Movement Improvisation Composition Through Dalcrozeeurhythmics

Emile Jaques-Dalcroze explained music learning as multi-sensory, professing “the ear that hears, the body that feels and senses, and the brain that imagines, judges and connects” (Abramson, 1980, p. 32). This speaks to the outcome of the affective, cognitive, and kinesthetic domains being combined in the process of creating new music. Composers have been known to say, “I hear the music in my head” A Dalcroze student would say, “I feel the music in my body” The aural, visual, and kinesthetic modes can all be engaged in the construction of a piece of music. A student’s immersion into the Dalcroze philosophy and process can contribute to that student’s ability to be creative and to make artistic choices in composition.

Brief History. Swiss composer, pianist, actor, and dancer Emile Jaques-Dalcroze (1865-1950) pioneered the approach of experiencing, understanding, and demonstrating music through movement, now known as Dalcroze Eurhythmics. His mother had studied the philosophy of Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746-1827), who was an early advocate of teaching and learning through the senses and experiences separate from the printed word. Both Pestalozzian and Dalcroze philosophies center on the multi-sensory experiences that lead to a more comprehensive understanding of musicianship and in the making of music. (Collins, 1993). In the arts, young Emile was encouraged to sing, play, dance, and create (Spector, 1990).

As a young man, Jaques-Dalcroze studied at the Geneva Conservatory, the Paris Conservatory, and the Vienna Conservatory. He was influenced by the teachings of Mathis Lussy (1828-1910), who wrote on the subject of expressive musical performance and musical understanding (Caldwell, 1995). Lussy’s philosophy propelled Jaques- Dalcroze to approach musical learning through scholarly inquiry and to seek solutions through a scaffolded approach (Spector, 1990).

Following composition studies with Gabriel Faure, Adolf Prosniz, and Anton Bruckner, plus a season as assistant conductor and chorusmaster at the Theatre des Nouveaux in Algiers, Jaques-Dalcroze returned to the Geneva Conservatory as a professor of solfege. Here he observed his students and considered the disconnect between their technical playing and their expression of nuances in music. He found that the concept of maintaining a steady beat to be a challenge for many of them. Jaques- Dalcroze turned to locomotor movement to instill steady beat. This included walking, moving expressively, singing, breathing, changing tempi, skipping, and conducting while moving (Odom, 1998). Through shared learning experiences with peers, the students were led to discover the interrelationships of time, space, and energy. With the addition of rhythmic and purposeful movement to music, the students were able to perceive the body as the first instrument of expression. Through singing, moving, and creating, Jaques-Dalcroze’s holistic approach to learning began to take shape (Dutoit, 1971, p. 9).

With the encouragement of two German industrialists, Jaques-Dalcroze assisted in the development of an experimental garden city named Hellerau, being designed north of Dresden. The concept of Hellerau was a planned industrial settlement of furniture manufacturing with a school for artistic development. Between 1910 and 1914, Hellerau thrived as a cultural center for music, theater, and dance.

In partnership with theater designer Adolphe Appia (1862-1928), Jaques-Dalcroze oversaw the construction of the school, student housing, and the performance space that was noted for architectural and staging innovations. All stage components were modular and movable by the performers. There was no proscenium in front of the stage, which brought the audience closer to the performance. The side walls were covered with treated canvas that concealed recessed lighting that provided visual effects (Spector, 1990). During performances, students interchanged roles of musicians, dancers, and actors. During the summer festival season, well-known artists, writers, and teachers came to experience Hellerau. They included theater personalities Konstantin Stanislavsky, George Bernard Shaw; dancers Mary Wigman, Hanya Holm, Serge Diaghilev, and Rudolf von Laban; and musicians Darius Milhaud and Jan Paderewski (Martin et al., 1965).

Hellerau closed at the beginning of World War I and Jaques-Dalcroze returned to Geneva to establish the Institut Jaques-Dalcroze that continues to operate. An instructor training program was established that enabled others to teach his approach. Training centers and professional organizations in eurhythmics have since been established around the globe. Jaques-Dalcroze continued to refine the approach as well as compose and teach until his death in Geneva in 1950.

Today, the Dalcroze approach is applied as an instructional tool in musical training from early childhood through college experiences. It is also found in dance, acting, and music therapy approaches (Frego et al., 2008), as well as with older adult populations (Treveno et al., 2018).