let's do fun thingsclasses & workshops · chicago
classes & workshops in chicago
drop into a class with no commitment. dance, pottery, cooking, language, lectures — short-format, beginner-friendly, and built for meeting the room.
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last call lectures: medical mysteries: true stories from the neurology ward
The Scout Waterhouse + Kitchen
1419 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610, USA
last call lectures presents: medical mysteries: true stories from the neurology ward the brain is the strangest organ we have, and when it breaks, it breaks in ways that sound made up. patients who can't recognize faces. people convinced a limb isn't theirs. memories that rewrite themselves in real time. this month, ignacio keller sarmiento pulls back the curtain on the neurology ward and the real cases that left even the doctors stunned. ignacio works at the intersection of medicine and the deeply human stories behind each diagnosis. expect true cases, the detective work of figuring out what's actually happening inside someone's head, and what these mysteries reveal about how all of our brains work. expect a 45 minute talk, then small group discussion, then open q&a. come solo, leave with new people and a new appreciation for the three pounds of tissue running your whole life.
let's learn salsa (3 part series)
We The People Fitness Studio
1229 N North Branch St #3/F, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
Overview 3 part salsa workshop (+ a 4th event that's a dance social) for people who are serious about learning how to dance the event starts at 10:15am on the last saturday ( July 25th ) july 11th july 18th july 25th salsa Workshop Series — PLEASE READ 💃 Your ticket includes: • All 3 parts of our progressive salsa workshop • 1 social dance night at castaways ( salas before sunset) • A full month of dancing, practice, community, and real progress • One ticket covers everything — no add-ons needed This is a true progressive series — each class intentionally builds on the last so you actually grow week to week. Classes are advanced-beginner to low-intermediate friendly. (If you're brand-new, our regular socials are beginner-friendly!) WHY THIS WORKSHOP IS WORTH IT • You actually improve. Most classes teach random patterns each week. This workshop is intentionally structured so you build rhythm, timing, connection, and usable partnerwork. • You won’t feel lost. We keep the level consistent and the pacing supportive. Everyone’s here to learn — not judge. • You build a dance crew. Three classes + a social = a built-in community. People make real friends in these workshops. • You get real-world practice. The included salsa before susnet social gives you a perfect chance to try your skills in a welcoming, lively environment. • It’s an insane value. Three classes + one social + multiple instructors + structured progression… This would normally run $150–$250 elsewhere. We keep it accessible so Chicago can dance. WHO THIS IS FOR • People who want to level up their salsa • Anyone who can keep a beat and wants structure + real progress • Dancers who want confidence for salsa on a School Night WHO THIS IS NOT FOR • Someone looking for a one-time “try it once” class — this is a progressive workshop
last call lectures: underwater eavesdropping - how scientists decode whale conversation
The Scout Waterhouse + Kitchen
1419 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610, USA
last call lectures presents: underwater eavesdropping: how scientists decode whale conversation somewhere in the deep, whales are talking. clicks, whistles, and songs that travel for miles through the dark. but what are they actually saying? this month, sonny schoenhoft takes us beneath the surface into the strange and beautiful science of listening to whales, and the work of trying to crack a language that evolved a world away from our own. sonny lives in the world where marine biology meets the puzzle of communication. expect the tools scientists use to record and decode whale sound, what we've figured out so far, and the big open question hanging over all of it: how close are we really to understanding another species? expect a 45 minute talk, then small group discussion, then open q&a. come solo, leave with new people and a head full of the ocean.
let's learn bachata advanced (3 part series)
We The People Fitness Studio
1229 N North Branch St #3/F, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
Overview 3 part bachata workshop for people who are serious about learning how to dance to get in: type in: suite 306 code: 845747 Bachata Workshop Series — PLEASE READ 💃 Your ticket includes: • All 3 parts of our progressive bachata workshop •3 weeks dancing, practice, community, and real progress • One ticket covers everything — no add-ons needed This is a true progressive series — each class intentionally builds on the last so you actually grow week to week. Classes are advanced-beginner to low-intermediate friendly. (If you're brand-new, our regular socials are beginner-friendly!) SCHEDULE july 7th july 14th july 28th includes salsa before sunset social july 23rd we the people fitness studio WHY THIS WORKSHOP IS WORTH IT • You actually improve. Most classes teach random patterns each week. This workshop is intentionally structured so you build rhythm, timing, connection, and usable partnerwork. • You won’t feel lost. We keep the level consistent and the pacing supportive. Everyone’s here to learn — not judge. • You build a dance crew. Three classes + = a built-in community. People make real friends in these workshops. • It’s an insane value. Three classes + multiple instructors + structured progression… This would normally run $150–$250 elsewhere. We keep it accessible so Chicago can dance. WHO THIS IS FOR • People who want to level up their bachata • Anyone who can keep a beat and wants structure + real progress • Dancers who want confidence for Bachata on a School Night WHO THIS IS NOT FOR • Someone looking for a one-time “try it once” class — this is a progressive workshop
let's learn salsa advanced
We The People Fitness Studio
1229 N North Branch St #3/F, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
let's learn salsa: advanced series (+ salsa before sunset) a three-week advanced salsa series with Andrew, Director of our Latin Dance Vertical, plus entry to Salsa Before Sunset on the rooftop. dates saturday, august 8 saturday, august 15 saturday, august 22 thursday, august 27 (salsa before sunset) who it's for dancers who already have the fundamentals down and want to level up turn patterns, styling, musicality, and lead/follow at a higher tempo. this is not a beginner class. if you've never taken salsa before, start with our beginner series. what to expect three progressive saturday sessions built to compound week over week. same cohort each week, so by session three you know your partners, the material builds on itself, and you leave with real reps under your belt. Andrew will push technique, cover advanced concepts like cross-body variations, complex turn combinations, and partner connection at speed. included all three tuesday classes plus admission to salsa before sunset on thursday, august 27, the rooftop social where you can put the work in front of a live DJ, sunset, and a full floor of dancers. the bigger idea most people never take a class because walking in alone feels awkward. we solve that: your host introduces you to the room, you're paired up from minute one, and by week two you're greeting people by name. that's the whole point.
last call lectures
Chicago
Chicago, IL, USA
last call lectures is our recurring series where we bring in someone who knows a lot about something interesting (a professor, a researcher, a practitioner, an obsessive) and let them give the talk they've always wanted to give. the kind of lecture you'd actually want to stay awake for. each night follows the same rhythm: arrive, grab a drink, settle in. one expert takes the floor for about 45 minutes on a topic worth your evening. then 4 discussion questions, each being given 15 minutes, with a final q and a with the professor at the end. it's part lecture, part bar night, part "wait, i didn't know i cared about this." you leave smarter than you came, with a few new people in your phone. speaker and location coming soon
let's learn bachata
We The People Fitness Studio
1229 N North Branch St #3/F, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
let's learn bachata: beginner series (+ salsa before sunset) a three-week beginner bachata series with Andrew, Director of our Latin Dance Vertical, plus entry to Salsa Before Sunset on the rooftop. dates tuesday, august 11 tuesday, august 18 tuesday, august 25 thursday, august 27 (salsa before sunset) who it's for total beginners. no partner needed, no experience needed, no rhythm required (we'll get you there). if you've been curious about bachata but haven't had a reason to start, this is it. what to expect three progressive tuesday sessions built to compound week over week. same cohort each week, so by session three you know your partners, the basic step feels natural, and you can actually dance a song from start to finish. Andrew will cover the fundamentals: basic step, timing, connection, side-to-side, and your first turn patterns. included all three tuesday classes plus admission to salsa before sunset on thursday, august 27, the rooftop social where you can practice what you learned with a live DJ, sunset, and a full floor of dancers. bachata gets played too. don't worry. the bigger idea most people never take a class because walking in alone feels awkward. we solve that: your host introduces you to the room, you're paired up from minute one, and by week two you're greeting people by name. that's the whole point.
let's learn salsa advanced
We The People Fitness Studio
1229 N North Branch St #3/F, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
let's learn salsa: advanced series (+ salsa before sunset) a three-week advanced salsa series with Andrew, Director of our Latin Dance Vertical, plus entry to Salsa Before Sunset on the rooftop. dates saturday, august 8 saturday, august 15 saturday, august 22 thursday, august 27 (salsa before sunset) who it's for dancers who already have the fundamentals down and want to level up turn patterns, styling, musicality, and lead/follow at a higher tempo. this is not a beginner class. if you've never taken salsa before, start with our beginner series. what to expect three progressive saturday sessions built to compound week over week. same cohort each week, so by session three you know your partners, the material builds on itself, and you leave with real reps under your belt. Andrew will push technique, cover advanced concepts like cross-body variations, complex turn combinations, and partner connection at speed. included all three tuesday classes plus admission to salsa before sunset on thursday, august 27, the rooftop social where you can put the work in front of a live DJ, sunset, and a full floor of dancers. the bigger idea most people never take a class because walking in alone feels awkward. we solve that: your host introduces you to the room, you're paired up from minute one, and by week two you're greeting people by name. that's the whole point.
last call lectures: wherefore art thou hockey boyfriend: a shakespearean take on heated rivalry and off campus
Chicago
Chicago, IL, USA
wherefore art thou hockey boyfriend: a shakespearean take on heated rivalry and off campus four hundred years after shakespeare’s time, sarah-gray lesley, phd in english language and literature, is taking us on a journey through how shakespeare's influence is still finding a place in the modern era... and especially in the hockey romance scene. despite its staggering popularity, 21st-century romance novels, movies, and television shows are often dismissed as silly, shallow, or just plain “smut.” meanwhile, shakespeare’s romantic plays–the clear source for so many enduring tropes and narrative beats–are revered as thought-provoking, serious, and unsexy. in this lecture, we’re going to dissolve these common (mis)conceptions. the gap between that play we hated reading in high school English class and our current steamy obsession might be narrower than we think! here is how the night runs: dr. lesley opens with a 45 minute lecture, followed by 15 minutes of live q&a. then we break into small groups for 45 minutes of guided discussion with fellow readers, closing with a 15 minute debrief to bring it all back together. stick around after for mingling and recruiting for your next hockey watch party. so will you come to our lecture? don't go to russia. come to our lecture. we'll have so much fun.
let's learn bachata
We The People Fitness Studio
1229 N North Branch St #3/F, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
let's learn bachata: beginner series (+ salsa before sunset) a three-week beginner bachata series with Andrew, Director of our Latin Dance Vertical, plus entry to Salsa Before Sunset on the rooftop. dates tuesday, august 11 tuesday, august 18 tuesday, august 25 thursday, august 27 (salsa before sunset) who it's for total beginners. no partner needed, no experience needed, no rhythm required (we'll get you there). if you've been curious about bachata but haven't had a reason to start, this is it. what to expect three progressive tuesday sessions built to compound week over week. same cohort each week, so by session three you know your partners, the basic step feels natural, and you can actually dance a song from start to finish. Andrew will cover the fundamentals: basic step, timing, connection, side-to-side, and your first turn patterns. included all three tuesday classes plus admission to salsa before sunset on thursday, august 27, the rooftop social where you can practice what you learned with a live DJ, sunset, and a full floor of dancers. bachata gets played too. don't worry. the bigger idea most people never take a class because walking in alone feels awkward. we solve that: your host introduces you to the room, you're paired up from minute one, and by week two you're greeting people by name. that's the whole point.
let's learn salsa advanced
We The People Fitness Studio
1229 N North Branch St #3/F, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
let's learn salsa: advanced series (+ salsa before sunset) a three-week advanced salsa series with Andrew, Director of our Latin Dance Vertical, plus entry to Salsa Before Sunset on the rooftop. dates saturday, august 8 saturday, august 15 saturday, august 22 thursday, august 27 (salsa before sunset) who it's for dancers who already have the fundamentals down and want to level up turn patterns, styling, musicality, and lead/follow at a higher tempo. this is not a beginner class. if you've never taken salsa before, start with our beginner series. what to expect three progressive saturday sessions built to compound week over week. same cohort each week, so by session three you know your partners, the material builds on itself, and you leave with real reps under your belt. Andrew will push technique, cover advanced concepts like cross-body variations, complex turn combinations, and partner connection at speed. included all three tuesday classes plus admission to salsa before sunset on thursday, august 27, the rooftop social where you can put the work in front of a live DJ, sunset, and a full floor of dancers. the bigger idea most people never take a class because walking in alone feels awkward. we solve that: your host introduces you to the room, you're paired up from minute one, and by week two you're greeting people by name. that's the whole point.
last call lectures: from dowries to algorithms: a singles lecture on the evolution of modern love
The Scout Waterhouse + Kitchen
1419 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610, USA
part lecture, part singles mixer, you’re not going to miss this one! historically, romance grew out of a small circle of family-vetted matches and dowries. now, love arrives through a curated bio, a quick swipe, and competing for attention against eleven other matches in your inbox. somewhere between arranged marriages and infinite matches, the rules of connection have fundamentally shifted. as a result, we are operating off instincts built for a world that does not exist anymore. in this lecture, we are digging into how we got here. do soul mates really exist? why does having more dating options make it harder to choose, not easier? and how much of our modern heartbreak comes down to standards nobody can actually meet? leading the night is dr. johanna strokoff, a licensed clinical psychologist who has spent over a decade leading talks on love, relationships, and the psychology behind why we want what we want. here is how the night runs: dr. strokoff opens with a 45 minute lecture, followed by 15 minutes of live q&a. then we break into small, intentionally mixed groups for 45 minutes of guided discussion with fellow singles, closing with a 15 minute debrief to bring it all back together. and stick around after for mingling with your fellow curious (and single 😉) minds!
let's learn bachata
We The People Fitness Studio
1229 N North Branch St #3/F, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
let's learn bachata: beginner series (+ salsa before sunset) a three-week beginner bachata series with Andrew, Director of our Latin Dance Vertical, plus entry to Salsa Before Sunset on the rooftop. dates tuesday, august 11 tuesday, august 18 tuesday, august 25 thursday, august 27 (salsa before sunset) who it's for total beginners. no partner needed, no experience needed, no rhythm required (we'll get you there). if you've been curious about bachata but haven't had a reason to start, this is it. what to expect three progressive tuesday sessions built to compound week over week. same cohort each week, so by session three you know your partners, the basic step feels natural, and you can actually dance a song from start to finish. Andrew will cover the fundamentals: basic step, timing, connection, side-to-side, and your first turn patterns. included all three tuesday classes plus admission to salsa before sunset on thursday, august 27, the rooftop social where you can practice what you learned with a live DJ, sunset, and a full floor of dancers. bachata gets played too. don't worry. the bigger idea most people never take a class because walking in alone feels awkward. we solve that: your host introduces you to the room, you're paired up from minute one, and by week two you're greeting people by name. that's the whole point.
last call lectures
Chicago
Chicago, IL, USA
last call lectures is our recurring series where we bring in someone who knows a lot about something interesting (a professor, a researcher, a practitioner, an obsessive) and let them give the talk they've always wanted to give. the kind of lecture you'd actually want to stay awake for. each night follows the same rhythm: arrive, grab a drink, settle in. one expert takes the floor for about 45 minutes on a topic worth your evening. then 4 discussion questions, each being given 15 minutes, with a final q and a with the professor at the end. it's part lecture, part bar night, part "wait, i didn't know i cared about this." you leave smarter than you came, with a few new people in your phone. speaker and location coming soon
last call lectures
Chicago
Chicago, IL, USA
last call lectures is our recurring series where we bring in someone who knows a lot about something interesting (a professor, a researcher, a practitioner, an obsessive) and let them give the talk they've always wanted to give. the kind of lecture you'd actually want to stay awake for. each night follows the same rhythm: arrive, grab a drink, settle in. one expert takes the floor for about 45 minutes on a topic worth your evening. then 4 discussion questions, each being given 15 minutes, with a final q and a with the professor at the end. it's part lecture, part bar night, part "wait, i didn't know i cared about this." you leave smarter than you came, with a few new people in your phone. speaker and location coming soon
last call lectures
Chicago
Chicago, IL, USA
last call lectures is our recurring series where we bring in someone who knows a lot about something interesting (a professor, a researcher, a practitioner, an obsessive) and let them give the talk they've always wanted to give. the kind of lecture you'd actually want to stay awake for. each night follows the same rhythm: arrive, grab a drink, settle in. one expert takes the floor for about 45 minutes on a topic worth your evening. then 4 discussion questions, each being given 15 minutes, with a final q and a with the professor at the end. it's part lecture, part bar night, part "wait, i didn't know i cared about this." you leave smarter than you came, with a few new people in your phone. speaker and location coming soon
last call lectures
Chicago
Chicago, IL, USA
last call lectures is our recurring series where we bring in someone who knows a lot about something interesting (a professor, a researcher, a practitioner, an obsessive) and let them give the talk they've always wanted to give. the kind of lecture you'd actually want to stay awake for. each night follows the same rhythm: arrive, grab a drink, settle in. one expert takes the floor for about 45 minutes on a topic worth your evening. then 4 discussion questions, each being given 15 minutes, with a final q and a with the professor at the end. it's part lecture, part bar night, part "wait, i didn't know i cared about this." you leave smarter than you came, with a few new people in your phone. speaker and location coming soon
last call lectures
Chicago
Chicago, IL, USA
last call lectures is our recurring series where we bring in someone who knows a lot about something interesting (a professor, a researcher, a practitioner, an obsessive) and let them give the talk they've always wanted to give. the kind of lecture you'd actually want to stay awake for. each night follows the same rhythm: arrive, grab a drink, settle in. one expert takes the floor for about 45 minutes on a topic worth your evening. then 4 discussion questions, each being given 15 minutes, with a final q and a with the professor at the end. it's part lecture, part bar night, part "wait, i didn't know i cared about this." you leave smarter than you came, with a few new people in your phone. speaker and location coming soon
last call lectures
Chicago
Chicago, IL, USA
last call lectures is our recurring series where we bring in someone who knows a lot about something interesting (a professor, a researcher, a practitioner, an obsessive) and let them give the talk they've always wanted to give. the kind of lecture you'd actually want to stay awake for. each night follows the same rhythm: arrive, grab a drink, settle in. one expert takes the floor for about 45 minutes on a topic worth your evening. then 4 discussion questions, each being given 15 minutes, with a final q and a with the professor at the end. it's part lecture, part bar night, part "wait, i didn't know i cared about this." you leave smarter than you came, with a few new people in your phone. speaker and location coming soon
common questions
- do i need experience?
- no. every class on this list is beginner-friendly by design. show up, follow along, leave knowing one new thing.
- is it weird to come alone?
- no. about half the room comes solo. classes are one of the easiest formats to meet people.
- what should i bring?
- check the event card — most classes provide everything. if a class needs you to bring anything, it'll be listed.