Capital Region

This course will teach you the basics of the game. Explanations of the paddles and balls will be discussed. You will learn how the game is played and scored. Actual games, using a doubles format will be played. You will be coached while playing on the court. A tennis type shoe is required. Balls and paddles will be provided. Pickleball requires less running mobility than tennis. Please consult your physician before registering for this program.

We will explore the arts and worship, how they can be worked together as we walk through the chapel and discover the banners created by a group of artists at Grantham Church several years ago. We will talk about planning worship and how the church can embrace both the arts and the artist as an integral way to communicate spiritual truths that transcend words with a visual language.

In 1998, the American Film Institute (AFI) polled over 1,500 artists and film industry leaders to gather their votes for the top 100 American films of all time. These “arbiters of excellence” chose from a list of 400 nominated films. The criteria included critical recognition, major awards won, popularity over time, historical significance, and cultural impact. Controversy ensued as often happens with any list of excellence. The AFI produced a revised list in 2007, and films were dropped, others added, some moved up, and others dropped down. This 2007 list will serve as the basis for the course. In Part 1 we will count down from #100 to #51. For each film, we will examine the historical and cultural context, the impact of each film on the art of feature narrative films, and discuss why this film found its way onto this exalted list. Clips will be shown for each film. Part 2 will be offered in Spring 2022.

A confusing array of streaming TV options exist beyond Netflix, Prime Video, and Hulu. In this session, we will look at the many, many options for TV programming available. We will look at what each option provides in terms of content and viewing choices. We will discuss several important issues: how to receive these channels, costs and options, how to learn about available programs on these channels, and how to find reviews of programming to help with making viewing decisions. In short, participants will learn how to consider all these options and make choices that will enhance their viewing pleasure, ensuring that they don’t miss out on the wonderful variety of programming that is available.

Who was Fidel Castro and why has he been so frustrating to the U.S.? A dictator to some, hero to others and an inspiration for many of the world's poor! He drove an independent revolutionary course for half a century. What's next for Cuba after Castro's death? A look at Cuba's geography and past history will set the stage for Fidel and Cuba's Future. The good and the bad will be looked at. Questions will be encouraged as will discussion of related topics.

This course will teach you the basics of the game. Explanations of the paddles and balls will be discussed. You will learn how the game is played and scored. Actual games, using a doubles format will be played. You will be coached while playing on the court. A tennis type shoe is required. Balls and paddles will be provided. Pickleball requires less running mobility than tennis. Please consult your physician before registering for this program.

This course is a follow up to An Introduction to the Orthodox Church taught during the Spring 2021 Term. This two-session course will provide an overview of the history, purpose, and importance of icons in the Orthodox Christian experience.

"Christian" art and architecture didn't appear until the middle of the 3rd century, long after the development of Christian worship and theology. What took so long? Or was it there and we just don't recognize it? There are fascinating mysteries in the visual emergence of a new religion in an ancient world, where gods, emperors, magicians, chameleons, and donkeys could be transformed, and tombs, courtrooms, and laundries could be converted by Christian creativity. Visit catacombs and villas to follow the flights of imagination of a new faith and its visual expression.

Born in the backwoods of Texas in 1868 - in the aftermath of the Civil War - Scott Joplin, African American, decided not to labor in the fields but instead to head north where he would promote his self-taught talents at the piano. Advanced study in harmony and composition at the George Smith College for Negroes led to a profusion of original works: Rags, waltzes, marches, dances, one serenade, and two operas. But for his acclaimed Maple Leaf Rag, most of them met with dismissal or distortion from a still prejudicial northern society. Ultimately over time, the novelty, structure, brilliance, and energy represented in Joplin's music speak to his genius in creating an iconic musical genre, unique in American art history. In this course, we will discuss Joplin's life and play selected examples of his music on the piano.

This course will trace the humble beginnings of the internet. We will share the early lucrative years and how they affect how we use our electronics today. What are the most popular applications and how did they get so popular? And why is the smartphone one of the most loved and hated innovations of our lifetime? Bob Rosenshein - a guest lecturer from Israel - will join us. Bob is an internet entrepreneur who knows firsthand how the first companies used this new technology for the greater good. He was founder, Chairman, and CEO of Answers.com.