These virtual tutorials will ensure your lockdown's not all work from home and no play

This photo has been used for representational purpose only. Photo: istock

During lockdown 1.0 last year, life turned into a productivity contest for many on social media as chatter about learning new skills and "using" the time at home well, preoccupied platforms. While it is not necessary that one has to learn something new or be productive all the time, online workshops and short-term courses can offer fun and interesting ways to engage in the face of increased indoors time as Mumbai once again grapples with partial lockdowns. To make the choice easier for you, we've put together a list of creative virtual workshops that are sure to distract you from the mundanities of captivity. Productivity, be warned, might be a side-effect of signing up.

High Spirits
This one's sure to make you feel both sophisticated and well-travelled while you are cooped up at home. Institute of Wine + Beverage Studies is conducting online wine lessons that offers to introduce participants to the basics of wines, primary terms to describe it, different types of wines, the skills of opening, serving, tasting wines, food pairings, pronunciations and everything that is important for serving and tasting wine.

When: As per your schedule.
Visit: www.insider.in

Become a storyteller
Renowned author JK Rowling once said, "There's always room for a story that can transport people to another place." That's the power of stories; it can activate your imagination and creativity. Stories have been an integral part of most of our lives - from folk tales narrated by our grandparents to our favourite novels. However, it is also the nuanced way of presenting and telling a story that makes it even more interesting. If you are an aspiring storyteller, this is where you ought to be. At Jhumritalaiya - Online Storytelling Mentorship Program, writer and storyteller Mehak Mirza Prabhu, in association with Tape A Tale, will guide you through six immersive one-on-one classes about writing your own stories, developing memorable characters, finding your performance voice and performing your stories.

When: As per your schedule.
Email: contact@tapeatale.com or Visit: www.insider.in

Peek through your phone camera
You don't always need a DSLR to take fantastic shots. All you need is to learn how to control the settings of your smartphone to take amazing photographs. In this class, you will be taught the basics of manual focus, stability, aperture, camera angles, lighting, ISO, and much more. This one's bound to up your Instagram game.

When: Until July 31, 11 am and 8 pm.
Call: 9508781469 or Visit: www.bookmyshow.com

Child's Play
Do you have a little superstar at home? If yes, this is made for them. If your kid is interested in performing art, Raell Padamsee's Ace - Be a Broadway Star is worth checking out. The class is open for children who are four years and above. Here, they will be guided to perform excerpts from two popular musicals - ‘The Lion King' and ‘Aladdin'. Children will learn about designing, creating and executing simple props and costumes for the musical with basic material from home. Experts will help them in bringing out the emotions, expressions of the characters like Mufasa, Simba, Aladdin and Jasmine. They will also be taught about interpreting stage backdrops and sets to find the perfect fit for different scenes. A speech and diction session will also be conducted where students will learn and engage in dialogues from the play.

When: July 10, 3 pm and July 17, 12.40 pm and 3 pm.
Visit: www.bookmyshow.com

Get Crafty
Decoupage is a process of decorating an object by gluing coloured paper cutouts, and adding paint effects and other ornamental elements. At this class, participants will familiarise themselves with this technique and give it their own creative twist. Artist Rimjhim Garg will guide them step-by-step on how to decorate a serving tray along with two coasters.

When: July 10, 3 pm.
Visit: www.bookmyshow.com

Also Read: Good vibes only? When positivity becomes toxic and how to deal with it