May 4th 2024 - "A Gentleman's Daughter Afternoon Tea"
We hope you'll be able to attend our annual tea at the Sunalta Community Hall - 1627 10 Avenue SW, 2:00 - 4:00 pm. The committee is busy planning a wonderful afternoon for all. Here are a few details that can be shared as of today:
Tickets are $20.00 per person
Payment will be made at the door the day of the event
Bring & Buy Table (otherwise known as a raffle table, due to Alberta Gaming we will call it a B&B Table)
To reserve your tea tickets please email jasnacalgary@jasnacalgary.ca
March 16th Meeting Recap - Jane Austen in the Gothic Tradition
Thank you to Judith for a captivating and enlightening presentation on Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, and the Gothic tradition. It was truly a pleasure to delve into the different elements that make up a gothic story or novel - Emotional Intensity, Atmospheric Setting, Mystery, Woman in Distress, Foreshadowing, and Catharsis. Judith skillfully weaved these components together, shedding light on their presence in Northanger Abbey. The presentation concluded with an engaging activity where attendees were divided into groups and tasked with creating a story based on a scenario involving a young girl driving from Medicine Hat to Calgary. As her car broke down on the city limits, a stranger offered assistance, leading to a series of events that unfolded at the Palliser Hotel. The creativity and imagination displayed by each group were truly remarkable, leaving us all captivated and invested in the stories shared. Overall, it was a fantastic afternoon filled with learning, entertainment, and creativity. Kudos to all who participated!
Here are a few pictures from that afternoon......
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Treaty 7 Territory Land Acknowledgements
In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we, the Jane Austen Society Calgary Region, live, work and play on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Îyâxe Nakoda Nations, the Métis Nation (Region 3), and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.
Join US
If you, like us, are interested in all things Jane consider becoming a member. We are a merry band of Austen fans who meet to enjoy talks, workshops, teas, galas and more several times throughout the year. We encourage those who are curious about joining to attend their first meeting for free to get to know us better. Whether you’re just discovering Jane for the first time or if you’ve loved her for years, you are most cordially welcome!
Member meetings are currently held in-person and via Zoom and 2023 -2024 membership is only $15.00 annually and provides admission to all meetings, access to the lending library, and supports speaker honorariums, hosting our website, technology fees, outreach ventures, and more…
Attend a Meeting
Held five times annually, JASNA Calgary meetings offer Jane fans an opportunity to discuss a variety of Austen related topics both literary and scholarly including Jane’s life, her novels, the Regency period and more.
When: the third Saturday in the months of January, March, May, September, and November
Time: from 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Where: via Zoom until further notice and then at the Sunalta Community Association, located at 1627 10 Avenue SW (wheelchair accessible) when we can meet in person again.
We encourage those who are curious about joining to attend their first meeting for free to get to know us better.
“We are all hastening together to perfect felicity.”
— Narrator, Northanger Abbey
Are you attending the Annual Tea?
Although we all know Jane Austen's birthday is on December 16 (common knowledge is it not?), the Calgary Regional group holds its birthday celebration in January, when we can all appreciate a party and some good cheer in the face of our cold prairie winters.
To honour Jane we celebrate a delightful gathering including refreshments and afternoon tea, fun and scholarly talks, a dance presentation featuring the Regency Dance Group Sprigged Muslin, games, and more.
Borrow a Book
JASNA Calgary Region is proud to offer its members a well stocked library of Jane Austen novels and related works. Through the generous donation of past members, as well as select acquisitions by the group, we now feature over a hundred works both literary and scholarly to choose from including a complete set of Persuasions, JASNA’s annual, peer-reviewed print journal.
Members have access to the library during each Member Meeting and can borrow materials until the following meeting for the small sum of 25 cents per item. To plan your reading in advance, review the Library List and send an email to JASNA Calgary to request your particular books, as our library is now too large to bring all the books to each meeting. If you cannot wait until the next meeting, try the resources of the Calgary Public Library.
Attend Local Events
Join us for local events in and around Calgary that feature Jane Austen or Regency period or historical activities.
From Gala events at the Palliser to plays held by local theatre groups, there’s something for everyone.
Would you care to Dance?
Learn Regency dances and share good fun and laughter with the Sprigged Muslin Dance Group of Calgary. The group helps beginners and experts alike find the real spirit of dancing in the Regency period. Best of all, costumes are both welcome and encouraged.
Sprigged Muslin is always seeking new members and no previous experience of any kind is required. In fact, enjoying laughter and camaraderie are the only qualifications. We are currently seeking a new Dance Mistress or Master; if you have enough basic dance knowledge to make it easy for you to learn new dances and would like to try on this role, we would be happy to help you hone your skills. The group is very accepting and supportive of whatever others offer so this could be a great opportunity to stretch yourself by taking on a new role. Help and resources are readily available.
Practices are held monthly, in order to keep members on their toes, but if you are simply interested in the dances themselves, PDF descriptions are available as well.
“Fine dancing, I believe, like virtue, must be its own reward.”
— Mr. Knightley, Emma
Stage and Screen
Over two centuries after her life, Jane still lives in the hearts and minds of the fans all over world. As part of her modern persona, she inspires us to create new media experiences from stage and screen through to digital adaptations, on-line courses, and more.
So what’s your favourite Austen film adaptation? Have you taken advantage of the free on-line course from the University of Southampton's Future Learn on her life and time? Or perhaps you’ve visited the virtual Regency world of “Ever, Jane” featuring a Jane inspired on-line role-playing game Or maybe you’ve snuck a peak through Lizzie Bennett’s Diary, a YouTube vlog based on Pride and Prejudice? There are simply so many adaptions of Austen’s work to choose from.
Visit Jane Country
Has your love of Jane Austen ever inspired you to take the trip to England and visit the world she so eloquently described? Many of our members have, and you can find their travel diaries and essays here, along with travel tips and tour suggestions.
If you’ve already made the journey, consider sharing your experiences with the group and adding to the richness of these travel stories by sharing them with others.
Are you a Friend of Jane?
As a JASNA Calgary Regional Member you belong to one of the many organizations around the world dedicated to the celebration and preservation of all things Jane.
Whether you choose to join the main JASNA organization based in the US and attend their AGM, or simply explore the plethora of global Jane societies, there is always an opportunity to meet and befriend new Jane friends.
To learn more about sister societies and fan groups in North America and beyond click the link below.
Learn more about us
Curious about who we are, or perhaps interested in volunteering your support and talent to the group. Look no further. Learn more about the JASNA Calgary Region group of volunteers dedicated to the preservation and celebration of Jane Austen.
“One man’s ways may be as good as another’s, but we all like our own best.”
— Admiral Croft, Persuasion
