Courses in Spanish and Latin American Culture in English!!!

COURSES IN SPANISH AND LATIN AMERICAN CULTURE

Teacher: Mónica Bitar

Session duration: 60 minutes

Total number of sessions per course: 10

All the courses will be taught in English.

Courses:

I.    Literature of the 20th Century: 

We will study some of the most significant and representative authors from Spanish-speaking countries, introduce key aspects of their lives and read and discuss some of their works. We will also explore some of the characteristics of Latin American Literature that make it so colourful and unique. 

Topics and contents:

·      Members of the so called “Latin American Boom” and their fellow Spanish intellectuals in Paris during the 1960´s: Mario Vargas Llosa (Perú), Juan y Luis Goytisolo (España), Carlos Fuentes (México), Julio Cortázar (Argentina), Gabriel García Márquez (Colombia), among others.

·      “Realismo Mágico” is a term applied to the work of  some 20^th century Latin American novelists, in particular the Colombian Gabriel García Márquez, the Chilean Isabel Allende,the Mexican Juan Rulfo, the Argentinian Jorge Luis Borges and the Cuban Alejo Carpentier. The common characteristic, found in works like García Márquez's Cien años de soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude), is the realistic treatment and focus of magical or fantasy situations.

·      Gabriel García Márquez- Colombian Nobel Literature Prize- His life and work.

·      After “One Hundred Years of Solitude”: new authors.

II.Latin Dance-theory and practice:

There will be an introduction to the origins of dancing some of the main Latin dance rhythms, the musical instruments and the approaches and ways it is danced in different countries. This will be followed by listening to authentic Latin music, dance demostrations, lessons in the steps and practice. Let´s dance!

·      Salsa; Merengue; Bachata; Cumbia; Vallenato

III.              Art of the 20th century:

We will introduce some of the main artists from Spanish-speaking countries of the 20^th century, mainly painters and sculptors, study their master works and some aspects of their lives.

Picasso (España), Dali (España), Miró (España), Diego Rivera (México), Frida Khalo (México), Guayasamin (Ecuador), Wilfredo Lam (Cuba), Fernando Botero (Colombia), among others.