What is Dalcroze?

Dalcroze Education is a playful, experiential approach to teaching and learning music. It is a process for awakening, developing, and refining innate musicality ... Skiptocontent FacebookVimeoYoutubeInstagramEmail WhatisDalcroze? LearnwhatDalcrozeEducationisandwhatmakesitanessentialpartofthemusicalawakeningofstudentsaroundtheworld.Thebenefitsapplytomorethanjustmusicians.WhatdoesaDalcrozeclasslooklike? WhyDalcroze? DalcrozeEducationisaplayful,experientialapproachtoteachingandlearningmusic.Itisaprocessforawakening,developing,andrefininginnatemusicalitythroughrhythmicmovement(oftencalledeurhythmics),ear-training,andimprovisation. LisaParkerteachesherstudentstheimportanceofspacewhileusingadrum. Thisuniqueapproachtomusicallearningmakesmusicvividforeveryone,fromyoungbeginnersthroughadultprofessionals. WhenexperiencingaDalcrozeclass,youbegintofeel,express,andmastertheflowthatisessentialtomusic,dance,andtheotherperformingarts. DalcrozeEducationhasbeenaroundformorethanacentury.Themethodwasdevelopedstartingin1886byEmileJaques-Dalcroze,aSwisscomposerandeducator.Itfeaturesinteractivegamesandexercisesthathelpstudentslearntotrusttheirideasanddeveloptheirownintuitions.Today,hisideasabouteducationhavebeenconfirmedbyscientificresearch. DalcrozeEducationisarich,complex,multifacetedpracticethatencourageseachofustoexperienceitonourownterms,asindividuals.Eachparticipantcandefineitdifferently,throughthelensoftheirownexperience. Readytoexperienceitforyourself? FindEvents LisaParker(DirectorEmeritusoftheDalcrozeEurhythmicsprogramattheLongySchoolofMusic)discussesDalcrozegoalsandbenefitsthroughalessononmeasureshape. BenefitsofDalcrozeEducation TheDalcrozeapproachcanprovidebenefitsfor: Performers Teachers Dancers Actors Youngchildren Seniors Peoplewithdisabilitiesorspecialneeds YoungstudentsinaDalcrozeclasswatchtheirteacherclosely. DalcrozeEducationisakeypartofthecurriculumatleadinginstitutions,K-12tocollegiate,aroundtheworld.Itissointuitive,fromanearlyagechildreninDalcrozeclassesdevelopcriticallistening,motor,andsocialskillswithoutevenknowthey’relearning.Yetitcanalsoinspiremusicianstoreachforhigherlevelsofperformanceintheirprofessionaldevelopment. NomatterwhatleveloftrainingyoubringtoDalcroze,youcandeepenyourmusicalunderstandingandimproveyourbodyawareness.  Formusicians: Developastrongersenseofrhythmandharmony Unlockeasier,moreexpressiveperformance Heightenlisteningskillsandintuition Understandmusicthroughthebody Fordancers: Refinenon-verbalexpression Learnessentialmusicalconcepts Encourageaestheticdevelopment Forseniors: Improvecoordinationandbalance Enhancecognitiveskills Strengthenmemoryfunction Experiencemusicalconceptsinaplayfulmanneranduseyourentirebodyasamusicalinstrument.Whenpairedwithprivatemusiclessons,DalcrozeEducationpromotesdeeplearninginallmusicians. Scientificresearchsupportsmanyofthebenefitsexperiencedbyparticipants.TheDalcrozemethodhasevenbeenappliedtomanydiversefields,includingmusictherapy,teambuilding,andinmitigatingthenegativeeffectsofaging. Dalcrozeisjoyfulandpurposeful.Participantsdevelopconnectionswiththosearoundthem. ADalcrozeEurhythmicsClass InaDalcrozeEurhythmicsclass,studentsaremovinginsomeway:intravelingaroundtheroom,oringestureswithhands,arms,heads,orupperbodies.Theirmovementsareresponsivetothemusicintheroom.Theteacherisprobablyimprovisingthismusicatthepianooronanotherinstrument.(Sometimesrecordedorcomposedmusicisused.) Thetaskistypicallytomoveinspaceusingcertainguidelines,specifictothemusicalpiece.Forexample,theteachermayaskthestudentstowalkaroundtheroom,steppingthebeat.Then,whenthestudentshearaspecificcue,theyshouldclapthebeatinstead.Thegamecontinues,withthestudentschallengedtofindnewwaystoexpressthebeatwiththeirbody. Theteachershapesthemusicnotonlytotherulesofthetask,buttowhattheyobservethestudentsdoing.Thestudents,inturn,shapetheiraccomplishmentofthetasktothenatureofthemusic–itstempo,dynamics,texture,phrasestructure,andstyle.Changeisaconstantineachlesson. Dalcrozecallonustouseexpressivegesturestogiveshapetomusic. DalcrozeEducationisdividedintothreemaincategories: Eurhythmicsengagesthebodyinrhythmicmovementandactivelistening Solfègedevelopsinternalmelodyandharmony,alongwithaholisticresponsetomusicalnotation Improvisationbringsoutthecreativespiritwiththevoice,aninstrument,or thebody InaDalcrozeclass,theinstructorcombinestheseelementsthroughrhythmgames,songs,gesture,andmovement. CertifiedDalcrozeteachersworkinconservatories,universities,publicandprivateschools,earlychildhoodprograms,andprivatestudios.DuetotheintensivetrainingprocessandthemanysophisticatedskillsrequiredtobeaDalcrozeeducator,thenumberofcertifiedteachersremainssmallbuttheirimpactonmusiceducationissignificant. NoDalcrozeeducatorisalikeandnoclassislikeanyother.TheDalcrozeapproachallowsforincrediblevarietyinteachingstylesandmethods.TherearemanydifferentanduniquewaysthatDalcrozeeducatorshaveusedthisapproachtoleadstudentstodiscoverhowtheycanembodymusic. ReadytoexperienceaDalcrozeclass? FindEvents Howdoin-personDalcrozeclassescomparetoonlineclasses? DalcrozeandOnlineLearning FurtherReading •EmileJaques-Dalcroze •TheDalcrozePractice •FAQ •LessonPlan:LivingMusic:EurhythmicsandJazzImprovisation(BillBauer) •Meet2022KeynoteSpeakerMaryDobrea-Grindahl(AlexMarthaler)