December Calendar

Hey all you fancy-cats! Ready for the winter? This month's calendar is out!

There's more classes than you can see one here! For more classes and descriptions check go here!

**As of 12/18/11 Self Defense classes are cancelled**

Also folks! We need your help! Wanna help us organize? Draw Calendar art? Teach a class? Know of a space we can use? Hit us up: a2freeskool(at)gmail.com

-Or-

Come to our organizing meetings! Every Sunday, 7pm in the basement of Cafe Ambrosia. We may be moving our meeting place to a more accessible space for January! We'll keep you posted.

 <3 A2 Free Skool <3

November Calendar

We have two calendar this month - Collect them all!

For descriptions of classes see our Classes-Workshops-Events page

Also - Check out the workshops & events happening at Occupy Ann Arbor:

Occupy Ann Arbor -- Education Committee Facebook Group

You're Totally Here for the November Calendar, Right?

Well, we haven't posted up the digital copy of the calendar quite yet, but you can see a list of classes HERE 

Also, here's some exciting news: This month we have three different calendars! The same classes are on them, but the art is different. COLLECT THEM ALL! (like Cereal Box Prizes Pokemon) 

<3 A2FreeSkool

Updates!

Hey everyone! Hope all is well. Also, we've spruced up the website a little, so we hope you like what we've done with the place.

Just wanted to update everyone on what's new with A2 Free Skool.

Firstly, we're almost finished with November calendar, should be out within the week! Look at our Classes-Workshops-Events page to read all our class descriptions for this month.

Secondly, exciting news! We've been accepted to speak at Ann Arbor's Ignite 6 this Sunday, November 6th, 7pm at Blau Auditorium. It's a totally free event with a set of 5 minute talks by lots of cool people around town, about lot's of interesting things. And we're on the program! How about that? If you're interested in seeing our presentation, register soon. You can do so, here.We're super nervous about presenting in front of 500 or so people, so we could use your support!

That's about all! Except for inviting you to our organizing meetings every Sunday, 7pm in the basement of Cafe Ambrosia. We could use all the help we can get!

<3 A2 Free Skool <3

October is here!

We have awesome classes this month!
Click to see the full list of classes and descriptions

Also, we invite you to our organizing meetings every Sunday, 7pm @ Cafe Ambrosia (326 Maynard St)

Want to teach a class? Hit us up! a2freeskool@gmail.com

<3 Ann Arbor Free Skool <3

September is Here!

Bring in the fall with Ann Arbor Free Skool!

For the full list of class descriptions, times and locations click here!

CURRENT EVENTS DISCUSSION/ACTION GROUP HAS BEEN MOVED TO SUNDAYS, 5PM AT 418 THOMPSON ST!

Seize The Week Starts this WEDNESDAY!!

Seize the Week is a full week of DIY Events, Live Music and Summer Shenanigans hittin’ the streets of Ann Arbor July 27th- 31st.

Get your Seize The Week Event Zine at any EVENT

For latest updates & details visit Seizetheweek.org

RSVP for events and invite the world at facebook.com/seizetheweek

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Wednesday, July 27th- Seize The Week Kick-off Extravaganza!

DIY Fest @ The Kerry Town Farmers’ Market, 4pm – 9pm
Ann Arbor Free Skool and Seize The Week join forces to bring you over 15 workshops and skillshares, local artisans, crafters, ziners and music all LIVE at Ann Arbor’s Finest Farmers’ Market. Bike Trekking, DIY Instruments Making, Tai Chi, Michigan Legislation, Record Pressing, Body positive photo shoot, pickling and much much more. Pick up your Seize The Week Zine Schedule here!

Live @ The Gravel Pit (914 Fuller St), 9pm- ?
Useless Eaters (Nashville), Yellow Wall Paper (Saginaw), Totally Boring & Found Object Orchestra (Detroit)

Thursday, July 28th- Woods Day

Woods Day @ Bluffs Nature Area, 1pm - 7pm
An afternoon of wilderness workshops & skillshares with local survival enthusiasts. Learn about DIY Water Filtering, Wilderness Emergency Medicine, Fire Building, The Ultimate DIY Survival Kit, Edible & Medicinal Plants & more. Lite group bonfire dinner. Meet & park at the Bluffs Nature Area entrance close to the Elk’s Lodge (220 Sunset Rd ). If you arrive after group has left follow to tree markers on the path to where the group is.

Woods Evening Music Event @ 10pm-?
Attend The Wednesday Kick-off for all the details.

Friday, July 29th

Friday, July 29- Park Day

Park Day @ Hunt Park (1035 Daniel), 2pm- 8pm
Life-size board games, All your favorite lawn games, Monster Wrestling, Kickball, Bike Show & more. BBQ Potluck at 7pm. Bring a dish to pass, your favorite games, 12 friends, and all the awesomenss you can muster.

Critical Masquerade Bike Ride, Meets at N. University & State, 6pm- 7pm
Join your fellow bike-lovers dressed in your finest, weirdest, more creative garb as we zoom through the streets of A2 for a 2-wheel tango of fun.

ARBCO Records presents The Blue Snaggletooth LP Release Show w/ Mare Crisium and Lord Centipede @ The Vault of Midnight (219 S. Main), 9pm- 12am
The release of Blue Snaggletooth’s first full-length LP warrants a rockin’ release party with Lord Centipede, Mare Crisium and, of course, Blue Snaggletooth playing live in the Ultralounge, The Vault of Midnight’s basement vault of rock n’ roll. It’s ALL AGES and just $5! Use the mysterious back alley entrance for maximum something, something.

Sun Spot Hot! Dance Party @ The Elk’s Lodge (220 Sunset) Doors at 9- ?
Hotter than the sun! Get yo booty out to the Elk’s Lodge Underground for a late night bite of dance bliss. DJ Dickslap, Moonboots and Dan Tice spin the hottest grooves in the universe.

Shenan-urday, July 30

Parking Meter Take-Over Party in Downtown Ann Arbor, 2pm- 3pm, State & Liberty Area
Rethink & re-appropriate your urban space as we turn parking spots into tea parties, 80s aerobic dance parties & DIY lounges.

Fairy Doors Eviction Protest! 3pm-4pm, Main & Liberty
EXTRA EXTRA! The Faries of Ann Arbor have hit hard times. Foreclosure and eviction is sweeping our beloved urban fairy community. The fairies are being pushed out. Come join the protest!

Scavenger Hunt, Meets at Cafe Ambrosia. 5pm- 8pm
Come solo or bring a team as we tear up the streets for this year’s Downtown Scavenger Hunt, rip, gnash, and scavenge your way to glory! Rad Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd .

The Prom @ Dreamland Theater (26 N. Washington, Ypsilanti) , 9pm- ?
Uniting all the people of Ann Arbor for the most special night of your life. Hours of endless Live Music featuring Bubblegum Octopus (NJ), Kkrusty (Chicago), Ryan Gregory (Flint), Saskrotch (Chicago), Scissor Now (Ann Arbor), Jefferson (Ypsilanti), Trabajabamos (Ann Arbor), & Watabou (Ann Arbor, MI)– 8 bands on 2 stages and all your favorite prom fixings- Punch to spike, walls to lean against, flasks to hide, and memories to cherish forever.

Sunday, July 31- Float Fest

Float Fest
BMX River Bike Jump, Bandemere Park, 3- 5pm
This is the third year of the BMX River Bike Jump! BMX bikes + Ramps + Dock + Water= Fun. Bring your swimsuit & Snack. Jump in or hangout and watch the excitement.

DIY Raft Race, Huron River, Route TBD, 5pm-7pm
Assemble a team, build a raft and race for glory!
Rules:

1. No motors
2. You need to have at least 2 people float down on the raft all must cross the finish-line to qualify to win!
3. Rafts must not litter or pollute the river.

There will be prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, as well as prizes for most

The Float Fest Floating Concert, Location TBD, 7pm- 10pm
No better way to cap off Seize The Week than with a Floating Concert!! Come join us afloat in the Huron for a LIVE performance by Names Divine (Chicago), John Bellows (Chicago), Rainbow Family Vomit Band (Ypsilanti), & Jim Cherewick (Ypsilanti). Grab your swimsuits and floatation devices – because you’re going to need them!

July Calender is Here!

June will make you swoon. Keep cooool with Free Skool.

May Calendar is Here!

April Calendar is Here!

Ma-Ma-Ma-March is Here!

January/February Calender - Start your new year with the Free Skool!

Here it is folks! The Ann Arbor Free Skools January/February calender for your sensory pleasure! Click the calender above to download and print your own personal hard copy (Or click here for the PDF Version), and be sure to check out our Google Calender to keep up-to-date on any changes of events, classes, and other hi-jinx!

And for a peek inside of our past classes and events, feel free to check out our Flickr Photo Album, and our Youtube channel for some extra good-ness!

Here's what we have lined up for the next two months:

January

Tai Chi Class with The Stone Tortoise Tai Chi Community
Every Monday, 8:30pm- 10:30pm at ICC Educational Center (1520 Hill behind Luther Cooperative)
Jeff Blu teaches fundamentals of Tai Chi, including stretching, breathing, light calisthenic exercises, moving meditation, and simple self-defense techniques. This is a group for the sharing and exploration of practical skills to reduce stress, enhance health, and to progressively develop ones mental physical capabilities.
Beginners welcome.

Simply Cooking
Every other Sunday, 1pm at Luther Cooperative House (1520 Hill St)
Simply Cooking is a series of free bi-weekly culinary demonstrations open to all who would like to learn. Local chefs Aren Stobby and Connor Otto will teach the fundamentals of cooking as well as more advanced techniques as well as share their knowledge relating to culinary arts, nutrition and sustainable practices. For class specifics visit: http://simplycooking-a2.blogspot.com

Capoeira
Every Saturday, 10am- 11:30am at Concourse Hall (4531 Concourse Drive)
Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form that combines dance, martial arts, and acrobatics. It’s a strategic “game” to throw your partner off balance or render them defenseless by throwing kicks and sweeps using movements and defensive techniques. Through emphasizing persistence and patience, practitioners can develop stronger bodies, quicker reflexes, greater flexibility, increased awareness, strategic thinking, and the self-confidence to express themselves. Come join us. You are guaranteed to grow, be rejuvenated, and most importantly, have fun.

Learn to Swing Dance
Every Friday, 8pm- 9pm at Mind Body and Spirit Academy (1785 West Stadium Blvd)
Beginner lesson at 8:00pm; Open dancing from 9:00pm to 12:00am. Come out and boogie!

Reflexology - Auricology
Every other Thursday, 7pm at ICC Educational Center (1520 Hill behind Luther Cooperative)
Auricology. This type of reflexology focuses on points in the ears that correspond to the rest of the body. It sounds crazy, right? Seriously though it's awesome and Jedi-like. If you have doubts, come to the class and get them massaged away. There will also be some facial massage to integrate the techniques, yay!

One-Day Ham Radio Class
Saturday, January 8, from 9am - 3pm, Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum (220 E. Ann Street)
Learn everything you need to get your Technician Class amateur radio license, including the basics of electricity and electronics and amateur radio rules and regulations. The class starts at 9am and runs until 3pm, at which time you'll be given the test. While some students have passed the test without any preparation, we strongly encourage you to download and read through the free study guide, which is available at http://www.kb6nu.com/tech-manual. Online practice tests available there. There is a $15 fee to take the test. For more information, contact: Dan R at cwgeek@kb6nu.com.

Documentary & Discussion Series: Slingshot Hip Hop
Wednesday, January 19th, 8:00pm at Digital Ops (525 Liberty)
Slingshot Hip Hop braids together the stories of young Palestinians living in Gaza, the West Bank and inside Israel as they discover Hip Hop and employ it as a tool to surmount divisions imposed by occupation and poverty. From internal checkpoints and Separation Walls to gender norms and generational differences, this is the story of young people crossing the borders that separate them.

Astrology and Your Child
Saturday, January 29th, 3pm- 5pm at Cafe Ambrosia (326 Maynard)
You're invited to examine the astrological "owner's manual" that came with your child with the help of experienced parents and astrologers, Rodney B Smith and Misti A Delaney. Through your child's birth chart, you can learn the things that are most important to your child, see the potential for stress in her relationship (including with you) and learn some of the characteristic traits that will stay with your child for life, and perhaps how to make the most of those. Please provide your child's birth date, birth time, and birthplace so we can cast a chart before the class.

February

Battle of the Mystery Bands
Saturday, February 5th, Doors open at 8:30pm, 220 Packard
Previously at DIY Fest… 36 strangers were chosen at random and were given 8 weeks to practice and compose 20 minute sets of original music and performance. Join us as these Free Skool Mystery Bands battle with all their might for the glory of playing at the March Free Skool Prom. Costumes and shenanigans encouraged. Hors d’ oeuvres and ambiance for your enjoyment.

How to Manage Your Own Band: The Follow-up Session
Monday, February 7th, 7pm at Cafe Ambrosia (326 Maynard)
Back by popular demand… Join Matthew Altruda, music management guru from the Macpodz for our 2nd journey through the world of Independent Music Management—Promotion, Booking, General Management and much more.

I’m Doing My Own Taxes! - Tax Class
Wednesday, February 9th, 7:32pm at Cafe Ambrosia (326 Maynard)
TAX time is coming soon! Brooke Ratliff, managerial accountant, will take you through the basics of filling out a 1040, as well as address questions like: Do I need to file? What is a dependent? What if I'm starting my own business? What is a 1099? Bring your W2s for a rockin’ evening of tax-awesome. Tax forms provided.

Balancing Your Hormones: Balancing Your Life
Thursday, February 17th, 6:30pm at Aprill Wellness Center (107 Aprill Drive, Suite 4)
This workshop will explore how to safely balance hormones using holistic, sustainable and natural methods. Learn about bio-identical hormones, “ good and bad estrogen”, the effects of estrogen dominance, birth control, soy and other plant based estrogens as well as environmental factors that affect proper hormones balance. Come and learn about various strategies to help resolve issues of menopause, hot flashes, PCOS, uterine fibroids, low thyroid function and adrenal fatigue.

Thneeds: How you can opt out of toxic chemicals for personal care
Saturday, February 19th, 3pm at Café Ambrosia (326 Maynard)
We've all been sold on the "need" for a multitude of products to be well groomed. But do you know what you're putting on your skin? Commercial personal care items contains toxic petroleum based chemicals and toxins known to be associated with cancer and other devastating illnesses. Learn how you can stay clean and healthy without poisoning yourself and your family— and save some money, too!

Documentary & Discussion Series: Don’t need you: A Herstory of Riot Grrrl
Wednesday, February 23rd, 8:00pm at Digital Ops (525 Liberty)
“Don’t need you” tells the story of the origins of Riot Grrrl in the American independent music scene of the 1990s, and how this feminist movement evolved into a revolutionary underground network of education and self-awareness through music, writing, activism, and women-friendly community.

Critical Mass Bike Ride
Friday, February 25th, 5:15pm- 6:30pm. Meets at N. University & State
Join us as we assert our rights as bicyclists to the roads and create awareness of biking and bike rights! The pace of the group will be set wherever applicable to ensure that everyone can keep up. Dress warm and keep on eye out for action/event info. So come flex those hot bike muscles and take back the streets!


Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to teach? Have a space for classes?
Drop us an email - a2freeskool@gmail.com

See you all soon!