RENESAN Institute for Lifelong Learning 2024

New classes in our RENESAN in the Railyard series are now available!

All classes take place at the Jean Cocteau Cinema and will begin at 3:30 pm. See below for more information on each class, on the new format which will provide for more social interaction between attendees and presenters, and a list of Frequently Asked Questions.

COST: Each class session will cost just $15 ($30 for two-session classes)

REGISTRATION: You can sign up for them using the theater’s ticketing system at the following links:

Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin (2 sessions; Nov. 6 & 13)

Jesus and Moses Go to the Movies (2 sessions; Nov. 7 & 14)

Jazz and French New Wave Cinema (Nov. 11)

Clouds (Nov. 18)

Mick Jagger: The Man, the Fans, and the Music (Nov. 20)

Fascinating Backstories of Songs You Know and Love (Nov. 21)

Questions? Please email director@renesan.org for the fastest reply.

OUR NEW FORMAT

Each session will be 90 minutes long, without a break but with a meet-and-greet opportunity for attendees and presenters immediately afterwards in the lobby bar. The Jean Cocteau’s refreshment stand will be open before and after each session for snacks, classic movie theater candy, drinks, and the best popcorn to be found in Santa Fe.

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin

Hitler and Stalin were the twin demons of the 20th century, responsible for more violent deaths than any other rulers in history. This two-session class focuses on their foreign and military policies as they moved between opposition, alignment, and back to opposition when Hitler invaded the Soviet Union. Presenter: K. Paul Jones

Jesus and Moses Go to the Movies

From Herman Melville’s Moby Dick to Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon, American authors and filmmakers have drawn upon both Jewish and Christian scriptures for their subjects. This two-session class explores the impact of ancient sacred texts on U.S. literary and film culture. Presenter: Rev. Talitha Arnold

Jazz and French New Wave Cinema

After World War II, a new generation of French artists and intellectuals rejected mainstream movies in favor of a modern look and sound borrowed from American films and music. Jazz and French New Wave Cinema examines films from directors Louis Malle, Jean Luc Godard, and Agnes Varda with scores by Miles Davis, Martial Solal, and the Jazz Messengers. Presenter: Mark Davis

Clouds

A professional meteorologist will guide you through this look at how clouds are formed and classified, why they’re important, what kinds of precipitation they create, the impacts climate change has had on them, and the effects they have on Earth’s energy balance and climate system. Presenter: James Kemper

Mick Jagger: The Man, the Fans, and the Music

A sociology professor combined her academic interests with her passion for The Rolling Stones over two decades of research and multiple publications. Mick Jagger: The Man, the Fans, and the Music explores Jagger’s relationships with his girlfriends and children, and the admiration of his fans through plentiful musical clips and photos. Presenter: Andee Baker

Fascinating Backstories of Songs You Know and Love

Some of your favorite songs — including The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Good Lovin’, Blue Moon, Mr. Tambourine Man, Louie Louie, and Mr. Bojangles — had surprisingly convoluted paths to popularity. Abundant sound clips and photographs bring these fascinating backstories to life. Presenter: Dick Rosemont

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Will the presenters be amplified?

Yes! The Jean Cocteau has state-of-the-art sound and video systems. If you haven’t been there in a few years, you’ll also find that it now has MUCH more comfortable seats!

Where can I park?

There are a number of parking options close to the theater, including the city’s underground lot (the north pedestrian stairs and elevator are closest to theater) as well as street parking.

Is there handicapped parking?

Yes! The best options are on Market Street in between Manhattan and Montezuma or behind the retail shops on the northwest corner of Guadalupe and Montezuma (Chico’s, Peruvian Connection, On Your Feet)

Is there wheelchair-accessible seating?

Yes! Please email info@jeancocteaucinema.com at least 24 hours before each class if you require wheelchair access.

Does the theater have assistive-listening devices?

No, not yet.

Our History

RENESAN was established in 1996, when a group of Santa Fe residents decided to arrange academic courses for retired people. Through the years the educational nonprofit has developed its own identity, but, initially it drew heavily on programming offered by the International Elderhostel Institute Network (now Road Scholars) and a Wisconsin-based organization called PLATO (Participating Learning And Teaching Organization).

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide a balanced and dynamic curriculum of courses, lectures, and trips focusing on classic and contemporary works from the fields of art, cultural studies, history, literature, music, performing arts, philosophy, political science, current events, and science. We strive to be inclusive, welcoming, and accessible to all members of the Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico communities.

Who We Are

We are a dynamic, constantly evolving nonprofit organization that provides courses, lectures, and trips in Santa Fe and throughout Northern New Mexico. Many of our students and faculty members are transplants from around the world who’ve led exciting personal and professional lives. RENESAN’s courses are taught at a high academic level by retired and active university professors and professionals, experts in their fields.

“You have this incredible potpourri of classes you can dip into and be stimulated.”

“People enjoy this shared arena of intellectual exploration. It’s a community.”

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RENESAN Land Acknowledgment

RENESAN Institute for Lifelong Learning acknowledges the traditional, ancestral, and unceded land of the Tewa people, who occupied O’ga P’ogeh Owingeh (White Shell Water Place) which we have the privilege to occupy today. We acknowledge this land as immigrants and visitors. We recognize the contributions and sacrifices that the original peoples have made, and understand that historical traumas cannot be undone. We will respect the culture and tradition that is sown throughout the land. We will actively seek to include Indigenous lecturers and presenters and will take concrete steps to provide culturally-relevant curriculum around contemporary and historical Indigenous issues.

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