This free cultural series presents interdisciplinary lectures and performances by artists, dancers, musicians, historians, fiction writers, social and political analysts, and cultural leaders. No registration is required. Light refreshments are served.
Financial assistance for this season was provided to the Center for the Humanities by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency; the Regional Arts Commission of Saint Louis; and Gallery 210.
Spring 2010 Schedule
Mondays, January 25-April 26, 12:15-1:15 p.m.
(Download the Spring 2010 Monday Noon Series brochure.)
Stained Glass and Medieval Life
Ryan Niemann, Art and Computer Science instructor at St. Louis Priory School, discusses stained glass and the medieval world. He describes the construction of stained glass and covers its purpose in medieval Europe and what we can learn about medieval life from this art. His goal is to introduce the art of stained glass and to use it to illuminate the so-called “Dark Ages.”
Widening Our Literary Horizons Through Translation
Winnie Sullivan, executive director of Penultimate Press, and Maria Snyder, UMSL assistant teaching professor of French and German, discuss how readers discover new authors from around the globe. They describe the challenges of giving world literature a voice in English and how publishers and literary translators select those voices. This discussion reveals the bridges and barriers between readers in the United States and great writers in other languages.
The Lost Muse: George Balanchine, Lidiia Ivanova, Ballet, Murder, and Revolution
Elizabeth Kendall, St. Louis native, dance critic and writing professor at New York’s New School University, talks about her work in Russian and Georgian archives, researching the youth of master choreographer George Balanchine, and the 1924 murder of his best friend, young ballerina Lidiia Ivanova. This presentation is about piecing together history from hard-to-find and interpret primary documents.
Grupo Atlantico presents Latin-Caribbean Dance and Music
Carmen Dence, co-director of Grupo Atlantico, a St. Louis-based folk dance group, and members of the group demonstrate dances and Colombian coastal music forms such as Cumbia, Bullerengue, and Currulao. They also showcase some traditional Colombian-Venezuelan coastal music.
The Story of Ellen
Ellen was born a slave on a Tennessee plantation in 1860 and lived in the Missouri Boot Heel until her 1953 death. Take a journey back in time and meet one of the most fascinating women known to great granddaughter, Loretta Washington. Enjoy the true story of Ellen and other short stories of life growing up in the 1950s Boot Heel of Missouri. Loretta Washington is a master storyteller and will be featured at the 2010 St. Louis Storytelling Festival, which runs April 28–May 1.
- Parking and buildings are disabled accessible.
- Park in Monday Noon Series Continuing Education spaces in Lot C for J.C. Penney Conference Center.
- A Free Arts & Culture Series Presented by the Center for the Humanities.
- Free and open to the public.
- Location: 222 J.C. Penney Conference Center.
- No registration required.
- Campus accessible by MetroLink.
Monday Noon Series 
