TEACHER

Vassar College, New York (2008-2009)

"The Italian Folklore course was a great experience for me. Every topic we covered was exciting and interesting, made even more so by how Laura presented it to us. We learned about singing and dancing traditions not by just reading about it but by singing and dancing, making the course directly relevant to our lives [...]. Drawing our shadows at the beginning of the course and sharing them with the class forced us to have an open mind and be comfortable with everyone there, and especially with Laura, who, contrary to being an intimidating professor like many can be, creates a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere in the classroom. The final projects were a testament to her ability to make us think creatively."

Sarah Cantor ('09)

"Folklore is a subject that is valuable because of the way it directly speaks to the experience of being alive. To study things like folk tradition or fairy tales, or anything borne from the huge body of wisdom that is communicated between people from heart to heart rather than through rhetoric and theory is a huge challenge in an academic setting. [...] That sensitivity usually strips the way the title of "Teacher" and "Student" and instead requires both parties to rely on their intuition to communicate- whether through art, song, personal storytelling, or even exploring academic theory in a way that ties it directly to life experience. For all of this to happen in a course is very rare. Professor Biagi was able to make it happen and I think everyone in the class recognizes that. [...] This course felt like quenching a long thirst; it was one of the first courses that I've taken at Vassar which challenged (or rather, invited) me into its content and pursue it myself. Professor Biagi approached everything with a sense of humor and an unfiltered passion that immediately leveled the intimidating barriers of rhetoric that get in the way of creativity. After having this experience, I think that there is no more valuable way to learn, and this course has made me re-evaluate the way I spend my time and energy both in my final year at Vassar and in my own life."

Max Gold ('10)

"I really enjoyed this past semester in Italian Folklore.  As an Italian student, I loved learning about the culture in ways I hadn't before.  [...] I also found myself extremely interested in this class as a music student as well.  I loved learning about music therapy, sound healing, and the tarantella, and I really feel that this class did an excellent job of weaving many different themes (music, art, dance, literature) together in a seamless way."

Marisa Bettina ('09)