NEWSFLASH
May 7, 2020
Open Distance Learning Courses
Title: BellyDANCE ~ gentle & nourishing ~
Instructor: Monica Caldwell
Description: Captivate your heart! Cultivate and increase vital life force energy while having sexy, playful FUN! Deepen your relationship to self. Explore the fascinating and compelling connection between movement or body postures and feelings/emotion. In this class students will learn a variety of choreography as well as suggestions and examples on how to create a personalized dance practice, ritual or ceremony. Elements of expressive dance will be shared and authentic movement encouraged. Monica seeks to provide support and empowerment for all students. No dance experience necessary.
Start Date: Thursday, May 14 at 11:00–11:45 AM (4 sessions)
Classes on May 14, 21, 28 & June 4.
An activity waiver is required for this course. After you sign up, you'll be emailed a form to complete prior to the start of classes.
Distance learning methods/tools to be used: Zoom or another similar platform
Maximum number of students: Unlimited
Questions: Contact the instructor at [email protected]

Title: Classical Music for the Pandemic
Instructor: Peggy Evans
Description: Classical Music for the Pandemic: a look at relatively short classical music works (e.g., a movement of a symphony, not the whole work), which may speak to students at this challenging time.
Students will be contacted by email twice a week to the end of the term. Each email will include several works. Each work would be described (history, musical style, form) plus there would be links to recordings and a score (if available). The works would come from western European classical music and its several historical periods, including music for the church. Students will be encouraged to suggest works to be included and to email questions which will be answered privately or in the next class email. Students will work through this material at their own pace.
Start Date: The class is self-paced, and students may add at any time.
Distance learning methods/tools to be used: Email
Maximum number of students: Unlimited
Questions: Contact the instructor at [email protected]

Title: Five Records That Changed Us (well, me anyhow)
Instructor: Denny Caraher
Description: Each week I will talk about an LP that had a major cultural and musical impact and is still relevant today. I will play excerpts from the albums via Zoom but everyone should have listened to the recording before class. The first record will be “Sweethearts of the Rodeo” by The Byrds and the other four will probably be of that era.
Start Date: Wednesday, April 29 at 10:00 a.m. 90 minute sessions. (5 sessions)
Distance learning methods/tools to be used: Zoom
Maximum number of students: Unlimited
Questions: Contact the instructor at [email protected]

Title: LATIN Dance GROOVE
Instructor: Monica Caldwell
Description: This class offers Playful DANCE instruction coupled with traditional and modern Latin music. Monica will gently guide and encourage students in learning basic Cuban/Latin motion (great for hips and torso). “Mo” will also emphasize proper bio-mechanical warm up exercises as well as graceful execution of steps, turns, choreography and rhythms. You do not need a partner. Party Format! Monica is an award winning Latin dancer.
Start Date: Monday, May 11 at 9:45–10:30 AM  (3 sessions)
Classes on May 11, 18 & June 1.
An activity waiver is required for this course. After you sign up, you'll be emailed a form to complete prior to the start of classes.
Distance learning methods/tools to be used: Zoom or another similar platform
Maximum number of students: Unlimited
Questions: Contact the instructor at [email protected]

Title: Moving Meditations, Visualization and Dance
Instructor: Monica Caldwell
Description: This is a mindful, meditative dance practice intended to cultivate joyful living. Using empowering music, gentle moving dance meditations, and other mindfulness practices, participants are invited to envision, attract, and embody health, strength, love, and peace and/or whatever else is personally relevant to them individually and collectively. Dance or movement experience is not necessary.
Start Date: Thursday, May 14 at 9:45–10:30 AM (4 sessions)
Classes on May 14, 21, 28 & June 4.
An activity waiver is required for this course. After you sign up, you'll be emailed a form to complete prior to the start of classes.
Distance learning methods/tools to be used: Zoom or another similar platform
Maximum number of students: Unlimited
Questions: Contact the instructor at [email protected]

Title: OLLI Goes to the Virtual Ashland Independent Festival
Instructor: Lorraine Vail, with Kathy Roselli, Dave Ferguson and local filmmakers
Description: Regretfully, the 2020 Ashland Independent Film Festival (AIFF) was cancelled. Fortunately, Festival staff curated a “virtual” film festival (May 22-June 14) for independent cinema fans, and OLLI Goes to the Virtual Ashland Independent Festival was created. This is an opportunity to view unique films that are not likely to be shown elsewhere, plus the latest and best from our local filmmakers. The films are streamed on Film Festival Flix and can be viewed on a TV or PC. Nine full-length films and the Locals Only series will be discussed via Zoom. You choose how many films to view and how many class discussions to join. A brief description of the films will be available on April 30. On May 6, a Zoom meeting (optional) will provide more information and answer questions on the films and the viewing logistics.
Please note: Enrolling in the class is a great way to express your support to AIFF and the work they do to ensure independent cinema is present in our community. The streaming channel subscription is $9.99 and a feature film rents for $7.99. Best of all, a subscription includes free access to the wonderful collection of 35 shorts, including NASA’s CineSpace winners. A subscription is not required for the 37 short films from our community of local filmmakers and filmmaking students. If you are an AIFF member, you receive a free subscription to the channel and a number of feature film vouchers depending on your membership level. Click here for details  
Start Date: May 22, first film; May 24, 2:00-3:30, first meeting. Five sessions, plus film viewing.
Each feature film shows one day only during a 4- to 24-hour period. The “shorts” show continuously from May 22–June 14. The nine films chosen for discussion show on May 22, 23, 25, 26, 29, 30, and June 1, 4, 5.
Five class discussions at 2:00–3:30 pm on May 24, 27, 31 and June 2, 5. The June 2 discussion is devoted to the Local Filmmakers series and four local filmmakers whose films are showing will join us.
Distance learning methods/tools to be used: Zoom for class discussions. FilmFestivalFlix channel for viewing films (TV or PC).
Maximum number of students: Unlimited
 Questions: Contact the instructor at [email protected]

Title: The Three Principles of Sydney Banks – Awakening to our Innate Well Being
Instructor: Dan Altman
Description: This class is an exploration of the teachings of Sydney Banks, a Scottish welder who awakened unexpectedly with profound insights about the nature of Life. He taught three principles that describe the nature of our experience. With this understanding it is possible for any of us to experience peace and well-being regardless of our circumstances.
We will watch short videos of Syd and other contemporary teachers including Michael Neill, Dr. Dicken Bettinger, Jamie Smart and Joe Bailey.
Additional information:  https://innateevolution.com https://3pgc.org/ ,  and "The Inside Out Revolution" by Michael Neill.
Start Date: Friday, May 8 at 11:00 AM  (4 sessions)
Classes on May 8, 15, 22, 29 for around 90 minutes.
Activity waivers required for these courses. After you sign up, you'll be emailed a form to complete prior to the start of classes.
Distance learning methods/tools to be used: Zoom
Maximum number of students: 25
Questions: Contact the instructor at [email protected]  
Facilitate a Conversation Connection
OLLI members are looking for creative ways to connect outside of remote classes, too. Conversation Connections are one-time meetings on a specific topic of discussion. No preparation or teacher required, just someone to facilitate the conversation so everyone has a chance to talk. If you'd like to facilitate a remote Conversation Connection, please contact Social Crew Lead Rob Joseph at [email protected] . There is no end to the possible topics, and there is a wide range of both low- and higher-tech options to "meet" remotely.
Watercolor Art Salon is Still Open
Event: OLLI Watercolor Art Salon
Facilitator: Charlie Noble
Description: Watercolor artists, wannabe watercolor artists! Join in for an internet art salon. We will show a piece of our work and have a positive discussion. We will discuss problems, successes and solutions of our work. A chance to come together in these difficult times from the safety of our own homes. This will be an easy-to-use Zoom event.
Date: Friday, May 8, 3:00 pm , approximately 90 minutes.
Distance meeting methods/tools to be used: Zoom
Maximum number of participants: 15
Questions: Contact Charlie at [email protected]
Getting Started with Zoom
Have you installed Zoom to connect with people and access online classes, but are unsure how to get started? Click here to download this Basic Zoom Instruction for Beginners sheet (PDF) and give it a try. 
Member-to-Member Remote Tech Support
If you get stuck or have questions about Zoom or other online conferencing programs, OLLI's  Member-to-Member Tech Support Team volunteers may be able to help. Complete the request below and we will connect you with a Tech Support volunteer.
 
Please note: While volunteers will offer support to the best of their ability remotely, we cannot guarantee that every issue will be solved successfully. Please keep in mind that this process can require time and patience, too.

Click here to submit a request for tech support.

Thank you to OLLI volunteers for creating the Zoom instructions, and helping members connect through new technology!
Lifelong Learning Resources
Tour Mars with a guided 3-D tour of the Martian surface as recorded by NASA's Curiosity rover rolling around the Red Planet. Click here to take the tour.

Travel virtually to Lapland to experience the auroras and a visit to an ice hotel. Click here to check in.

Or click here to take in a safari.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival is making recorded performances available online. Click here to find out more.