Instructional Recreation Class Descriptions

Introduction to Capoeira

This course is a six-week introduction to the artform of capoeira. It will introduce the fundamentals of movement, acrobatics, and music to students. We will cover basic kicks, defensive movements, ground movements, foundational acrobatics (QDR, handstand, cartwheel, bridge), and introduce capoeira music with the pondeiro and berimbau. A full breakdown of the course topics for each week can be seen below:

Week 1: Capoeira movement introduction: ginga, meia lua de frente, first defensive movement, ground movement, cartwheel and music intro with pondeiro
Week 2: Continued ginga development, meia lua de frente and queixada, two defensive movements, linking kicks with defense and ground movements, music cont’d
Week 3: Beginner Acro focused class. Continued development of kicks and defense. Meia lua de compasso and the capoeira game introduced
Week 4: Passada intro, Mestre Boneco Sequence #1. All students using book pondeiros together
Week 5: Macaco intro, Mestre Boneco Sequence #1 cont’d. Berimbau introduced
Week 6: Develop sequences using all the movements we learned. Spend time playing capoeira games together. Guests join

Instructor: My name is Jason LaCouture and in capoeira I am known as Instructor Camarão. I started training capoeira in 2000 at Northeastern! Capoeira has taken me to Brazil, Los Angeles, NYC, San Francisco, Cleveland and all throughout New England. I have participated in workshops led by many different capoeira masters over the years and am excited to share my knowledge and experience back to the Northeastern community.

Learn to Skate

Learn to Skate is a program that focuses on the fundamental elements of skating and is designed to build up and improve basic skating techniques. Throughout this program expect to learn how to develop beginning skating skills as well as engage in a fun skating environment. This class will feature skills from learning how to stop and glide on ice, all the way to simple spins and jumps. Anyone wishing to cultivate some new skating skills, or to advance previous ones are welcome.

Week 1: The first week of classes will be dedicated to cultivating basic safety skills on ice, therefore focusing on learning to safely fall on the ice and stand back up, complete forward glides, and how to stop on ice.
Week 2: The second week of classes will concentrate on more advanced glides as well as learning how to skate backwards. Week 2 will include elements such as: forward one-foot glides, backward two-foot glides, backward swizzles, and some simple two-foot turns.
Week 3: Throughout the third week of classes, we will learn how to properly use the edge of our skating blades in order to develop more controlled skating techniques. During the third week of classes, we will focus on how to turn on ice from speed and how to skate on curves.
Week 4: The fourth week of classes will be designated for learning more in-depth elements for skating backwards, such as backward crossovers and a variety of backward edges.
Week 5: During the fifth week of classes, we will focus on expanding some already developed skills in the previous weeks, such as learning how to do an advanced two-foot spin, and learning a variety of different stopping techniques.
Week 6: The sixth week of classes will feature some basic jump elements, as well as learning how to properly take off and land on the ice for those jumps. Some elements that will be included would be the bunny hop and side toe hop.
Week 7: The seventh week of classes will focus on learning backward lunges, turning from forward lunge to a backward lunge, and we will start to explore elements associated with the one-foot spin, including proper balancing position and landing.
Week 8: Week eight will delve deeper into achieving the one-foot spin, and skaters will also begin to learn how to achieve the waltz jump. Additionally, skaters will learn how to combine the previously learned backward crossovers with the one-foot spin, in order to get an effective and quick entry.
Week 9: Throughout the ninth week we will focus on how to perform different spirals (both backwards and forwards). This will utilize the edge skills gained in week three and will encourage skaters to further develop balancing skills and expand their flexibility.
Week 10: During the final week of the Learn to Skate program, there will be a cumulative lesson, featuring all of the major elements that have been taught throughout the Learn to Skate program.

Introduction to Functional Training

Introduction to Functional Training is a five-week Instructional Fitness course intended to teach participants about the key components of functional training and how to apply these components to a workout plan. More specifically, participants will receive a full orientation to the FTA and its unique equipment, and they will learn how to program a functional training-based workout plan using the space. A full breakdown of the course topics for each week can be seen below:

Week 1: Introduction to functional training, Orientation to the FTA.
Week 2: Instruction on equipment use, Safety tips.
Week 3: How-to: Programming a functional training workout plan.
Week 4: Sample program.
Week 5: Participant-led programming to assess knowledge and application.

Free Squash Clinics

Free single day, 1.5-hour beginner-intermediate clinic consisting of instruction, fundamentals, drills, conditioned games, and match play. Players will be separated by skill level and challenged based on experience. Protective eyewear and gum soled/white rubber soled sneakers are required. Squash rackets, squash balls and protective eyewear are available for purchase and to rent on the 3rd floor.

Please note: Only students with a current valid NU ID who have paid the University Recreation Fee and those faculty, staff, alumni and contractors who have paid a yearly membership fee are permitted to sign up for the Instructional Recreations Classes.

For more information about our membership policies, please visit the membership section of our site. For more information, please email recreation@northeastern.edu.