Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning (HCLL) has been awarded a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council to fund four of the nine educational programs it will offer area residents during its spring series.
The programs will run from Feb. 19 through April 16. The grant, in the amount of $1,970, will enable HCLL to present four programs that will examine artistic elements and forms common to America's shared cultural heritage and values.
Theater, dance, music and architecture will be explored as examples of America's artistic traditions during this series.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the R2AC, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
HCLL, a local non-profit, is one of a handful remaining groups in northern Minnesota.
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All programs in the HCCL series are offered free of charge from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays in the Northwoods Bank community room.
The Feb 19 kick-off program features Dale Blanshan's historical re-enactment of the role of Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg.
Blanshan, of Rochester, observes, "Gettysburg was the centerpiece and turning point of a great and long conflict. In a few carefully painted literary brush strokes, he not only brought into clear focus the reason for the conflict, but also challenged succeeding generations to join it."
Jill Johnson of Moorhead continues the series on Feb 26 with her program, "Dance Elements Across Cultures."
Johnson will explain how certain techniques and themes are common to folk dances from Scandinavia to Native American traditions.
Third in the arts portion of HCLL's spring series is "The Magic of the Flute," with retired music professor Jon Romer of Cass Lake. Romer will share the making of flutes in the Native American tradition and the unique music produced from such flutes. "A focus of my work is integrating Native American music into the contemporary multicultural classroom," Romer explains.
Jon Rondestvedt, humanities scholar and one of HCLL's founders, will conclude the series' arts portion April 2 with "Architecture as Art."
Rondestvedt looks to the wisdom of the Latin writer Vitruvius, who claimed the three essential elements of architecture are "stability, utility and comeliness (beauty). The architect must heed the first two and embrace the third." Rondesvedt will help his audience understand and appreciate the artistic elements of architectural creations in our area.
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The additional five programs offered by HCLL this spring are funded by donations from local supporters, Friends of HCLL, and include the following presentations by area historians, educators and presenters: March 5 - "Rainy Lake History" by Byrne Johnson;
March 12 - "Communication Skills in a Digital Age" by Laura Dehler-Seter; March 26 - "Owls Up Close" by Chris Tolman (with a live owl);
April 9--"Religion and Violence: How Will They Impact Our Future?" by Larry Alderink;
April 16 - The final program of the season will wrap up with "Expressions of Racism in the 20th Century" by Mike Hansen.
For more information on HCLL or any of its programming, contact Kristen Partlow at 255-1178 or by e-mail at partlow@arvig.net .
