Yoga Classes at the Rec Center Get a Make-Over

It's not that they needed a make-over. From what I've heard, lots of people really enjoyed the yoga classes held at the Rec Center. However, there's a new teacher running the show now, and she wants to get the word out about her more vigorous classes.

The short of it is that on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:15 PM, you can drop by the dance room (left hand side of the rotunda) for some serious yoga. You must be a member of the Rec Center, but at $50 a year, if you go two or three times for the yoga alone, you're already breaking even.

Here's the long of it, straight from the teacher's keyboard:

Suryasta (Sunset) Yoga in Sunset Park Rec Center (Dance Room)
Tue & Thurs @ 6.15 pm
Open Class with Jenya Andrianova

Jivamukti Yoga method is a combination of vigorous physical and intellectually stimulating practices leading to spiritual awareness.
Open class is open to students of all levels.

Every class promotes educational aspect of the practice giving students the source of where ideas have come from.
Sanskrit chanting, readings and references to scriptural texts;
Playing uplifting music during the class (From Beatles to Classical);
Asana sequencing and yogic breathing exercises (postures linked with breath);
Meditation instruction and practice at the end of each class.

Less Personality, More Universality.
Sri Brahmananda Sarasvati

Jamming with the Drums: Indian and Egyptian Drumming, too

For the final workshop in the May series, get ready for some amazing drumming. In addition to the cultures represented in the previous evenings, Egyptian and Indian drumming will add their beats. Even if you've missed the other workshops, make sure to check out this one. Be at the Sunset Park Recreation Center from 6:15 to 7:30 PM for a great time.

Afro-Dominican and Haitian Dance at the Rec Center

Tomorrow night is the third installment of a month-long series of dance workshops from around the world at the Sunset Park Recreation Center. These are free and open to the public. Each workshop begins at 6:15 PM. This installment is Afro-Dominican and Haitian Dance.Click on the posters or the Friends of Sunset Park website for more information.

Arab American Service Day in Sunset Park

This year, the Sunset Park Recreation Center hosted Arab American Service Day. I had no idea it was going on, but on my way to a park-side coop's stoop sale (that never materialized, what a tease!), a neighbor informed me that there were lots of activities up in the park.

There was a free market with tons of clothes and items; I saw many people leaving with trash bags full of clothing.

There were dancing demonstrations.

And, most importantly for my kid, there was a very pleasant woman creating animals out of balloons. Sadly, she seemed to think that a flower balloon he wanted was inappropriate for my son, so he settled for a dog balloon. Maybe she had run out of the other ones. Oh! There was also a prize wheel that had mini first aid kits and bags as prizes, among other things.

You never know what you'll find when you venture into Sunset Park.

Korean Mask Dancing at the Rec Center

Tomorrow night continues the month-long series of dance workshops from around the world at the Sunset Park Recreation Center. These are free and open to the public. Each workshop begins at 6:15 PM. The second installment is Korean Mask Dancing and Drumming. See the poster below or the Friends of Sunset Park website for more information.

Lebanese and Palestinian Dance Tomorrow Night

Tomorrow night begins a month-long series of dance workshops from around the world at the Sunset Park Recreation Center. These are free and open to the public. Each workshop begins at 6:15 PM. The first installment is Lebanese and Palestinian Debke. See the poster above or the Friends of Sunset Park website for more information.

Free Drum and Dance Workshops at Rec Center

There's not a lot that's more energizing than good drumming and dancing. The Rec Center wants you to get drumming and dancing for free. Thursdays at 6 PM during May you can do just that thanks to the Brooklyn Arts Council and the Sunset Park Recreation Center.

May 7th will be Palestinian/Levantine Debka
May 14th is Korean Drumming and Dancing
May 21st is Afro-Dominican and Afro Puerto Rican night (will we see Bombayo again?)
May 28th is a Drum Jam.

Call 718 965 6533 for more information about these events.

Reminder: Youth Baseball Sign-Ups are NOW!

If you have a baseball-loving child between 5 and 12 years old, check out the flyer below and call the Rec Center at 718 965 6533 to find out how you can sign up. It's free, it's outside, it's fun. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Photos from Saturday's Celebrating Diversity Through Dance

Saturday's Diversity Celebration, sponsored by Young Dancers in Repertory, Friends of Sunset Park, and the Sunset Park Recreation Center, was a success despite the exceptional weather that kept many families from attending. The various dances represented many of the cultures found today in Sunset Park.

In addition to the dancing, informational booths were set-up to assist residents with dental health (Methodist Hospital's Pediatric Dental Clinic), HIV-AIDS education (Brooklyn AIDS task force), Fire Safety information, Immigration and New Arrival issues (New American Welcome Center/NYC Immigration Coalition), and other representatives from elected officials. There was also a strong showing from United Senior Citizens of Sunset Park.

Below, please excuse the poor quality of the photos. I know not to face the windows, but it was that or stand on top of the dozens of children watching from the side. I think they are just about in order of performance. I didn't get photos from the Polish Folklore Dance Troupe or the Quetzalcoatl group, so if anyone has them, please share!


From the Redhawk Native American Arts Council, we had some hula. She was lovely, and tried to teach a very shy-of-the-spotlight group a few moves. She performed a traditional Hula as well as a more Hollywood "sophisticated" Hula.
In the first of her many dances, Alexandra Bayeva performed a Russian dance which delighted the on-lookers with its fast beats.

The Chinese Planning Council had several dances with children and young adults. This was the first, and all the parents took out video recorders to get their kids on tape. It was very sweet.

Chrisafo Madimenos performed a couple of dances from the Mediterranean. The first was Spartan, I believe. And there was a traditional Greek dance that the children were taught. (No adults volunteered to learn.)
Again, Alexandra Bayeva performed. This second dance was a Ukrainian dance with lots of spinning and twirling.

A second dance by the Chinese Children's troup. They managed to synchronize, even with the littlest ones.
This was from a traditional Indian dance performed by a very energetic (and persistent) woman who really tried to get some adults to dance. She performed two different styles of Indian dances. She also taught a few moves to the participants.


The third performance by Alexandra Bayeva was a Gypsy dance. It was interesting to me because it was so different from the Gypsy dancing in Spain - none of the stomping and Flamenco style arm movements. It was more fluid and joyful rather than angry and sexual.

This is when I had to leave for a while. I missed the Polish and Mexican dances. I may have missed something else as well, so if anyone else attended and took photos, please add them to the Best View in Brooklyn photo pool!

The final group was BombaYo, a Puerto Rican BOMBA group that brought its own drums and instruments. I met these guys on their way up the hill to the Rec Center; they were incredibly friendly and warm. Their music and dancing reflected that attitude. You can see a youtube video at the link above.
This woman danced to the audience and the drummers with her scarf.
She was incredibly energetic and serious as a dancer.
This young lady also used a red scarf as a prop. All three dancers were lots of fun, and the audience loved it. A couple of people joined in to the performance as well.

Hopefully next year's celebration will have overcast, cool, damp weather so that more people can enjoy the dancers and getting to know their neighbors a bit more. Thank you to the people who worked so hard to put the event together!

Friends of Sunset Park, Our Rec Center, and Young Dancers in Repertory present Celebrating Diversity through Dance

Set this date aside for a good time: April 18th, 2009.

From Noon to 4 PM the Recreation Center will be awash in cultural celebration through dance. Check out the website for the event here. So far, the roster includes dancers from the following cultures: Mexican, Puerto Rican, Polish, Irish, Greek, Lebanese, and East Indian. I'm sure some of the Asian dancers will sign on soon. It would be great if the Norwegian Folkdance Society made an appearance.

Friends of Sunset Park, The Sunset Park Recreation Center, and Young Dancers in Repertory are bringing us this free event.

The day will include tabling by various area organizations, and the website has information on how to obtain a FREE area for tabling (informational, not sales!). The Girl and Boy Scouts, HealthPlus, and OBT are already showing up.

Pajama Drive

The Sunset Park Recreation Center is taking part in a Pajama Drive. Their goal is a measly 37 pajamas...girls' pajamas. The age range is simple: childhood. If you're wondering what size to buy, think on this: donations for infant and very young children tend to be greater in number. Buy a nice new set of PJs for a ten year old, or even a teenager. I'll bet it won't be duplicated. They should be new and unused. Yes, that means TAGS STILL ATTACHED!

Drop off pajamas at the Recreation Center (7th Avenue and 41st Street) - take a right when you enter the rotunda. For more details, call the Recreation Center (718 965 6533) and check out The Pajama Program's site.

Where to buy affordable but still pretty darn cool pajamas?

Happy Days (48th and 5th) has a lot of different styles. Children's Place (44th and 13th; 86th btween 4th and 5th; Atlantic Terminal) is having a sale. Century 21 has great pajamas. CostCo sometimes has Carter's for less than other places.

Sign-Up for Summer Youth Baseball and Summer Camp

As of yesterday (Monday), the applications haven't been going out yet. However, with only 30 spots for these programs, check in and do it often. According to one of the Rec Center employees, in order to maintain fairness and organization, there will be strict record kept of who picks up applications and who turns them in. I may have misunderstood, but here's what I got: The first 30 applications picked up will be given preference, and following applications will be held for spots. This makes sense because it allows those who need more time (to join the Rec Center, to find proper identification) will still be able to get into the programs.

Here's the basic information for both the Baseball Camp and the Summer Camp:

Parents of the children participating need to be members of the Rec Center ($25 for six months). I believe that assistance can be obtained, but I don't have that information yet.

Children need to be between 6 years old and 13 years old.* Bring a birth certificate (or a clear copy).

* One poster cites the groups as 5-8 and 9-12 for baseball.

Children must be up-to-date with their immunizations.

The programs are both free, and lunch is provided.

Please contact the Sunset Park Recreation Center for more information: 718 965 6533. Morris Nelson is the contact for the Summer Baseball League.

Weekday Computer Use Classes at the Rec Center

Geared towards Seniors (age, not school year), the Sunset Park Recreation Center will offer beginning PC instruction in Spanish and English.

Do you know someone who might benefit from learning how to email photos, use MS Word, scour the internet for information, or even shop on-line?

The class will begin on Tuesday, April 14th. It meets every Tuesday from 10 AM to 11:30 AM.

Participants must be members (it's only $10 per year for those 55 and older), and registration is required. Call the Recreation Center for more information: 718 965 6533

Recreation Center's Lunar New Year Party

This took place last Saturday, and as seems to be the norm for me lately, I made it to the Lunar New Year celebration late. Walking into the gym area, I thought firecrackers had gone off due to the smoky look to the air. I was wrong; it came from the cotton candy machine...it was kind of like a fog of sugary goodness surrounding you. From my days of working the cotton candy machine as a school fundraiser, I know that it's a thankless, sticky, messy job. The fluffy stuff does taste good fresh, though.

There were a lot of people still hanging around. Most were in line to spin the prize wheel. What you see below were the prizes. Apparently, most of the people waiting wanted the fruity chunks-at-the-bottom drinks. What most walked off with were juice boxes. No one was too unhappy though. It's free, after all.

Karen Gripper, the Recreation Center manager, was on hand to give away treats. She has been doing a great job with the events and upkeep of the Center. Between the craft groups, Tai Chi, after-school programs, playgroups, library, ping-pong players, holiday celebrations, census tests, and the regular Center activities, she and her staff stay plenty busy. Most are incredibly friendly as well.

There was a magic show while I was there. This young man was connecting and detaching the rings in various forms. The audience was almost reverential...eerily so.

The Tea Society of America was represented by a very friendly man. He had a beautiful table set out, but since he was back in the corner with the cotton candy (hence the foggy look) and the bathroom, few came by to check out the display.

The Sunset Park Relay for Life group was represented as well. The kick off party is on March 7th at OLPH. You can sign up a team or read more about it here. The relay is at IS 220 at 9th Avenue and 48th Street. It will take place on May 30th.

Get Fit with Family Wednesdays and Saturdays

The Sunset Park Recreation Center hosts a Family Fitness Class twice a week. Wednesdays come by at 5 PM for the 45 minute class. On Saturdays the class starts at 11 AM.

The flyer doesn't list ages; it just says "Children and Adults Welcome!"

The Sunset Park Rec Center is at the 7th Avenue and 41st corner of the park.

Last Lunar New Year Celebration

The Sunset Park Rec Center will have its own Welcome to the Year of the Ox celebration on Saturday, February 7th. From Noon to 4 PM there will be lion dances, giveaways, dancing demonstrations, activities for the kids, and general revelry.

If you missed the 8th Avenue fireworks and demonstrations, here's your chance to give the Ox a proper welcome.

The Recreation Center is in the park at 7th Avenue between 41st and 44th Streets.

Recreation Center Murals

I know I've seen these countless times, but I had the opportunity to really look on Monday. Once you are in the entry rotunda, just look up and to your right or left. I suggest starting with the left.

It shows a bucolic Sunset Park at what looks like different stages in its history. And even though the stages in history all appear at the same time, and even though the compositions rearrange geographic reality just a bit, it's still lovely. The kids at the local district 15 schools helped on these.

To the right, another mural shows picnics, swimmers, a playground, and a baseball game with dozens of on-lookers. Again, not quite a reflection of reality, but still much better than blank walls.

Just wanted to share.

Quilting for a Cause

Sunset Park Quilters met on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to work on a project for a local group home. The group has been putting together beautiful pillows to bring to the home.

Every Monday, the workroom is filled with sewing machines, colorful and patterned fabric squares, thread, and busy hands. Some people were cutting material, some were hand-sewing, and some were at the machines. It was a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

If you want to join the group to help with this project, stop by the second floor "yellow" room between 9 AM and 1 PM any Monday (it's possible the first half of February may not have meetings).

You can also call the Sunset Park Recreation Center at 718 965 6533.

MLK Service Day: Canned Food Drive to Benefit Center for Family Life

In commemoration of the call to service in honor of Dr. King's Federal Holiday, the Sunset Park Parents group is holding a Canned Food Drive to benefit the Food Pantry at the Center for Family Life. Today!

From Noon to 2 PM (maybe later), stop by the Sunset Park Recreation Center to drop off non-perishable items.

This is a small operation, so don't look for balloons and bake sales. Chances are it will be a person or two with boxes/bags to haul away the items. There will most likely be a sign and a child or two hanging around as well.

Suggested items include: Rice, pasta, tuna fish, beans (dry or canned), sauces, baby formula, canned vegetables and fruits, cereals, oatmeal, peanut butter (although maybe now isn't the best time...).

Enjoy your day of service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Just in Time! Budgeting Classes at the Sunset Park Rec Center

On October 4th (Saturday) from 11 AM - 1 PM, the Cornell University Cooperative Extension is offering a free two hour workshop called "Making Ends Meet." It's geared towards heads of families, and topics addressed will include resources in the community, money management techniques, and creating a household spending plan. Sounds useful, and you leave with a free tool kit to help you stick to the advice provided.