EURHYTHMICS is the term applied generally to the use of harmonious bodily movement as a form of artistic expression, and specifically to Dalcroze's system of musical education which is founded on a rhythmical discipline of bodily movements for the expression of time values. The present article is restricted to the latter sense. (See DANCE.) History.—Emile Jaques Dalcroze (b. 1865) studied music at the Geneva Conservatoire and under Delibes in Paris and Bruck ner and Fuchs in Vienna. In 1892 he was appointed professor of harmony at Geneva Conservatoire. His experience as a teacher suggested to him that the conventional professional training of musicians was radically wrong in that it ignored the relation of technical training to the inner consciousness of the student. He argued that the student should begin not by specializing on any instrument, but by developing his musical faculties as a basis for specialized study. Such a training could only be secured by awakening the sense—natural, though often latent—of the ulti mate bases of music, viz., tone and rhythm.
As the sense of tone can be developed only through the ear, Dalcroze gave special attention to vocal work; and then, noticing that when the students themselves beat time to their singing the work became much more real, he wrote a series of "gesture songs," which were performed by his pupils with surprising ease. This suggested the idea which is the essence of the Dalcroze method, viz., the training of the body in such a way as to make movement not merely an accompaniment of music, but a means of express ing it.
About 1905 Dalcroze began to consider the possibility of apply ing his method not only to the special education of musicians but as part of the general elementary education of children. Accordingly he worked out a system of pedagogic eurhythmics, which has been widely adopted in schools throughout Europe and America.
Outline of the Method.—The Dalcroze method consists of three parts: (a) rhythmic movement, (b) ear training and (c) improvization (practical harmony). Of these the first is the essence of the Dalcroze method and is fundamentally new. The second is closely linked with the first and necessary to the pupil. The third is necessary to the teacher.
In the system of exercises upon which the method is based, time is shown by movements of the arms, and time-duration, i.e., note-values, by movements of the feet and body. In the early stages of the training this principle is clearly observed ; later it may be varied in many ingenious ways—for instance, in what is known as plastic counterpoint the actual notes may be represented by movements of the arms, while the counterpoint in crotchets, quavers or semiquavers is given by the feet.
In the series of movements to represent note-values the crotchet is taken as the unit—this is represented by a step; higher values, from the minim to the note of 12 beats, are represented by a step with one foot and a movement or movements with the other foot or with the body, but without progression ; e.g., a minim by one step and a knee bend, a dotted minim by a step and two move ments without progression, a note of 12 beats by a step and movements. Thus for each note in the music there is one step, one progression in space, while at the same time the note, if of greater length than a crotchet, is analysed into crotchets. Notes of shorter duration than a crotchet, i.e., quavers, triplets, etc., are expressed also by simple steps.
The whole training aims at developing the power of rapid physical reaction to mental impressions. These latter are more commonly obtained through the ear, chiefly from the music played ; naturally, however, the teacher needs at times to give commands during an exercise. For this purpose he generally uses the word "hopp," chosen for its clear incisiveness. Before each exercise it is clearly stated what the word is to represent in that particular case, e.g., omit one beat, omit one bar, beat time twice as fast as with the arms, etc. ; often the word will be used in series in an exercise, each "hoPp" meaning some additional change. As the command generally falls on the second half of the beat preceding the one in which the change is to be made, very rapid intellectual and physical response is necessary, especially if the music be at all quick. Exercises of this class soon give the power of rapid muscular innervation and inhibition, and are of extraordinary value in education, quite apart from their purely rhythmic side. (P. B. I.)