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Spring has definitely sprung, and we are all the happier for the warmer weather and more frequent appearance of blue skies. Spring also sees students’ and families’ calendars filling up with things to do and ways to enjoy the warmer weather.

Although the schools in Shunyi have their Spring Break at staggered times this year, once everyone comes back in to start the new term, everyone will be buckling down to academic work and a variety of activities until the run up to the summer break.

Here is this week’s compilation of things to look forward to beginning next month.

Parent Effectiveness Training Beginning April 10
Another round of Parenting Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) sessions will be offered by Naomi Taylor in Shunyi. This time, the eight-week course will be hosted by the International Montessori School of Beijing. The schedule is Thursday mornings, 8.45-11.45am. Dates are April 10, 17, 24, May 8, 15, 22, 29, and June 5.

Join Taylor to learn a new way of communicating effectively with your children. The lessons on interrelating can also be applied outside of parenting situations because the emphasis is on mastering a manner of expressing what is important to you.

As a parenting training programme, P.E.T. does not revert to using punishment and reward methods. Instead, P.E.T. will equip you with skills to listen show understanding, and respond in an honest and non-judgmental way.

To make your reservation or to ask for more details, email Taylor at counseling with naomi@hotmail.co.uk

AoFan Sailing Resumes Courses on April 12
‘Tis the season for sailing, and AoFan Sailing Club is preparing to put their boats back on the water on April 12. Sailing is a fun way to learn new skills and socialize with friends.

Six-week sailing courses are held on Saturday or on Sunday at the Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Park in Shunyi. Level one training is from 10am-12nn, and level two training is from 2-4pm. Fees are RMB 1,800 for 12 hours.

A special three-day course will be available during the Labor Day weekend from May 1-3.

The AoFan summer camps will be held in five-day courses beginning from June 16 all the way to August 29. Camp hours are 10am-4pm, and include sailing, kayaking, rafting, paddleboarding and team-building games. Participants should pack their own lunch, and drinks and snacks are available for sale at the club. Fees are RMB 2,500 for a five-day course.

AoFan will be sending students to represent their club at the QingDao Youth Camp. This runs from June 16 to 21, and from June 23 to 28. The fee is RMB 7,500 and includes accommodation, transportation to and from QingDao Olympic Sailing Center, coaching fees and other activities.

See their website for more information, or call 139 1046 5950. Online registration already available for both the spring sessions beginning April, as well as the June to August camps.

Dance Classes for Kids with Dulwich Community Programme
Dulwich Community Programme classes are open to the entire community and are an opportunity for children to pick up a new skill while having fun. The Summer Term will run from mid-April until June.

Two new dance classes are being offered for the Summer Term: Bollywood and ballet.

Bollywood Dance, the dance form used in Indian cinema, is a mix of western contemporary, Indian classical, folk dance, belly dance, jazz, ballet, and even a bit of hip-hop. The class will be taught by Arunima Prajapati, Bollywood choreographer and trained Kathak dancer.

Two classes will be held:

• Ages 4-7, Mondays at the Riviera Campus, from 3.40-4.30pm, starting April 14.
• Ages 7-12, Fridays at the Legend Campus, from 3.40-4.30pm, starting April 18.

Fee for eight weeks for either class is RMB 1,200.

Ballet classes will also run for eight weeks, and will be available at both the Riviera Campus (taught by Shi Yuzhong) and Legend Campus (led by Ms. Bradbury, following the syllabus of the Royal Academy of Dance Pre-Primary Level).

• Ages 3.5-6.5, Thursdays at the Riviera Campus, from 3.40-4.30pm, starting April 17. Fee is RMB 1,040.
• Ages 4-7, Mondays at the Legend Campus, from 3.40-4.30pm, starting April 14. Fee is RMB 1,200.

Other classes available are off-ice figure skating and hockey, Incy Wincy yoga, swimming, basketball, football tag rugby, benchball, science club, clay modelling, and individual lessons for a variety of musical instruments.

Registration ongoing at the Legend Garden Campus Sports Club. You can email camilla.ojansivu@dulwich-beijing.cn or call 6454 9127 for information.

British School of Beijing Activities
The British School of Beijing is gearing up for several community activities over the next two months.

On Tuesday, April 15, a Year 6 Open Morning will be held for families who are interested in starting Secondary school at BSB in August.

Another Open Morning is set for Friday, April 25. This will be an opportunity for prospective families to see both the Primary and Secondary schools as they carry out a regular school day.

Email elisabeth.puttock@britishschool.org.cn for inquiries and to register for the Open Mornings.

Finally, BSB’s big Summer Fayre will be on Sunday, May 25, from 10.30am to 3pm. This event is open to the entire community, with indoor and outdoor games, craft activities entertainment from different groups of students and teachers, lots of picnic food for sale, and a sale of books, educational games, jewelry and gift items.

Interested vendors have until April 25 to fill in a booking form and pay the table fees. Please email elisabeth.puttock@britishschool.org.cn or anna.jin@britishschool.org.cn to obtain booking information and forms.

Photo by Dana Cosio-Mercado

Back from October holiday and into beautiful autumn weather, here’s what’s going on in and around Shunyi…

NOW is the time to do it – so I need to remind myself – EXERCISE! With the excitement surrounding Heyrobics around the city, it’s just too tempting to pass up now that it’s in Shunyi (in my compound, no less). This week a new class began on the River Garden Villas front lawn (Tuesday morning at 9am), with another class scheduled for this Friday at 9am. Give it a try! Other Shunyi locations are at the Swedish School in Gahood Villas and the British School of Beijing. Get an idea of what all the excitement is about by looking at their website, www.heyrobics.com, and for questions about the Shunyi classes, e-mail susanne.kosovac@heyrobics.com or call 150 1054 7402 or 135 2140 2694.

Green T. House Living in Shunyi will host another fantastic Art & Wine Tasting tonight from 7-9pm, featuring artist Yang Li Ming and Californian wines by Crimson Wines. Entry is free and a la carte dining is available by reservation. RSVP to events@green-t-house.com, 6434 2519, or 136 0113 7132.

Black Tiger Club will host a Women’s Self-Defense Workshop on Sunday, October 14 from 1-2:30pm at their studio in Riviera Plaza (across the street from WAB high school). For girls and women of all ages, this class will help you develop sharp reflexes and reaction skills using an ancient Filipino martial art called Escrima. The workshop is RMB 250 and includes an official certificate of achievement for each participant.  E-mail info@blacktigerclub.com for more information.

The Bollywood craze continues in Shunyi, and the original teacher out here is returning from Bangkok for a special workshop. Irit Ahanam will conduct the workshop at the River Garden dance studio the week of October 15-19 – two lessons per day (the morning lesson will be repeated in the evening). Times are: Monday 10-11am or 8-9pm; Tuesday – Friday 10-11am or 7-8pm (you may come to more than one per day!). Cost is RMB 500; free trial lesson on Monday for those who want to give it a try. Email Irit directly at iritmike@gmail.com.

The monthly INN Shunyi Coffee Morning is this week on Thursday, October 18 from 10am-noon. Meet at Starbucks in Pinnacle Plaza to find out what’s going on in the neighborhood!

Cathay View Garden has another new occupant in its growing plaza (next to Beijing Riviera) – Boulangerie Nanda! Already familiar to many with their freshly baked breads, this new location will expand to include a juice bar, breakfast and sandwiches. The phone number remains the same (8459 0134), but owner Jennifer Yeh also provides her mobile number for inquiries, just in case the move still has some glitches to work out (139 1127 2032).

Photo by www.heyrobics.com.

Are you less active as colder temperatures make their way to Beijing? Do the winter months and holiday goodies sneak in unwanted extra weight? Air quality during the winter months tends to be less than ideal, and that’s yet another reason why many of us stay inside and veg a little more than usual.

Before you get lured into that nasty habit, know that there are a LOT of exercise options around in our Shunyi area. Highlighting one in particular, learn more about Spin+ (below), with several others listed as options to meet your interest and needs. Many opportunities are available to keep you active, fit and healthy throughout the cold Beijing winter.

Spin+ is a great exercise program led by Stella Chan Marinaro at Human in Motion (Cathay View Garden Plaza). The classes include 45 minutes of high intensity cardiovascular cycling on an indoor bike, followed by 10 minutes of high repetition, upper body conditioning using light weights, all set in a fun atmosphere with great energy and music. There are currently six Spin+ classes offered per week attended by more than 30 women; new bikes and possibly  extra classes will be added if there is enough demand.

Marinaro has created a variety of fitness and weight loss programs for women, as well as specialty programs for teen and preteen girls. Through her classes, she inspires people to increase their fitness levels inside and out, ultimately improving their overall lifestyles. Her education and experience in fitness and nutrition offers attendees a high level of training, custom-made to the individual.  A previous post on Marinaro can be found here.

Classes cost RMB 150 each or you may purchase a punch card of 10 classes for RMB 1350. They are offered Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8:30am and 9:30am. Intermediate and advances classes are both available; there is a waiting list for some timeslots. A running waiting list still allows people to spin at least two times a week because of the flexibility of everyone’s schedule, so there’s no excuse not to carve out time for spinning!

Stay tuned for the winter months when Marinaro offers GAB (Girls Achieving Balance) classes once again, a six-week series for preteens focusing on self-esteem, nutrition and fitness.  There will be a separate offering available for boys this time, too!  Plus, her exercise and weight loss program for women called Fit & FAB (Females Achieving Balance) will gear up again soon.

Other options in our area:

• Human in Motion has many other fitness classes available, including Yoga (Tuesdays at 10:30am), Pilates and more. Zuma classes will be coming soon! Visit www.Humaninmotion.com.cn to see all group offerings. Call 8470 3616 or e-mail humaninmotion@yahoo.com for details.
• Calling all (wannabe) Bollywood Dancers! Don’t let the name fool you; this dance class is truly a workout. No previous experience required and no age restrictions. Three classes are offered each week (Mondays at 10am and Tuesdays/Thursdays at 11am) at the River Garden Dance Studio. For more information, e-mail Orli (ginossar@gmail.com) or Cindy (cindyla26@hotmail.com).
• Many other workout classes are held at River Garden, from circuit training and aerobics to yoga and more. Contact the clubhouse for individual class schedules and instructor information at 8046 1918.
• Don’t forget the little ones! Yoga for kids is available in age-appropriate classes beginning with mother/baby all the way up to age 12. Contact Ms. Angelina at 186 1156 8556 for class information.

There are many, many more exercise options in our area, as well as dance classes for kids and adults alike. Contact neighborhood clubhouses as a first stop for schedules and other specifics. Online forums and word of mouth are also great ways to find out the opportunities to stay active. And coming up soon, learn more about registering for the “Running for Hope” Beijing International Marathon by United Foundation for Children’s Health (for a sneak peak, go to http://unitedfoundation.org.).
 

Plenty of new news and events this week, as well as gentle reminders of things just around the corner (see details in previous Shunyi Happenings posts for more information). In between, take advantage of this beautiful spring weather and get outside!