• Associate Professor of Modern Languages

    Blake A, 200
    (434) 223-6335
    avarona@hsc.edu


  

Education

Ph.D., University of Connecticut, 2009
M.A., University of Texas at El Paso, 2003
M.M., University of Texas at El Paso, 1997
B.M., University of Texas at El Paso, 1994

Research Interests

  • 20th and 21st-century Latin American Theatre and narrative (emphasis on Mexican Women Authors and Mexican Contemporary Playwrights )
  • Mexican Cinema (emphasis on 1930's - 1950's)
  • Argentinian Comics & Graphic Novels

Publications

Book Article
“De Antonieta Rivas Mercado a Rosario Castellanos: Teoría feminista, literatura y política.,” Antonieta Rivas Mercado. Torbellino de voluntades. Ed. Patricia Rosas Lopátegui, Gedisa (Serie InSurrectAs), 2022, 306-315

Journals
"La muerte (anti)trágica de Fedra en un texto de Ximena Escalante." Gestos. Revista de Teoría y Práctica de teatro hispánico 56 (Nov 2013): 77-92.

"El arte y la subversión del falogocentrismo en Yo también quiero un profeta, de Ximena Escalante." Revista de Literatura Mexicana Contemporánea 53 (Apr-Jun 2012): 57-64

"El poema épico Historia de la Nueva México y la (re)construcción de la tradición literaria chicana." Taller de Letras, Journal of Universidad Pontificia Católica de Chile 50 (2012): 11-25.

"El discurso patriarcal sublimado: AguaSangre, de Estela Leñero." Homo Ludens, Journal of Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León 1.2 (Jan-Jul 2011): 27-31.

Interviews
Latin American Theatre Review
"Entrevista a  Sabina Berman." 47.1 (Fall 2013): 133-144
"Entrevista a Estela Leñero." 47.2 (Spring 2014): 81-89
"Entrevista a Ximena Escalante." 48.1 (Fall 2014): 131-142
"Entrevista a Carmina Narro." 48.2 (Spring 2015): 107-118
“Entrevista a Bárbara Colio.” 49.2 (Spring 2016): 203-217
"Entrevista a Elena Guiochins" 50.1 (Fall 2016): 263-277
"Entrevista a Mario Cantú Toscano" 50.2 (Spring 2017): 187-199
"Entrevista a Edgar Chías" 51.2 (Fall 2018): 173-188

Courses taught at H-SC

SPAN 101 – 102 Introduction to Spanish

SPAN 103 Intensive Beginning Spanish

SPAN 201 – 202 Intermediate Spanish

SPAN 201-202 Intermediate Spanish (Summer Abroad; Mendoza, Argentina)

SPAN 304 Latin America Culture & Civilization (Summer Abroad; Mendoza, Argentina)

SPAN 311 [formerly 305] Advanced Conversation and Grammar Review

SPAN 312 [formerly 306] Advanced Composition and Grammar Review

SPAN 332 [formerly 302] Survey of Latin American Literature

SPAN 385 Special Topics: Comics & Culture in the Southern Cone (Summer Abroad; Buenos Aires, Argentina)

SPAN 405 Latin American Theatre

SPAN 405 Latin American Theatre  (Summer Abroad; Mendoza, Argentina) (Summer Abroad; Buenos Aires, Argentina, with Experiential Learning component [Compass Program])

SPAN 485 Special Topics: Fantastic Mexico (Literature, Cinema & Television)

Recent Service to College and Community

Film Festivals (created and organized):
Rioplatense Film Festival 2, a selection of four films. October 2023 - March 2024
Rioplatense Film Festival, a selection of four films. October 2021 - April 2022
Mexican, a selection of eight contemporary films. Fall 2019 – Spring 2020
French, a selection of eight contemporary films. Fall 2017 – Spring 2018
Colombian, a selection of four contemporary films. Fall 2017 
Argentinian, a selection of eight contemporary films. Fall 2016 – Spring 2017

Summer Abroad programs:
Mendoza, Argentina in 2015 & 2017 (Program Director on 2017)
Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2024 (Program Director)

H-SC Men's Chorus:
Piano accompanist. School years 2023-2024 & 2024-2025.
Singing member. Fall 2013 - Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2021

Public Library:
Friend of Farmville's Public Library (Barbara Rose Johns Farmville-Prince Edward Community Library) since Fall 2023
Member of the Graphic Novel Club since Fall 2023

Departmental Service:
Chair of Modern Languages department, 2022-2025
Chair of Spanish Search committee, tenure-track in Peninsular Pre-1700, 2024-25

Personal Interests

  • Reading
    • literature & history/bios, art, and current news
    • comics and graphic novels (emphasis on American, South American, and French)
  • French language & culture
    • includes reading, listening to songs and radio
  • Travelling
    • at the moment emphasis on UK & France, Argentina & Uruguay, Virginia & New Mexico
  • Restaurants
    • emphasis on Asian vegetarian food
  • Moderate exercise
    • walking / elliptical / light weights