A Glimpse into Eurythmy Training

by Barbara Schneider-Serio

Barbara succeeded Dorothea Mier as the director of the Spring Valley Eurythmy School and is a member of the Eurythmy Spring Valley performing ensemble.

In their first conversation about eurythmy Rudolf Steiner told Clara Smits that he had long wished to bring this new art of movement into the world, since he needed it “when things need to be brought which are so deep that they cannot be put into words...and need cumbersome explanations, then this new art can be used and appeal to different possibilities of understanding...” (Steiner et al., Die Entstehung und Entwicklung der Eurythmie, Dornach 1982: 8). Previously, after she had been astonished at his description that eurythmy would be arising out of the word, he had given her a picture of human beings at the beginning of earth evolution, where, before speech was possible, the soul was enticed to enter human bodies by gestures and sounds of a priestess.

A training in eurythmy thus needs to bring us back, slowly and with consciousness, to that early point and even beyond—to the planets and zodiac; but it needs to have a carefully built process for our modern souls to rekindle this ancient connection which is at the same time the most modern there is. It is a path that leads each student through the realms of light and darkness of soul, slowly to discover who she/he is and find her/his unique voice. And the instrument is this most noble and mysterious one, our body.

When entering the first year, students know that they will get to know themselves in a way they had never known themselves before. At first it is rediscovering what it means to be upright, to walk in a way that breathes with oneself and with one’s surroundings, to experience the difference of a straight line and a curve not by knowing only, but doing, feeling, intending it. Copper rods will be the truthful but relentless friend that will show if indeed the student is finding a right angle in his gesture or whether it is just so much fantasy. The different rhythms will teach the student to experience how differently an iambic carries one into movement than a trochee or anapest.

And maybe eventually, somewhere in these first weeks, she will listen to sounds as ancient peoples did and have a dawning realization of the earth shattering quality of the sound “A”—the whole world opens! Though essential, it is not enough to be bowled over by that. Now the work begins: to move it, imbue it with feeling, so that gradually the inner experience becomes the outer movement: they need to be one and the same.

At the end of the first semester there might even be a consonant that arrives. After blissfully finding yourself to be a vowel being, suddenly a new being appears, ‘L’, for instance, this sound of light, life, love; and again a whole new world opens up. The student as poet is delighted, the cynic scoffs, yet the world does live in “L,” all the best words have an “L”—why, what is the secret of “L”?

But now the student needs to do it as it wants to be done. Like a treasure, he has it hidden in his arms, in his being. Can he find this etheric law in himself and let the physical arms follow and the movement convey what is experienced in a lawful way? And so the discoveries abound. Then come the challenges: keeping it alive, continuing to practice, again and again and again. And then there are the classmates! At times our best supporters and closest friends, and then, suddenly, they are simply annoying or deeply challenging. But every form is a group form, so we need to find bridges to each other, while at the same time everyone struggles daily not to lose herself entirely, though she knows that is what is needed before the new eurythmic self is born—letting go, letting go, again and again, practice, again and again...

And just as she is about to know the sounds and all the rod exercises inside and through herself in harmony with the rest of the class, the second term begins and the elements of music such as melody, rhythm, phrasing make their appearance—plus so many more consonants, rhymes, alliteration, words. And a whole new world, at first frightening and incomprehensible, but eventually most enticing, opens up.

Thus it continues. Each year has a carefully built up curriculum, leading in speech eurythmy from the first indications Rudolf Steiner gave of forms, rhythms and vowels, from the Dionysian experience of the world to the clear and grammatically cool world of Apollo. In tone eurythmy from the circle of fifths with all their sharps and flats, to major, minor, and dissonance, to the ineffable world of the intervals. Each year builds on the next, simple forms slowly transform to complicated group forms, many given by Steiner, others choreographed by teachers or those who worked closely with Steiner. From simple sounds, to words, sentences, color imbued, filled with soul gestures, dramatic head and foot gestures, to character pieces in tales and ballads, the pinnacle of the planetary and zodiacal movements, to musical modulations, complex fugues, and different musical styles such as Beethoven sonatas or Schoenberg pieces.

The inner development of the eurythmist must be in sync with the outer learning of the magic of movements with poetry, prose, music from all ages and languages, done beautifully. And the social workings of the class need to be able to deal with the growth—at times joyfully and (at rare times) crankily—of each student, and the ever growing tasks they have to fulfill: presenting lectures, preparing festivals, working on solos and demonstrations, not to mention the continuous challenge of working any other hour of the day to finance this incredible endeavor.

To become a eurythmist means to become a new human being—in soul, body, and spirit. It is the most joyful and the most arduous of trainings—to learn to become a fitting instrument for the mighty revelations of the word and music. At the same time a strong grounding in anthroposophy and an understanding and familiarity with many of the neighboring subjects is essential: speech formation, musical studies, singing, gardening, poetics, anatomy, projective geometry, astronomy, modeling—to name just a few of the accompanying subjects, in blocks and evening lectures. Luckily we are embedded within the Threefold community with many individuals who can bring their expertise to these subjects, and many institutions which provide an ongoing stream of lectures, conferences, study groups, concerts, etc., to make for a rich spiritual and cultural tapestry. Essential for all eurythmy students is to see many performances, which here in Spring Valley is possible through the stage group with performances for all ages and occasions, plus studio and festival performances including many of the local eurythmists.

Another aspect included in most of the four year trainings around the world is an intensive study of Waldorf pedagogy. Besides extra weeks of study in the summers, practicum and teacher training blocks also take place within the four years so that the curriculum of the Waldorf schools in general and specific to eurythmy is studied, and a foundation is laid for teaching children.

One hundred years after its inception, eurythmy is still that “gift of the forces of destiny” that arrived in the Anthroposophical Society as Rudolf Steiner spoke of it, and it still is precariously perched, wondering if it can stay here. Many eurythmy schools have found it difficult to stay open and are struggling to keep their footing in an ever more alien world for the human being and thus the arts. The School of Eurythmy in Spring Valley celebrates its 40th birthday this year with much to celebrate, graduates all over the world working deeply in all aspects of eurythmy, leading initiatives in Asia, Europe, North and South America. A full fourth year is about to get ready for graduation, a fifth year working on their performance, and a first and second year and a part-time class are working hard on this most wonderful and challenging of arts. Yet the forty years have had many precarious moments of struggle facing the myriad challenges of a non-profit obscure art school. The support of many staunch friends has made it possible for us to keep the faith and find a way through.

When students first arrive for an interview, there is always the surprised look – four years – why so long? But as they learn about life, through the joys and challenges of each year, before they know it they’re in fourth year and then inevitably they arrive in September and cry: Fourth year, I need more time, it flew by!

Having gone through the training myself and throughout the last 20 odd years observed how students change and suddenly, miraculously, a eurythmist is born after many struggles on all levels, it is a special gift to be part of that process and see it happening in front of one’s eyes. No better way to spend four years of one’s life.

Barbara Schneider-Serio