Back in college, I got introduced to Capoeira from a friend who was keen to start a club on campus…read more Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art that has a few styles and is more generally divided into the Angola and Regional styles. Watching a Capoeira performance, probably the most attractive thing about it is the wide range of acrobatic moves and high flying kicks and flips which more experienced practitioners are able to perform. Looking more like a dance rather than a martial art, the "players" as they are called will enter a circle, which is usually formed by the other players and music will be played on a traditional instrument called the Berimbau, which is shaped like a bow and held tight by a steel string. There will be singing and music as players enter the circle two at a time, playing a game of martial chess whereby either individual will try and outsmart the other in order to trip them up or open their defences in order to score a "hit". No actual hitting is allowed in the circle or "Roda" as it is called and the feeling is generally kept playful and friendly. In between all that though, the players are usually exhibiting kicks infused with ground and aerial acrobatics in order to maintain the flow of the "game" and fluidity of their movement. I might not be explaining all this 100% correctly, but basically Capoeira is a very dynamic, fun and very physically challenging martial art which is unlike any other martial art you might come across as it evolved independently from Chinese and oriental influences. As for the actual place in Adelaide, Soul Capoeira which is run by Chan Griffith would be my go to place for Capoeira. A fun, friendly environment, training at Soul Capoeira was what I used to do back in the early days of arriving in Adelaide and I've always enjoyed the training sessions there. The classes are suitable for people of all ages and don't worry if you can't do front flips, back flips and have the flexibility of a solid piece of wood. There are people of all levels in the class, so you don't have to worry about elitism or feeling left out. The training can be hard, but it is fun and you will improve over time as you train. There isn't another martial art I can think of that incorporates music into it, so if you're looking for a fun way to get fit, meet people and learn a new different kind of martial art, I would pay Soul Capoeira a visit.

Adelaide Central School of Art has such a brilliant reputation…read more I am due to be a student there this year, and it is only due to their flexibility, helpfulness and access to FEE-HELP (Hecs) that I am able to follow one of my primary passions - visual art. I have tried to study at UniSA twice, but their inflexible study times and minimum workload requirements made it impossible. However, I decided that I really needed to have some direction in art and I've always wanted professional mentoring in traditional mediums including drawing and oil painting. ACSA provides that and even when I asked tentatively if they had any places left for the 2012 Bachelor course, they accepted me (Supposed to have applied in November 2011). The Receptionist was incredibly lovely, helpful and passionate about art and we talked about it for ages. This is one of the only places that do night time classes and on the 6th of Feb, I'll be starting 7pm classes in drawing and oils. This place is a safe haven for the artistically inclined.

More than just an art school. Central, situated presently on Osmond Terrace in Norwood, but likely…read moresoon to move (as to where they apparently have not yet decided) houses both a gallery and an independently owned art supplies store. The gallery is well respected in the South Australian contemporary art scene and shows the work of local and national artists throughout the year as well as hosting graduate exhibitions and group shows of emerging artists. Until recently, the gallery was hosting an exhibition entitled "Flourish" featuring the work of Central's instructors and former students. The next show on the calendar entitled "Emergence" will display the work of this years graduates. Although I have only seen a few examples of the work to be on show, it appears that there is certainly some talent this year and it will be well worth checking out. As well as offering full length degree programmes, Central also offers a number of short courses and hosts interesting workshops from time to time. Prior to commencing my studies there, I took the painting short course which proved very useful in developing basic painting skills. The workshops are often directed at specific areas, and are often suited to more the experienced, whereas the short courses are often suited to begginers. The full length of study at Central can prove to be very expensive, although, Central's recent affiliation with Flinders University has now made HELP Loans available with respect to study fees.

I did my Diploma of Audio Engineering here. It's a fantastic place to do so. The tutors all have…read moreyears of experience in the industry. SAE still has a reel to reel analog studio to teach students "how it used to be done in the old days". But on top of this they have a full studio with a pro tools HD rig, ten rack units totalling 18 inputs (I think, from memory). Mic stands and microphones abound! They had a U87 when I was there, I'm pretty sure they still do as well! Apart from that they have a large collection of industry standard mics. 57s, beta 52s, rhodes and few cheapy Studio Pros (but they are perfectly good for what they're worth) If you're planning on studying audio engineering or music technology, give SAE a go. Definitely.