U3A Hawthorn held a Summer School during the month of January 2009.
The range of courses and activities offered provided an amazing diversity which highlights the depth and breadth of Members' interest [as audience] and skills [as presenters, chairpersons and organisers.]
Ranging from topical issues such as Climate Change to activities such as exercise classes, Summer School was a veritable smorgasbord. Classes delved into Global Warming, Revolutions in Health Care, GM crops, and tying fly fishing lures.
James Donaldson: Shearing & the Golden Age of Wool
Our special thanks go to all who participated and especially to Guest Presenters for their contribution.
Here are a few photographs of the more 'active' classes!
Learning the steps: Rania Avelkiou demonstrates
Many of the regional dances of Greece are known throughout the country; some bear the name of their birth place such as Kalamatianos, some are known by the same name everywhere but danced in a regionally variant style, such as Syrtos; some dances are also known by the name of the tune, or by the opening words of the song which accompanies the dance (Karagouna), whilst others are named after a trade (e.g. hassa pikos - the butchers’ dance).
Although each region has its own characteristic dance, there are two that are performed throughout the country by everyone, the Kalamatianos and Tsainikos. They are the most popular and best known of all the demotic dances, not only at home, but by Greeks who emigrate to other countries.
The Kalamatianos is cheerful and joyful and is regarded as the Greek national dance. It’s origin is from the ancient dance Syrto: the man who led the dance executed complicated steps to display his youthful valour; demure maidens followed. Today the Kalamatianos is danced in a circle by both men and women in a smooth fashion, although the leader may vary the steps with springs and turns. It is usually danced to the tune “When you go to Kalamata”, hence the name Kalamatianos.
Syrtos is a gentle, serious and impressive dance performed by both men and women all over Crete. At the beginning of the dance the dancers stand in a circle with the left foot pointed, they are joined by holding hands at shoulder length.
- notes courtesy of The Boîte
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Putting it all into practice
thanks to Ian Pittman for the photos
According to the Croquet Australia website "The image of croquet varies between the 19th century garden parties with ladies dressed in crinolines and the game being played by the Queen and Alice in Alice in Wonderland with flamingoes as the mallets and hedgehogs as the balls. Neither of these have to do with the modern game of Association Croquet."
Elizabeth Duff and her Summer School class dispelled those images, but not without a refreshing cup of tea!
click on any image for a larger picture
Croquet can come in various forms; golf croquet, association croquet and gateball being some of the variants.
There are now some 7000 registered players of association croquet in Australia, with increasing interest coming from younger players and the game being played internationally - particularly in USA, UK and NZ.
The Summer School class in action
