The Origin and Development of Eurythmy 1918–1920

GA 277b — 21 March 1920, Dornach

52. Eurythmy Performance

For those friends and today's participants who have not previously seen eurythmy, I would just like to say a few words very briefly, given that our participating children must not be made impatient for too long. I would just like to note that what we call the eurythmic arts are not just some kind of arbitrarily invented gestures, but that they are drawn from the movement systems of the human larynx and its neighboring organs, all of the organs that are otherwise active when speaking. So that what is tendency in the larynx and its neighboring organs is simply transferred to the rest of the human being. In a sense, the whole human being appears as, I would say, a larynx in this silent language of eurythmy, which is then accompanied by recitation or music. The whole human being becomes a larynx in what is presented to you. Likewise, groups of people become a larynx.

This is what makes it a little harder to get into this eurythmy – not because it is something arbitrary, not a compilation of momentary gestures, but because it is the continuation of what underlies spoken language as an unnoticed movement and that this is depicted, translated into a visible language. I would just like to say that, for the friends who have not yet seen it, for today, I would just like to mention that as justification for the art form of eurythmy that we cultivate here.

And I would still like to say that our doctors and lady doctors will hardly see what I referred to this morning as the hygienic side of our eurythmic art, because only a few things could be demonstrated that had been prepared when we arrived. However, Dr. Steiner was able to see some of what had been practised. And it was hardly possible to put together an objective program today, in the few days since we returned from Stuttgart.

So I ask those who want to know a little more about this eurythmy to be patient until later. I will give you a somewhat more detailed introduction to the whole nature of eurythmy when we have a performance of eurythmy in the near future. Today, I ask you to be content with the little that we can offer you after such a short time since we returned from Stuttgart. And so I do not wish to discuss anything further, but simply refer you to what I will say in the future about this eurythmic art.

Ms. Hollenbach has set herself the task of training children in choral singing while skipping the tones. You will be shown a sample of this. She has set herself this task as a children's eurythmy teacher. We will begin with a song “Frohsinn” [cheerfulness], [with music] by Hiller [based on a poem] by Löwenstein. [She taught the children the bouncing of the tones and the movements in eurythmy. It is a thoroughly soulful gymnastic art that will be able to stand alongside ordinary gymnastics. And the eurythmic art will not detract from ordinary gymnastics at all. But precisely because it is possible to teach the world of children soul-filled movements, it will be shown that this eurythmic art will also have a pedagogical-hygienic significance. If gymnastics strengthen the body, they strengthen the whole human being to a lesser extent. In particular, the will can be strengthened by this eurythmy. Added to the usual gymnastics is the child's play in soulful movements, which the eurythmic art can become.]