Spring Semester 2025 Courses
Classes are offered in person on Sundays at Marymount Manhattan College and virtually on Mondays and Wednesdays. Please see below for the list of course descriptions to learn more about each course.
Sundays: In-Person Courses
The Opera Companion
10:00am - 12:00pm
Instructor: Jane Marsh
Join internationally renowned opera singer, Jane Marsh, for an in-depth JASA Opera Companion Course. The Spring semester will offer a style assortment of well-known composers, the likes of Rossini, Massenet, Verdi, Strauss, Tchaikovsky, and Wagner, among others, showcasing a tour of these composers’ lesser-known operas. The course will draw from literary drama, novels, plays, poems, and politics, offering diverse and entertaining fun depicted through DVD clips. There is no need to be a musician. Just bring interest and enthusiasm. Come one, come all!
Dance History (5 weeks, March 2 - March 30)
10:00am - 11:30am
Instructor: Lars Rosager
This course focuses on acquiring a general knowledge of dance history from its beginnings to contemporary times. Participants are encouraged to think critically about social and cultural factors affecting stylistic developments in dance history, such as geography, politics, economics, fashion, etc. Examples of subjects to be included are Indigenous dance, the ancient Greeks, folk dance, Renaissance court dance, Ragtime dances, classical ballet, Broadway dance, and Jazz dance.
Film Studies (5 weeks, April 6 - May 18)
10:00am - 11:30am
Instructor: Max Alvarez
Join film historian Max Alvarez on a cinematic journey through film history. In this course, each week a specific aspect of the film will be explored through various lectures and video presentations. The following programs will be presented; Orson Welles: Genius of Stage and Screen, Paris on Film: A Cinematic Journey, The Technique of Screenwriting, The Technique of Film Editing, and Jazz & Blues on Film, Part I.
History of Explorations and Inventions
12:00pm - 1:30pm
Instructor: Alexander Pushugin
Embark on a fascinating journey through time with our 10-session course, History of Explorations and Inventions. This course explores the groundbreaking discoveries and innovations that have shaped the modern world, from the Age of Exploration to the technological advancements of the 20th and 21st Centuries.
Each lecture highlights pivotal moments in history, such as the voyages of Christopher Columbus and Marco Polo, the scientific revolutions of Galileo and Newton, and the transformative inventions of the Industrial Revolution. Delve into the stories behind inventions like the steam engine, the telegraph, and the airplane, and explore how these advancements sparked new frontiers in science, communication, and transportation. We also examine the societal impacts of these explorations and inventions, considering their cultural, economic, and global significance.
Through vivid storytelling, in-depth analysis, and engaging historical examples, this course illuminates the trailblazing spirit of human ingenuity and exploration. Whether you’re passionate about history, science, or technology, History of Explorations and Inventions offers an enriching experience that will deepen your understanding of how discoveries and innovations continue to shape our world today.
Women’s Rights
12:00pm - 1:30pm
Instructor: Jasmina Sinanovic
This class looks at the history of various battles for women's rights with a focus on primarily Europe and the USA. We will look at the early history that led to the erosion of these rights and focus on specific topics in education, reproductive, and labor rights in the context of larger human history.
Art Appreciation
1:45pm - 3:00pm
Instructor: Alexandra Bonfante-Warren (5 weeks, April 6 - May 18)
We’ll look at works in many mediums: paintings, prints, frescoes, sculpture, installation, and architecture. The principle guiding the choice of works is the variety and richness of responses they can invite, eliciting observations as diverse as the viewers’ experiences and sensibilities. Specifically, this course will look at Artist Making Art, Portraits and Self Portraits, artists breaking rules and conventions, abstract art and its many forms, and how artists use space and what it can represent.
The News Today: Current Events
1:45pm - 3:00pm
Instructor: William Hughes
This course will feature a weekly analysis of the major and not-so-major news stories of the week with a veteran journalist. The analysis will derive from a multitude of news sources from all political perspectives sprinkled with some of the funnier observations by late-night commentators. This course will also delve into the disparities and motivations behind news coverage in print, radio, TV, and online sources.
Mondays: Online Virtual Courses
Equal Protection and the Supreme Court
10:00am - 11:15am
Instructor: Leora Harpaz
This course will examine the way the Supreme Court has interpreted the core constitutional concept of equality of treatment protected by the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. It will explore the varying ways the Court treats discrimination based on race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, wealth, residency, and other characteristics used by the government to impose differences in treatment. While the course will focus on equal protection, when there are important developments in other areas of the law that reach the U.S. Supreme Court, time will be allocated to the discussion of those recent developments.
New York Short Stories
11:30am - 12:45pm
Instructor: Jennifer Gilchrist
New York is a city of millions of stories of hope, dreams, fear, anger, despair, romance, luck, creativity, humor, and resilience. What better setting for the literary short story? With an emphasis on perspective and internal logic, we read and analyze short works of mystery, horror, comedy, satire, irony, character study, romance, family drama, and social realism by diverse New Yorkers such as Truman Capote, Toni Cade Bambara, Gloria Naylor, Amy Hemple, Dina Alzavat, Ian Frazier, Lucia Berlin, William Denby, Ada Zhang, and Cleyvis Natera.
Shakespeare: Henry IV Part I
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Instructor: Leo Schaff
Join Shakespearean master teacher Leo Schaff as he continues to dive into the world of Prince Hal, the future king of England, a fifteenth-century wild child who keeps company with criminals and commoners, helps his juvenile friends rob his father's treasury, and spends all his time in seedy bars. This, of course, all takes place before Prince Hal's glorious "reformation," when he transforms himself from a total disgrace into a noble leader, who helps put down a rebel uprising that threatens his father's reign, and kills the guy who’s been bad-mouthing him all over England. Instructor Leo Schaff will lead the class in reading and group discussion of one of Shakespeare’s endearing master works with his marvelous character Falstaff leading the way. This course is a continuation of the fall semester. A review will be provided and the play will start in ACT III.
Creative Writing
2:15pm - 3:30pm
Instructor: Leo Schaff
This course calls on writers of all stripes, persuasions, and experiences. Memoirs, poetry, short stories, song lyrics, and letters to the editor are all welcome. Find inspiration through art, music, current events, or simply hearing each other’s work. Writers are helped through writing prompts to help guide topics if needed. When it comes to writing, everything is on the table.
Chair Yoga and Body Awareness
Instructor: Jennifer Monness
3:45pm - 4:30pm
This workshop will explore a variety of wellness practices tailored specifically for older adults. We'll delve into the importance of physical activity, mindful movement, nutrition, stress management techniques, and social connection for overall well-being. Participants will learn practical tips and strategies to incorporate these practices into their daily lives, enhancing their quality of life and fostering a sense of vitality.
Wednesdays: Online Virtual Courses
Jewish Book Club
10:00am - 11:00am
Instructor: Amy Weiss
This course analyzes short stories or book excerpts with Jewish characters and themes. Readings for each week, including works by Molly Antopol, David Bezmozgis, Nathan Englander, Nicole Krauss, Scott Nadelson, and Ayelet Tsabari, will be shared in advance. Previous experience with Jewish texts or literature is neither expected nor required.
Ten Philosophical Mistakes
11:15am - 12:30pm
Instructor: Greg Canada
In this 10-week course, we will read Mortimer Adler's provocative, bestselling book Ten Philosophical Mistakes. This book investigates ten errors in contemporary thought and shows how they have led to serious consequences in our everyday lives. We will carefully examine Adler’s position on how these mistakes came about, how to avoid them, and how to counter their negative effects.
Next Stop Broadway: Jewish Composers
12:45pm - 2:00pm
Instructor: Kim Breden
This course will explore the unique role of Jewish composers and lyricists in the creation of the modern American musical. "The Jewish Impact on Broadway Musicals" will showcase the work of some of the nation’s pre-eminent musical theatre creators, including Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, George and Ira Gershwin, Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, and many others.
Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull and the Birth of Modern Theater
2:15pm - 3:45pm
Instructor: Julia Smeliansky
Dive into the revolutionary world of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, a play that transformed the course of modern theater. This course unpacks the characters, themes, and groundbreaking ideas introduced by the Moscow Art Theater in their iconic 1898 production. Together, we’ll explore how this staging reshaped theatrical storytelling and why, 125 years later, The Seagull continues to captivate and inspire audiences worldwide.
Get A Clue: Crossword Construction
4:00pm - 5:15pm
Instructor: Natan Last
Learn the principles of crossword puzzle construction through basic history, determining a theme, making a usable grid, and creating the fill. A group puzzle will be submitted to the New York Times. Will Shortz has hailed this class as “one of a kind.” We are proud to have published 26 puzzles in the New York Times to date.
Registration is capped at 25 students.