The Way of Inner Alchemy
Psychology | Cosmology | Music | Sacred Dance | People | Books | Meetings | Links | Contact | Contextual Studies | FAQ | Site Map
Fourth Way Contextual Studies
Dalcroze Eurhythmics
Emile Jacques-Dalcroze was a Swiss composer and educator and he inspired this particular system known as Dalcroze Eurhythmics.
The essense of the method is:
Move with the Music
Live your own rhythm
Dance the rhythm and the spaces in between
Let the Music live through you
The work started originally by Dalcroze when he realised that people training as musicians were in urgent need of aural training. His students were presenting harmony exercises without the proper ability to hear the sounds represented by the symbols they were writing- they were writing theoretically and consequently they were loosing the potential life-force of the music. The students were also manifesting rhythmic insecurities which seemed to produce a certain distress. They were clearly not connected to the music they were involved with.
Dalcroze recognised the need to re-evaluate the educational method being used to train musicians.
In his quest to develop a comprehensive system of training he was supported by a psychologist friend.
Eurhythmics (meaning good rhythm)
It's aim is to develop the whole person through music and movement whilst introducing the study of music through active listening. Stress is placed on active listening, hearing is considered to be a passive process by comparison. The use of the voice is added to the movement of the body and an emotional response to the music is encouraged.
Eurhythmics is not to be confused with dancing - people often dance automatically without really listening and their rhythmic presence is usually approximate, like travelling with the music instead of being in it.
As the system progressed it was found that people who are awake and alert rhythmically are usually awake and alert in other respects. Eurhythmics aims to motivate a desire for participation in the learning process.
Madame Jeanne de Salzmann and Jessmin Howarth, both senior students of Mr. Gurdjieff were originally teachers of the Dalcroze Method before becoming teachers of Gurdjieff's Sacred Dances and Movements.
Bibliography
Dalcroze E.J., Rhythm, Music and Education, Dalcroze Society
Dutoit C.L., Music, Movement and Theory, Dalcroze Society