Preston has added five new classes to their line-up. The only difference — these classes cost money.

The new classes are yoga, taiji, hip-hop dancing, self-defense and swimming.

Fitness coordinator and yoga instructor Michelle Young said these are not just basic aerobics classes, but instructional programs.

The programs give people who are not members of Preston Center a chance to take classes. But since the attendees of the classes will be non-members, Preston has to charge for the service in advance.

Classes began on Jan. 22 with taiji, yoga on Jan. 28 and self-defense on Feb. 4.

Hip-hop dancing?will begin on April 7 with a cost of $30 for students, $35 for faculty and $40 for the community.?

Swimming will begin Feb. 24 with the same costs.

The second yoga session will start April 1 with a cost of $35 for students, $40 for faculty and $45 for the community. All classes accept Big Red Dollars.

She said she had different people request these classes by word of mouth.

“We did yoga last semester, and it was such a huge success,” Young said. “The self-defense class was in session last summer, and these seemed to draw in a mother and daughter crowd, so we brought it back again.”

Yoga instructor Laura Hall said the classes have been a success, with the majority in attendance being from outside the community.

“We have so many people new to yoga,” she said. “It’s just a nice experience, and yoga is such a great exercise concentrating on stretching, breathing and relaxing.”

Young said the self-defense classes are very beneficial.

“I’m not saying that this campus is a dangerous place, but you never know when you might be put in a spot where you might need to defend yourself,” she said.

Young said there is always the potential for bringing in new classes to meet everyone’s needs.?

“We see what types of classes people are interested in. That’s where we got the idea to bring in hip-hop,” she said.?”We never know what ideas we might get.”

Reach Megan Engle at [email protected].