Eurythmy – what is it? And what does that have to do with POLOLO?

And what does eurythmy have to do with our POLOLOs?

Eurythmy is the art of expressing language or music with the body through movement. It connects mind and body and strengthens social behavior and trust in a community. Through coordination exercises she helps to connect the body with the head.

The word “eurythmy” comes from Greek words eu, which means something like “right”, “good”, and rhythmus, which can be translated as “evenness” or “correct proportion”. When put together, these expressions form the word “eurythmy” and mean something like Balance in motion, beautiful movement, flow of gestures or play of colors.

Eurythmy is an anthroposophical art of movement

Eurythmy is an anthroposophical art of movement and was developed 100 years ago by Rudolf Steiner together with Marie von Sivers. Today this anthroposophical art of movement is divided into: three directions to:

• Stagecraft
• Therapeutic method (Eurythmy therapy)
• Integral part of the Waldorf education

Your own body as an instrument of eurythmy

Eurythmy is taught from kindergarten onwards: it is also practiced in a playful way there. The instrument of eurythmy is the body itself. It is used to express music and language. There is an “alphabet”, that is, Each sound from “A” to “Z” has its own gesture, with which it can be expressed. These sounds serve as the basis for our ability to move and express ourselves. With body awareness we can trace them and make them visible in movement.
In eurythmy, arms and hands articulate soft, flowing gestures; Legs and feet usually follow one (energetic) shape, one choreography. The great thing about eurythmy is that it is very low-threshold to get started with. This means that even small children with no dance experience can be picked up and go into a story together with the teachers and experience it in movement.

The rhythmic order of eurythmy creates a field of tension between thinking and feeling

Eurythmy in schools thrives on the energy of the community. It's about what happens between people. It's about the individual in and around the group Distance and closeness and shapes. It's a give and take between people. According to the principle of order and chaos. In this way, the children not only become more attuned to one another in the group, but also learn to experience and express feelings and states of the soul in the playful lightness of eurythmy. Eurythmy aims to be experienced and created together. The rhythmic order of eurythmy creates a field of tension between thinking and feeling.
It is a Give and take between people. The apparent lightness and playfulness that give each individual room for their own path in this art of movement actually follows complex rules. Every sound has its meaning, every movement towards the sound follows an energetic force. Everything in life is energy. Also eurythmy.

Eurythmy therapy as a holistic individual therapy

Eurythmy therapy is a special type of eurythmy, a therapeutic method. She belongs in the circle of Anthroposophical medicine. This is a holistic individual therapy. It is used for acute, chronic or degenerative diseases of the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, the metabolic system and the musculoskeletal system. Also for child development disorders, disabilities, psychosomatics, psychiatry, eye and dental problems.
There are special clothes and shoes that you wear: silk dresses and eurythmy shoes. These shoes are specially developed for the flowing movements of eurythmy. Also the ballerinas from ours Barefoot shoes fit in because they can support the little feet in making the right movements. They are made from very soft, vegetable-tanned leather and fit around your feet like a second skin. They are similar to the eurythmy shoes and can be easily put on by themselves, especially by smaller children.

Photos: POLOLO’s “Barefoot Ballerina” (Stephanie Kison)