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Eurythmy Curriculum
"The lines and forms are visible signs of divine gestures. Learn to understand them and you will
comprehend how God created the world."
-Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446)
Movement has always been a means through which children learn. In recent years, educators have
found that it is a critical learning component for all children and the primary learning style for
many.
A unique component of the Waldorf curriculum from the beginning, Eurythmy is an artistic form
where music and speech are expressed through movement and gesture. It is the artistic expression
of language through story and verse that separates Eurythmy from classical dance. For every
sound we speak or musical tone produced, there is a Eurythmy gesture. It was developed by
Rudolf Steiner as visible speech and visible singing utilizing the whole human body as the instrument.
In kindergarten and the early grades, the students explore aspects of music and poetry through
storytelling. They experience geometry, spatial directions, coordination (both gross and fine motor
skills), as they work together in a group. The students gain in strength, stamina, dexterity, and
agility as they express themselves through artistic movement.
Beginning in the third grade, students start to work on individual movement skills. As students
advance through the grades, the material becomes increasingly more challenging and complex. We
study aspects of grammar, arithmetic, geometry, music, history and many other subjects. While
students develop memory, listening, sequencing and concentration skills, they begin to work creatively
by developing their own choreographies.
The Eurythmy program is designed to support each step of the students' academic growth. The
lessons reflect the work of the Main Lesson and reinforce the learning in other subjects. Each
grade is met with age appropriate material in music, verse and story, which increases students'
intellectual, artistic and social development. By deepening their understanding of language arts,
together with the performing arts, the students benefit from the interconnectedness of all aspects
of the Waldorf curriculum.
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