6 students registered to run class; no more than 20 students total
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline:
      • Session 1: EXTENDED! March 15
      • Session 2: April 12
      • Session 3: May 17
    Dawn Grady Dawn L. Grady is the owner and designer of Junebug Jewelry, a handcrafted artisan jewelry boutique located in Over-the-Rhine. A mostly self-trained artist, she fell in love with jewelry making after a simple bead-stringing class at the University of Cincinnati's Communivesity program 14 years ago. Her passion for learning new skills led her to the classrooms of renowned master metalsmiths who taught her the ancient and modern techniques she uses to create her vision of wearable art – combining copper, Argentium silver, and semi-precious gemstones for a truly signature look. In addition to its storefront in Over-the-Rhine, you can find Junebug online at junebugjewelrydesigns.com. Deb enjoys teaching art and sharing her love of art-making and its countless therapeutic effects with people of all ages. She has taught and led community-based art projects through the Ohio Arts Council, community arts centers, schools, art museums, and many other organizations. She has created artwork for commissions (including for the Taft Museum of Art and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital), and exhibited her artwork made with many media and approaches including, painting, textiles, and installation, in the midwest (including at Cincinnati’s Contemporary Arts Center), and occasionally other parts of the country and the world. In college, Deb studied French, art history, and fine art, culminating in a masters degree in fine art in painting. Although her work often appears abstract, or non-representational, the sources of Deb's inspiration draw on both her inner life and the outer world, and range from nature to human nature.
  • Wednesday, April 24 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.

    Discover techniques used to add color directly onto fabrics, experimenting with shape and palate.
    • Age: Adults and mature teens 16+
    • Session: One Time Workshop, meets on April 24, 2024
    • Instructor: Barbara Sferra
    • Cost: $80/student
    • Class Size: minimum of 3 students registered to run class; no more than 20 students total
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: April 19, 2024

    Barbara Sferra

    Bio coming soon.
  • Mondays, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

    Each month of 2024, explore a new aspect of Fiber Art. See the full schedule HERE. In May, learn the art of combining loose fibers into new fabrics or sculptures.
    • Age: Adults
    • Session: May 6 - May 27 (4 weeks)
    • Instructor: Kelli Gleiner
    • Cost: $100/student + supplies fee of $10
    • Class Size: minimum of 7 students required to run class, no more than 20 enrolled.
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: May 3, 2024
    Kelli Gleiner Bio coming soon.
  • Mondays, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

    Each month of 2024, explore a new aspect of Fiber Art. See the full schedule HERE. In June, learn the basic stitches and essential techniques of crochet. Unleash your imagination as you create beautiful, handcrafted items with yarn and hooks.
    • Age: Adults (16+)
    • Session: June 3 - June 24 (4 weeks)
    • Instructor: Karen Saunders
    • Cost: $100/student + supplies fee of $10
    • Class Size: minimum of 7 students required to run class, no more than 20 enrolled.
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: May 31, 2024
    Karen Saunders Karen is a multi-disciplinary artist who hopscotched across the Midwest before landing in Cincinnati, where she’s been practicing as an artist and arts educator for almost three decades. She has a BFA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with an emphasis on Ceramics and an MA in Art Education from Miami University at Oxford.

    For the better part of 20 years, she has worked with diverse audiences at local institutions, such as the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Kennedy Heights Arts Center, and exhibiting her art at such venues as the Contemporary Arts Center, Canton Art Museum, Richmond Art Museum, and 21c Museum/Hotel.

    She routinely works collaboratively with community and artist groups, with one notable example being the Bombshells of Cincinnati, a largely anonymous group of local lady crafters who juxtapose vandalism with the non-threatening nature of fiber art.

    Karen is inspired by large-scale projects that might intimidate less resourceful and creative artists. She is ever challenging her own expectations and growing her ongoing practice.

  • Mondays, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

    Each month of 2024, explore a new aspect of Fiber Art. See the full schedule HERE. In August, study various surface design techniques, including mud cloth, stenciling, stamping, and more. You'll then use these techniques to embellish your own unique apron.
    • Age: Adults (16+)
    • Session: August 5 - 26, 2024 (4 weeks)
    • Instructor: Judy Dominic and Carole Douglas
    • Cost: $100/student + supplies fee of $10
    • Class Size: minimum of 7 students required to run class, no more than 12 enrolled.
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: August 2, 2024
    Judy Dominic Judy is a native of southwest Ohio. She has been weaving in some fashion since 1979 and indulges in all sorts of fiber techniques. Her use of natural and odd materials has become her signature, and she teaches and exhibits locally, nationally, and internationally. Judy has been honored locally for enhancing the quality of community life through art. She lives with a wonderfully supportive husband and claims three handsome sons, two lovely daughters-in-law and six lively grandchildren. Carole Douglas Carole was born, raised, and educated in Cincinnati where she married, then raised three boys. She taught arts and crafts with Cincinnati Recreation Commission for thirty years before becoming happily retired. Carole’s true love is fiber arts, always returning to sewing and quilting, but continuing to add different colors and textures to her fabric. Second only to the doing is the learning and teaching of various techniques to add excitement and freshness to the surface of the fabric!
  • Mondays, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

    Each month of 2024, explore a new aspect of Fiber Art. See the full schedule HERE. In April, learn how to produce beautiful patterns using knotted textiles.
    • Age: Adults
    • Session: April 8 - Apr 29 (4 weeks)
    • Instructor: Prari Parran
    • Cost: $100/student + supplies fee of $20
    • Class Size: minimum of 7 students required to run class, no more than 20 enrolled.
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: April 5, 2024
    Prari Parran Bio coming soon.
  • Tuesdays, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

    Rediscover the joy of tie-dye! Explore new ways to twist, tie, and bunch your clothing items to create intricate and exciting patterns.
    • Age: Adults and Teens 13+
    • Session: April 23 - May 14 (4 weeks)
    • Instructor: Prari Parran
    • Cost: $130/student
    • Class Size: minimum of 7 students registered to run class; no more than 15 students total
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Registration Deadline: April 15, 2023
    Prari Parran Coming Soon.
  • Saturday, 10:00 am - 1:30 pm

    Have you ever wondered how it feels to publish a book? You get a box in the mail, open it, and it's the first copy of your book with your name printed. You just became an author! This one-day writers' retreat will change your mindset on becoming an author. Throughout the workshop, participants will:
    • Explore questions like: why do you want to publish a book? In what genre do you want to write? What is preventing you from starting your book right at this moment?
    • Learn best practices on your writing space, time, and designing a writing system.
    • Participate in group discussions and exercises to motivate you to start and continue until you become an author.
    • Explore traditional and online publishing.
    • Learn how to visualize your book before it's published.
    • Take part in a Q & A session with a local author.
    Beginners welcome. No complete manuscript is required. Bring your pen and paper, but most importantly, your desire to publish and become an author.
    • Ages: Adults 18+
    • Session: One-Time Workshop
      • Spring 1: January 13, 2024
      • Spring 2: February 10, 2024
      • Spring 3: March 16, 2024
      • Spring 4: May 11, 2024
    • Instructor: Victor Vélez
    • Cost: $150/session (includes lunch and Writers' Workbook)
    • Class Location: CCAC’s new home (3412 Clifton Ave)
    • Class Size: 3 – 10 students enrolled per session.

    Victor Vélez Victor, a native of Puerto Rico, grew up in New York City and currently lives in Cincinnati. His creative talents are expressed through multiple artistic disciplines as a writer, poet, photographer, and musician.  Victor studied Communication Arts at St. Francis College in Brooklyn, New York, and began his writing career as a freelance writer in the early 1980s. Victor’s published works include:
    • Poetry collections – A Quest for Answers (2003), Conga Blues (2008), Donde Estas, Senor? (2014), Divine Reflections (2016), and Wandering Soul (2019)
    • Photography – Images (2013)
    • Children’s book – You Live Inside (2022)
    • Fictional and non-fiction works – Salsa in the 'Nati (2020), The Triduum of All Hallows (2021), The Twelve (2022), and Forecast (2022)
    • "Jennifer's Notes," a novel suspense thriller with a twist, is coming in 2024.
  • Wednesdays, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

    Water is a most essential element: transfixing to watch, enjoyable and challenging to draw and paint. The class will meet at parks and other outdoor locations so that you can observe and draw from the water, whether close-up, on the shore of a small lake, or viewing the Ohio River from an Eden Park overlook. You will draw water’s movement, reflections, and colors, simultaneously developing a sense of its place in our compositions as well as the world. Color theory will be included, but you are also encouraged to work with color intuitively. Choose a medium that inspires you, whether traditional drawing forms like graphite, charcoal, and conté crayon or colored media like oil pastels, colored pencils, ink, and watercolor. See below for materials needed for the first day of class.
    • Age: Adults and Teens 16+
    • Session: April 24 - May 22 (5 weeks)
    • Instructor: Deb Brod
    • Cost: $150/student
    • Class Size: minimum of 4 students registered to run class; no more than 15 students total
    • Class Location: CCAC's new home (3412 Clifton Ave) – Weather permitting, class will also meet outdoors in Cincinnati Parks.
    • Registration Deadline: September 18, 2023
    • White paper pad: good quality drawing paper (about 60 lb or better); at least 11” x 14”; 50 -100 sheets, or watercolor paper, if you plan to use watercolor.
    • The materials you’re most interested in trying out or continuing to work with (see list in class description).
    Also, cloth rag(s), cotton balls, q-tips, tortillons, etc., for smudging, smoothing, cleaning, etc; erasers, esp. a kneaded eraser, if you choose “traditional” drawing materials.
    Deb Brod Deb enjoys teaching art and sharing her love of art-making and its countless therapeutic effects with people of all ages. She has taught and led community-based art projects through the Ohio Arts Council, community arts centers, schools, art museums, and many other organizations. She has created artwork for commissions (including for the Taft Museum of Art and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital), and exhibited her artwork made with many media and approaches including, painting, textiles, and installation, in the midwest (including at Cincinnati’s Contemporary Arts Center), and occasionally other parts of the country and the world. In college, Deb studied French, art history, and fine art, culminating in a masters degree in fine art in painting. Although her work often appears abstract, or non-representational, the sources of Deb's inspiration draw on both her inner life and the outer world, and range from nature to human nature.

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