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ACE Highlights
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Featured Courses

Understanding 20th Century Dance
ACE Highlights

Please note: Class dates have changed from Mondays to Wednesdays. Enhance your appreciation of dance as an exciting and ever-changing performance art. Develop an overall familiarity with dance as a contemporary art form through readings, video, and discussion. Enlarge your critical perspective by discussing issues in dance, comparing points of view of major choreographers, and considering their particular contributions. We will explore many 20th century choreographers and significant dance figures including: Isadora Duncan, Nijinsky, Ballet Russe, Balanchine, Ruth St. Denis, Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Merce Cunningham, Katherine Dunham, Liz Lerman, Bill T. Jones, Mark Morris, Alvin Ailey, Jose Limon, Pilobolus, Twyla Tharp, and Judson Church.
Winter 2022

The Good, the Wise, & the Lusty: Women in Boccaccio’s Decameron
ACE Highlights

Praised for feminism and condemned for misogyny, Giovanni Boccaccio’s view of women has been interpreted in various shades of gray. Shape your own opinion based on several emblematic novelle from his capital work Decameron (c. 1353). The book contains 100 tales told by a group of young women and men sheltering in a secluded villa just outside Florence to escape the plague. Written in the vernacular of the Florentine language, it is considered a masterpiece of classical early Italian prose. After exploring its historical perspective, we will discuss plot and characters, focusing on the ambiguity of the adjectives good, wise, and lusty. Required texts will be emailed to registered participants before each class.
Winter 2022

Viva Opera! Opera's Greatest Hits
ACE Highlights

Led by a professional opera singer, explore some of the most well-known and beloved pieces in the operatic repertoire including The Marriage of Figaro, The Barber of Seville, and Carmen. Each session will focus on a specific opera and composer, explore the famous arias and vocalists, and highlight the musical idiosyncrasies that define the piece. Discussions about plot points, characters, and themes will allow participants to “take the stage,” and gain a deeper understanding of what makes each opera a masterpiece.
Winter 2022

Film Appreciation
ACE Highlights

Movie lovers, come learn more about the beauty that makes film such a unique art form. Develop a deeper understanding of how to get the most out of your movie watching experience by looking at cinematic movements and genres from across both history and the world. We’ll watch clips each week and dig into the history that shaped these movements and explore the qualities of each that contribute to the greater world of cinema. We’ll explore the characteristics of Film Noir and the French New Wave movement, compare the style of comedies from Charlie Chaplan and the Marx Brothers, as well as a range of Western film scenes from the ‘30s to the ‘60s. No film background is required for this course and a wide range of perspectives and backgrounds are encouraged to sign up.
Winter 2022

A Cultural Tour of Cuba
ACE Highlights

The wholehearted positive energy that bursts from Cuban dance and arts is irresistible. Enjoy an armchair journey into the grand theaters, experimental arts salons, and underground galleries that are celebrating classical as well as new and alternative Cuban creatives. With ample video clips and stunning visuals to accompany our tour, we’ll explore Cuba’s famous lineage of dance styles and discuss key Cuban artists who have greatly influenced Cuban history with their visual and performing arts. Leave feeling inspired and warmed by this virtual tour to a tropical destination rich in culture.
Winter 2022
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