The goal of the Spanish School's cocurricular activities is to tap into the interests, talents, and passions of our broad range of students and faculty, and then to build bridges between those capacities and the rich culture of the Hispanic world. Toward that end, we offer an enormous variety of lectures by writers, academics, and film directors, as well as sports activities, films, theatrical events (both spectator and participant), concerts and other performances, cooking and dance classes, hiking, art, poetry . . . the list goes on, and continues to grow with further student-sponsored activities that evolve after our arrival. This array of activities promises to present you with scheduling dilemmas, but is one of the secrets to the success of the Middlebury approach. These activities allow you to take your classroom knowledge into the field, immediately and constantly. Your pledge to speak only Spanish draws you out of your room and into a society and a culture that shares your ambitions. Welcome to the active world of the Spanish School!
Special Events
In a celebration entitled “¡Que vivan los muertos!” (Long live the dead!) the Spanish School attempts to give a more profound insight into Mexican philosophies and traditions than the images that are generally popularized in Anglo America.
Mesa Cervantina - with distinguished participation of John J. Allen, Antonio Carreño, Francisco Layna, and Roberto Véguez, "Cervantismo" in the United States was discussed.
La sombra de la babosa / The Trail of the Slug - an exhibition of art by Spanish School faculty member Aquilino González Barrio. "This project has several connotations of nostalgia toward the land: a glance toward the past. A path: from a cultivated land to a new city which is now reborn. Bed, as foundation of the past and the present, which uses the glass as a transparency of yesterday and tomorrow."
Baile de disfraces - Members of the Spanish School participate in the annual costume party.
Invited Guests
The Spanish School invites some remarkable lecturers and performers to share their talents with us every summer. The following are some of 2008’s distinguished guests.
Humberto López Morales - The Secretary General of the Association of Academics of the Spanish Languages presented "The Future of Spanish."
Julia Alvarez - Known for numerous novels including How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents, In the Time of Butterflies, and ¡Yo!, Julia Alvarez presented "Latinas/os Coming of Age in the USA: Researching and Writing Once Upon a Quinceañera."
Spanish School Performances
The Spanish School offers several performances throughout the summer, many of which give students and faculty members the opportunity to perform together in Spanish.
Piano Concert – Francisco Álvarez, Spanish pianist and Spanish School faculty member, performed works of Spanish and Latin American composers at the Center for the Arts.
Annual Poetry and Music Concert - Spanish School faculty member Fernando Operé, in collaboration with Noemí Lugo, Juan Camacho, and Tim Anderson, led the Spanish School in a night of poetry and music dedicated to Director Susan Carvalho. It was a tribute to both the written word and the talent of the Spanish School community.
Noches de amor efímero - written by Paloma Pedrero and directed by Spanish School faculty member José Delgado Costa, this play was performed by members of the Spanish School in Wright Theater.
De la Mancha - written and directed by Spanish School faculty member Susana Rivero, this play was performed by students in Levels 1, 1.5, and 2, in the Black Box Theater.
¿Los ves...? - written and directed by Spanish School faculty member Esther Hernández, this play was the final production of the Hispanic Culture through Theatre class, performed in the Black Box Theater.
Choir Concert – The Spanish School Choir offered a wonderful concert of Hispanic music, under the direction of Spanish School faculty member Francisco Álvarez.
The Cabaret - Members of the Spanish School sang, acted, and danced, under the direction of Spanish School faculty member Mercedes Herrero, on the McCullough stage.
Cocurricular Activities
Get involved! There are so many ways to participate outside of class! Below are just a few of the many activities that are open to students of all levels and give you additional opportunities to learn and use Spanish. Additional activities not listed below include: Pluma inteligente (writing workshop for Graduate students), Español Exprés (language workshop for students in levels 1, 1.5 and 2), Charlas Vitales (informal conversation group for intermediate level students), and Club 333 (conversation club for beginner students).
Cooking Club – Students learned to make many different dishes from various Spanish-speaking countries with the help of members of the Spanish School faculty.
Dance – Students have the opportunity to learn several traditional dances, including tango, sevillanas, and baile latino.
Experimental ñ: Punto y seguido - Students and faculty of the Spanish School participate in an art workshop and exposition led by faculty member Aquilino González Barrio.
Hiking Club – Students relax and take a break from their studies while enjoying breathtaking views of the Vermont outdoors—still in Spanish, of course.
Sports - Students choose from a wide variety of sports, including basketball, soccer, tennis, and volleyball.
Sigma Delta Pi – Qualifying students in levels 3 and 4, along with high-achieving students in the Graduate program, were inducted into the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society.