Eurythmy

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Eurythmist during a performance
Anton Josef Trčka eurythmy dancers (1926)

The Eurythmy is an anthroposophic movement art as an independent performing arts and as part of stage stagings is operated. The Heileurythmie arose in the context of anthroposophic medicine as an independent form.

In the early 20th century, eurythmy was developed by Rudolf Steiner in conjunction with Marie von Sivers . Under von Sivers' leadership, it developed in three directions: as stage art, as an integral part of Waldorf education and later, with the collaboration of Ita Wegman, as a therapeutic method. A multitude of simple to complex eurythmy forms of poems and pieces of music emerged, which are now also known as choreographies , the understanding and control of which is a goal of eurythmy training.

etymology

Eurythmy ( old Gr . Εὖ eu “good”, “correct” and ῥυθμὀς rhythmós “ rhythm ”, εὐρυθμία “correct ratio, symmetry, euphony”) can be translated as “even and symmetrical movement” or “beautiful movement”. The name for this anthroposophical art of movement was coined by Marie von Sivers from the end of 1912 .

Development of the early years of eurythmy

The first indications for Steiner's occupation with the art of movement go back to 1908. During this time he gave lectures on the Gospel of John . As part of a lecture, Rudolf Steiner asked the painter and writer Margarita Woloschin about the possibility of a dance implementation of the relevant parts of the writing. Voloshin's answer was "I think you could dance anything you feel". But she did not take the initiative herself. So it took more years until Rudolf Steiner actually started eurythmy with his first teaching instructions.

Example sentence on dancing by Rudolf Steiner for Lory Maier-Smits. Bar- : jerk upwards; -bara sat : stretched sounds; stracks : jerk down; on the slope : undulating movements (according to Steiner / Smits / Beltle / Vierl)

Eurythmy as an art of movement gradually emerged in the Munich productions of Steiner's Four Mystery Dramas from 1910 to 1913 with the special cooperation of his collaborators Mieta Waller and Marie von Sivers . The first student in 1911 was Lory Maier-Smits , the daughter of the anthroposophist Clara Smits . Steiner wore her u. a. to step forward and backward alliterations while taking a strong step on the alliterating parts of the bar and moving the arm pleasingly on the parts of the bar without alliterating consonants. Maier-Smits later documented Steiner's instructions and passed them on as a teacher. On September 24, 1912, Marie von Sivers suggested “Eurythmy” as the name in use today. After the construction of the Goetheanum in Dornach , Switzerland , it became the main stage for eurythmy performances, for example with Tatjana Kisseleff .

The first eurythmy schools were founded in Dornach and Stuttgart in 1924.

education

Eurythmy is a regular subject at Waldorf schools . It is taught from first to twelfth grade. Eurythmy is practiced playfully with the children in the Waldorf kindergarten . Eurythmy is taught at various eurythmy and art schools in several years of professional training and university courses; There are supplementary professional training courses for educational eurythmy, eurythmy therapy and social eurythmy. In addition to eurythmical skills, professional eurythmists are generally expected to have a basic knowledge of poetics and lyric poetry , recitation (called " speech formation "), anatomy , music theory , color theory , choreography , stage lighting and anthroposophy . For eurythmy teachers and eurythmy therapists, there is also educational and medical knowledge with a focus on Waldorf education and anthroposophic medicine. Since 2007 the Institute for Eurythmy Therapy at the Alanus University has been offering the Master’s course in Eurythmy Therapy within the Eurythmy Department.

Aim and content of eurythmy

Eurythmy sees itself as the art of making effective laws and relationships visible in language and music through human movement. Various design elements such as gestures, colors and spatial shapes are used for this.

Eurythmy can represent emotional and spiritual content through body movements and gestures (meaning, sound, sentence, tone and motive gestures). Texts and music are translated into movements with the help of a wide range of interpretive possibilities. The possibility of expressing language and sounds differentiates eurythmy from many other rhythmic forms of representation. There are also other stagings of movement that are based on language, but none of them has as many means of expression for poetry and prose to a comparable extent as eurythmy. The eurythmical artist is required to constantly find further signs. A large part of the productions in eurythmy consists of this so-called speech or speech eurythmy.

The Goetheanum: place of numerous eurythmy performances

In the interpretation of musical works, the basic structure of the measure is often only one aspect. Added to this are the key, style and emotional and spiritual gestures. In contrast to classical ballet - or even more modern forms of dance - eurythmy does not use fixed poses or abstract movements.

In eurythmy performances, dramatic, epic and lyrical, but also humorous works of language and music poetry of all epochs are presented as “animated visible language” and “visible song”. This happens both in choreographic group productions as well as in solo form. A well-known stage production in which eurythmy is used is the performance of the unabridged version of Goethe's Faust I and II at the Goetheanum in Dornach .

Eurythmy therapy is recognized by some German health insurances as a treatment method in anthroposophic medicine.

Since the 1980s, the beginning was the term Betriebseurythmie become known and there also applied eurythmy in social work fields for Sozialeurythmie developed. The Sozialeurythmie should serve to balance one-sided movements as well as the awakening of creativity.

Body language and movement in the stage

choreography

Every eurythmical performance uses a choreography that is often referred to as “form” in eurythmy. Through the form, the musical or linguistic work of art appears in the room. Comments such as time indications in music eurythmy or lines of text in speech eurythmy clarify the relationship between the form and the interpreted work of art. Forms often also contain information about the costumes, requirements for props, veils and the color of clothes and the color of the stage lighting, which changes in the course of the interpretation.

When developing the form, the focus is on the work of art and its interpretation. An attempt is made to depict the inner dynamics of the template by moving in space. In the field of music eurythmy, for example, it is possible to emphasize higher or louder tones by moving forward and lower or quieter tones by walking backwards. Changes in the rhythm of the music are represented by faster or slower steps. The overall representation of a work of art usually consists of several forms, which also reflect repetitions and variations of the work of art. Different eurythmists or groups can also run different forms at the same time. The different voices of a piece of music are often represented by different groups. In the area of ​​speech eurythmy there is mainly a verse or verse variation of the individual groups and forms.

In addition to the form, the gestures are the second basis of eurythmy presentation. The most elementary gestures are movements of one's own body in the six spatial directions, i.e. straightening, contracting and bending the body. These movements are superimposed by movements of the arms. For these there are a number of main signs for tones, intervals and sounds, which, however, can be varied in many ways in their size and alignment in space, in their order and in the connection with one another, so that, together with the form, a variety of movement combinations result. which give the artist the freedom to interpret. However, some forms restrict the scope for interpretation more. The so-called “ Apollonian forms”, for example, are strictly based on the grammar and context of the language. For each type of sentence component, part of speech, certain movements are given. In the Apollonian method, for example, sentence components that designate something “spiritual and essential” are run in the choreography with an arc open to the audience. Since the nature of the Apollonian forms lies in a strong formalization, these choreographies can be constructed according to rules to a limited extent. Apollonian gestures of meaning, like the Apollonian forms, are based on the grammar and context of the language and are used in the same context. Connective words are expressed with a nod of the head.

Eurythmy Therapy

Eurythmy therapy is a movement therapy recognized by health insurers as a complementary therapeutic method in Switzerland. It belongs to the group of forms of therapy in anthroposophic medicine , which from certain points of view are criticized as unscientific, pseudoscientific or quackery . It is an alternative medical form of movement therapy that has been developed since 1921 by Rudolf Steiner and Marie von Sivers with the collaboration of Ita Wegman from the movement forms of artistic eurythmy. It is a holistic individual therapy that is guided by anthroposophic therapists . Anthroposophists believe that physical illnesses can have psychological causes and, conversely, psychological disorders can also be organic. To date, however, there has been no proof of the effectiveness of eurythmy therapy through controlled and quality-assured studies.

In eurythmy therapy, an illness is viewed as a disorder of the physical, mental and spiritual-individual levels of the person. Targeted movement exercises should bring the disturbed, believed levels back into a harmonious balance. It is claimed that eurythmy therapy movements aim at influencing the patient's sensations from the outside in, i.e. opposite to the process of human emotions, in which sensations are expressed from the inside out through facial expressions and gestures.

As part of anthroposophic medicine, eurythmy therapy is used for acute, chronic or degenerative diseases of the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, the metabolic system and the musculoskeletal system. Further areas of application are child development disorders and disabilities as well as psychosomatic medicine, psychiatry, ophthalmology and dentistry. However, eurythmy therapy is not recognized medically or scientifically, and studies in alternative medicine have also failed to prove its effectiveness.

A study was published in 2007 which describes the course of the disease in patients who practice eurythmy therapy exercises for chronic diseases. However, it does not meet medical standards (controlled, randomized, with reference group) and received “project-related research funds” from the anthroposophic pharmaceutical manufacturers Weleda and WALA . So far there has only been one meta-study on eurythmy therapy. It was published in 2008 in the alternative medical journal Complementary and Alternative Medicine ( Impact Factor 2.20). It is based on eight studies, none of which, however, meet medical standards (controlled, randomized, with reference group). The studies also come from alternative medicine publications. As a result, the authors emphasize that specific effectiveness has not been proven. They describe eurythmy therapy as a potentially relevant addition to a complex therapeutic intervention and encourage further research.

See also

literature

Rudolf Steiner

  • Eurythmy. The revelation of the speaking soul (= GA 277). Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach 3rd A. 1999, ISBN 3-7274-2770-1 .
  • The origin and development of eurythmy (= GA 277a). Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach 3rd A. 1998, ISBN 3-7274-2775-2 .
  • Eurythmy as visible song. Sound eurythmy course (= GA 278). Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach 3rd A. 1998, ISBN 3-7274-2781-7 ; as paperback (Tb 743): ISBN 3-7274-7430-0 .
  • Eurythmy as a visible language. Loud eurythmy course (= GA 279). Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach 5. A. 1990, ISBN 3-7274-2790-6 ; as paperback (Tb 714): ISBN 3-7274-7180-8 .
  • Eurythmy - The new art of movement of the present. Special edition as paperback (from GA 277–279): (ed. By Edwin Froböse). Rudolf Steiner Verlag (Tb 642), Dornach 1991, ISBN 3-7274-6420-8 .

Other authors

  • Annemarie Dubach-Donath: The basic elements of eurythmy . Verlag am Goetheanum, Dornach 1928 6th edition 1988, ISBN 3-7235-0028-5 .
  • Lory Maier-Smits: First vital seeds of eurythmy (from essays from 1951). In: Memories of Rudolf Steiner . Free Spiritual Life, Stuttgart 1979; 2nd ext. Edition 2001, ISBN 3-7725-1979-2 .
  • Magdalene Siegloch: Lory Maier-Smits. The first eurythmist and the beginnings of eurythmy . Verlag am Goetheanum (Pioneers of Anthroposophy 12), Dornach 1993, ISBN 3-7235-0689-5 .
  • Magdalene Siegloch: Eurythmy. An introduction. Free Spiritual Life, Stuttgart 1990; New edition (as paperback) 1997, ISBN 3-7725-1237-2 .
  • Rüdiger Grimm (Ed.): Healing forces in movement. The application of eurythmy therapy in curative education . Free Spiritual Life, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-7725-1589-4 .
  • Arfst Wagner (Ed.): Eurythmy. The beginning or the end of a young art? Flensburger Hefte (FH 73), Flensburg 2001, ISBN 3-935679-01-7 .
  • Michael Brater u. a .: company eurythmy. A practice path for team building and flexible work organization . Free Spiritual Life, Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-7725-1109-0 .
  • Beatrix Hachtel, Angelika Gäch: Bibliography Eurythmy Therapy . Publications 1920–2005 . Natur Mensch Medizin, Bad Boll 2007, ISBN 3-928914-16-2 .
  • Eva Froböse (Ed.): Rudolf Steiner on eurythmy art. DuMont Buchverlag, Cologne 1983, ISBN 3-7701-1527-9 .
  • Sylvia Bardt: Eurythmy as a human-forming force. Free Spiritual Life, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-7725-0276-8 .
  • Tatjana Kisseleff: Eurythmy work with Rudolf Steiner. Verlag Die Pforte, Basel 1982, ISBN 3-85636-062-X .
  • Thomas Parr: Eurythmy . In: Andreas Kotte (Ed.): Theater Lexikon der Schweiz . Volume 1, Chronos, Zurich 2005, ISBN 3-0340-0715-9 , pp. 545-547.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Johannes Hemleben: Rudolf Steiner. In self-testimonials and picture documents. Rowohlt Taschenbuch Verlag, 1992. ISBN 3-499-50079-5 , pp. 110-113
  2. ↑ εὐρυθμία : εὐ-ρυθμία, ἡ, the right proportion, symmetry, especially in time, euphony; above all decent posture, decency. Dictionary ancient Greek-German www.deacademic.com
  3. ↑ a b See in: Bodo von Plato, Anthroposophie im 20. Jahrhundert , Verlag am Goetheanum, Dornach 2003, ISBN 3-7235-1199-6
  4. ↑ a b Rudolf Steiner: The Origin and Development of Eurythmy (= GA 277a). 3. Edition. Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach 1998, ISBN 3-7274-2775-2
  5. ↑ The graphic follows a work by Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925) as it was passed on by Eleonore Maier-Smits, Erika Beltle and Kurt Vierl in: Lory Maier-Smits: Erste Lebenskeime der Eurythmie . In: Erika Beltle, Kurt Vierl: Memories of Rudolf Steiner. Collected contributions from the “Communications from anthroposophical work in Germany” 1947–1978 . Free Spiritual Life Publishing House , Stuttgart 1979, pp. 104–119 (p. 105)
  6. ↑ Tatjana Kisseleff: A life for eurythmy. Autobiographical additions by Brigitte Schreckenbach. Publishing Ch. Mollmann, Borchen 5. A. 2008, ISBN 978-3-89979-038-2
  7. ^ Alanus University: History. Retrieved March 12, 2017 .
  8. ^ Alanus University: Institute for Eurythmy Therapy. Retrieved March 12, 2017 .
  9. ^ Stiftung Warentest , Alternative Treatment Processes - What the Health Insurance Companies Pay , press release from January 17, 2006; an overview on the information sheet for changing the cash register  ( page can no longer be called up , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 69 kB)@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.gesundheit-aktiv.de  
  10. ↑ a b c d “EYT could be regarded as a potentially relevant add-on in a complex therapeutic concept which intends to support health and well-being (salutogenesis), although its specific relevance remains to be clarified. Well performed controlled studies with defined indications and treatment regimes are highly recommended. " Arndt Büssing, Thomas Ostermann, Magdalena Majorek, Peter F Matthiessen: Eurythmy Therapy in clinical studies: a systematic literature review . In: BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine , 2008, 8, p. 8, doi: 10.1186 / 1472-6882-8-8 , biomedcentral.com The article also lists all relevant studies up to 2008. In established scientific studies, eurythmy is not treated.
  11. ↑ Holistic unit wants 'tarnish' Aberdeen University reputation . In: The Observer , April 29, 2012. 
  12. ↑ Dan Dugan: Michael Shermer (Ed.): Anthroposophy and Anthroposophical Medicine  (= The Skeptic Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience). ABC-CLIO, 2002, ISBN 978-1-57607-653-8 , pp. 31-32.
  13. ^ Paul Jump: Aberdeen decides against alternative medicine chair . In: Times Higher Education Supplement . May 11, 2012.
  14. ↑ a b Désirée Lötzke, Peter Heusser, Arndt Büssing: A systematic literature review on the effectiveness of eurythmy therapy . In: Journal of Integrative Medicine . tape 13 , no. 4 , July 2015, p. 217-230 , doi : 10.1016 / S2095-4964 (15) 60163-7 ( elsevier.com [accessed August 29, 2019]).
  15. ↑ Peter Heusser, Gunver Sophia Kienle: Anthroposophic medicine, integrative oncology, and mistletoe therapy of cancer . In: Donald Abrams, Andrew Weil (Ed.): Integrative Oncology  (= Weil Integrative Medicine Library). Oxford University Press, 2009, ISBN 978-0-19-988585-5 , p. 327.
  16. ↑ z. B. Harald J Hamre, Claudia M Witt, Anja Glockmann, Renatus Ziegler, Stefan N Willich, Helmut Kiene: Eurythmy therapy in chronic disease: a four-year prospective cohort study. In: BMC Public Health , 7, p. 61, doi: 10.1186 / 1471-2458-7-61 . German translation (PDF)