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Eurythmy in the World

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VOLUME 88 Fall 2014 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA 2 Eurythmy Association of North America Mission Statement The Eurythmy Association of North America is formed for these purposes: To foster eurythmy, an art of movement originated and developed by out of ; to foster the work of eurythmists on the North American continent by sponsoring performances, demonstrations, and workshops; and to maintain, develop, and communicate knowledge related to eurythmy and the work of eurythmists by means of newsletters and publications.

The Eurythmy Association of North America is a non- OFFICERS OF THE EURYTHMY ASSOCIATION profit corporation of eurythmists living and working on the President North American continent. Any eurythmist holding an Alice Stamm, 916-728-2462 accredited diploma recognized by the Section for Eurythmy, Treasurer Speech, and Music at the , may join the Gino Ver Eecke, 845-356-1380 Association as a member. Eurythmy students and non- Corresponding Secretary accredited, but actively working eurythmists, are warmly Alice Stamm, 916-728-2462 welcomed to join as Friends. Recording Secretary The Newsletter is published two times annually. Catherine Padley, 206-465-4616 Annual dues are from January through December. Newsletter Editor and Archival Secretary Membership subscription is $45 single/ $50 for euryth- Maria Ver Eecke, 845-356-1380 mist-couple; for eurythmists living outside of North America it is $50 single/ $55 for eurythmist-couple; for all REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES friends, musicians, or speakers the subscription is $30. Eastern Canada Single issues are $6 a copy. Please make checks out Mararet Osmond, 902-466-7735 through a bank with a branch in the United States. Northeast The Council members believe that financial concerns Karen Guitman, 603-933-3129 should not hinder eurythmists from membership. Spring Valley Area Eurythmists should feel able to contribute a lesser amount if Sea-Anna Vasilas, 909-496-6308 they cannot afford the full annual contribution. We hope that Southeast others will also contribute more to support our work. Raymonde van der Stok Fried, 215-410-1403 All checks should be made payable to the Eurythmy Northern Midwest Association of North America and mailed to the treasurer: Constance Michael, 513-961-7455 Gino Ver Eecke Southwest and Mountain 34 Margetts Rd. Marguerite McKenna, 303-808-1124 Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977 Northwest Email: [email protected] Catherine Padley, 206-465-4616 Articles, announcements, news items, poems, and Northern California forms should be sent to the editor at least one month before Anne Cook, 707-595-3103 publication. Deadline dates for the two annual issues are Southern California October 1 and March 1. Items may be faxed or sent via Kurt Faerber, 808-393-9545 email. Photos sent by mail will be returned. Photos may be Coordinator of Grants emailed as attachments. Carsten Callesen, 610-455-2038 Please mail to: Member-at-Large EANA Newsletter Editor Christina Beck, 919 643 2066 Maria Ver Eecke Representative for Section 34 Margetts Rd. Laura Radefeld Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977 Eurythmist-in-need fund Phone: 845-356-1380 Alice Stamm and Raymonde Fried Email: [email protected] Liaison to AWSNA www.eana.org Carla Beebe-Comey, 970-309-5048 Although welcomed, the viewpoints expressed in the EANA Newsletter are not necessarily those of the publisher. Eurythmy Association of North America 3 CONTENTS

FROM THE COUNCIL

Letter and Report from the President Alice Stamm 4

Letter from the Editor Maria Ver Eecke 5

Reports on AGM and Meetings of Performing Artists Maria Ver Eecke 6

In Memoriam .

Eulogy for Nancy Root; Memories and Reflections Rev. Liza Joy Marcato, John Root, Jr., Friends 9

In Memory of Martina Mann; Elizabeth Hunter John Bashaw; Kirstin Hawkins 13

In Memory of Yumiko Kaneko B. Usher, B. Bressette-Mills, D. Mier 14

Articles

Exploring the Four Ethers Mark Ebersole 15

The Alphabet: Expression of the Mystery of the Human Being Hedwig Greiner 21

Considerations of Nature and Modern Technology Maria Ver Eecke 26

Helpful Practices for the Eurythmy Teacher Maria Ver Eecke 29

Reports and Reviews

Muzungu, Muzungu! Gail Langstroth 30

Bringing Eurythmy to a New Audience Linda Larson 32

In Sun Light and in Soul Light David Weber 33

Review of Project Zero Circle Johanna Frouws 35

Sound Circle Updates David-Michael Monasch 36

Eurythmy Spring Valley Beth Dunn-Fox 38

Letters from Members and Friends 40

Announcements and Events 42 Calendar

Front Cover: Eurythmist Gail Langstroth in Nakuusi, Uganda; Muzungu, Muzungu! Photos of Muzungu, Muzungu! are by Sylvia Namukasa, Mathias Mugema, Gail Langstroth. Inside Back Cover: San FranciscoYouth Eurythmy Troupe; Photographer Scott Chernis Outer Back Cover: Mystery Drama Conference and Festival; Photo credits: Threefold Educational Center 4 Eurythmy Association of North America Letter from the President worked on this continent or were very supportive of our Dear Friends, work here and who had crossed the Threshold. They were, As we come into the Michaelmastide this brings greet- in almost order of remembrance: Lisa Monges, Kari van ings to you all. Over the summer there were tremendous Oordt, Miriam Wallace, Ruth Pusch, Denilla Rettig, Nancy events with the Mystery Dramas in Spring Valley. Root, Hanni Schlaefli, Liselotte van Lennep, Sissy Pracht, Audiences in the sold-out performances were able to see Miriam Karnow, Ilse Kolbuschowski, Natasha Lish, eurythmy weaving among the scenes throughout these dra- Barbara Sophia Levene, , Marguerite Lundgren, mas; both Gino and Maria were very much involved, as well Elisabeth Hunter, Johanna van Vliet, Vita Leicht, Molly von as many other eurythmists and speakers from the area and Heider, Ilse Kimball, Julie Lamb, Elisabeth Edmunds, farther afield. It was a truly amazing event for this continent Maidlin Vogel, Elisabeth Pouderoyn, Jeanne Wyn-Stanley, and the world ether! A magnificent effort from Barbara Curtis Wheeler, Steven Moore, Lea van der Pals, Marie Renold and cast! Savitch, Friedhelm Gillert, Luci Neuscheller, Marjorie Many exciting initiatives were brought to the EANA Spock, Barbara Glass, Gudrun Monasch, Isabelle Decker, Annual General Meeting, which took place on August 20 in Sabine Nordorff, Peter Menaker (speaker), Jeanne Bailey, Spring Valley. Helen Lubin, of the Performing Arts Section, and Sergei Prokovieff. suggested a conference around the theme of TIME. As we We then approved our newest Council members: are part of the Time Arts, along with our sisters and broth- Christina Beck, Connie Michael, and Marguerite McKenna. ers in speech, drama, music, and puppetry, it could be spe- Connie will be the representative for the Upper Midwest cial to meet and work together with colleagues. More will Region and Christina will be a Member-at-Large. be forthcoming. There was also the wish to try to “organize” Marguerite will take Robin Mitchell’s warm place in the what is on the web about “eurythmy”! Look to EANA’s Rocky Mountain region. Robin has been such a faithful and website; there are links to videos which we feel are “true” to supportive presence on the EANA Council. eurythmy...if one can say this about eurythmy online. Also We thanked Maria and Gino Ver Eecke for all their hard there were initiatives coming from younger colleagues and and beautiful work on the Newsletter and website. This hopefully these will be brought in the newsletter. organ of our Association is so substantial! It had become a With great sorrow we heard that the Camphill Eurythmy resource for pedagogy as well as the art of eurythmy; we School, Botton, England, has had to close its doors. keep in touch with who and what is going on in the euryth- However, the eurythmists in England are going to meet my world. We need to get the word out to colleagues, what together and carry the training in a much larger context a gift this is and why they should all subscribe! together. [Please see the letter from the leaders of the Two topics came up from the last issue: can EANA do eurythmy training, posted on our website on Sept. 6, 2014.] anything to help the situation where so many eurythmy Our Eurythmist-in-Need Fund has grown steadily this programs are being cut from schools? Please look to “Best year. This fund has helped our colleagues, who are members Practices” Guidelines for eurythmists working in schools of the EANA, over the years in unexpected medical emer- (available at AWSNA best practices-eurythmy). This work gencies. Raymonde Fried van der Stock and I have carried was done by Carla Comey. We asked that suggestions come this consciousness for the funding and are thrilled that it has to Maria to put together an article for the Newsletter. been able to modestly help others. Then the question if EANA could help sort through all The last issue of this newsletter was so superb it is hard the eurythmy articles on the web in order to present what is to not think it could get any better. But look at what Maria truly representative. A huge topic! Sue Hiertz offered to and Gino have come up with again.....as much as from look into this with a friend who manages such materials. YOU, as well. Please see if some eurythmists are not yet She will get back to us. members or have not yet received this precious work, and Treasurer Report: we have run a deficit again this past invite them to join...it really unites us all together! year which came about because we took $3,000 from our With best greetings from Alice general account to support ESV and Seattle summer work- shops. Otherwise we would have broken even, which is a Report of Annual General Meeting good sign. Are we able to gather more members? The WEF awarded us $20,000 for: ca $15,000 towards This is a President’s report of our AGM performing work, $4,000 for high schools and $1,000 for held in Spring Valley on Aug. 20, 2014. Foundation Stone work. The Society will be sending Gino We were grateful to ESV for the use of their facilities. the checks and he with Carsten will work out how much We were some 20 eurythmists and a friend, Keith Segall. each group should receive. We began with introducing ourselves and our place of work. Marke Levene reported on the Working of the Spirit Then we remembered all the eurythmists who had Eurythmy Association of North America 5 project. If this comes about, Marke said the EANA could Steiner’s 1918 Project with Jan Stuten, a “ Colored Light- help by getting the word out to all members and groups! Play-Art — Metamorphoses of Fear” by David Adams was (Please see http://www.workingofthespirit.com/) Such a posted on September 7, 2014. The colored photographs are program would include a eurythmy performance, truly worth seeing! The latest issue of the Newsletter from Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, and a new the Visual Arts Section features David Adams’s article, “An drama to continue the themes from the Mystery Dramas. Overview History of Anthroposophical Visual Arts in the There were also some wonderful initiatives coming USA,” with over ninety photos of anthroposophical works from different fields: See notes from the meeting of of art. You may find this at... http://northamericanart performing artists during the Mystery Drama Festival. section.blogspot.com/. David McGregor from England mentioned several It seems that our colleagues, the visual artists, are first things happening there: sadly the Camphill Eurythmy to research this subject of the effects of visual and auditory Training at Botton had to close. However, the eurythmists in recordings. For those who have raised concerns about our England are meeting to see what they can do to enliven art of eurythmy online, please respond to “Considerations of eurythmy altogether and its place in the culture of today. Nature and Modern Technology.” Thank you to Mary Brian So dear Friends, I was so heartened by all that is for her notes from Dr. Michaela Glöckler’s lecture at the happening and wanting to come about, and that younger 2014 National ATHENA Conference, “Exploring the Impact eurythmists are eager to take initiative now! Maria has of Technology on Children’s Health.” compiled a report of our meeting as well and will share with Latest news and updates are to be found at you. But for today this brings end of summer greetings and www.eana.org (a helpful tool). Please invite your friends to warm wishes for the fall beginnings! join our association. Any contribution is welcomed. Alice Stamm We need to build up our forces again! Blessings, Maria Ver Eecke Letter from the Editor Corrections In the Spring 2014 issue of the EANA Newsletter, from the Dear Members and Friends, article: “In and Out and Round About,” by Maria Ver Eecke. So many contributions make this a great issue! Mark Thank you to Elsa Macauley for her feedback and interest! Ebersole submitted his article on the Four Ethers last For chldren who do not imitate, Dr. Steiner recommend- February. David Weber and Astrid Thiersch record another ed repeating rhythmical sentences with specific vowels wonderful tour with their San Francisco Youth Eurythmy sounds, forward and backward. This vowel sequence is Troupe, this time in Taiwan! I heard from them in April and practiced with arms and then with legs, jumping forward was saddened not to have a summer issue to send to you with AEI and backwack with IEA. with such news and content. The students at the School of “Wherever possible, the same method should also be Eurythmy received the document, “The Alphabet,” from followed with a sequence of vowels. In this way we can Ute Medebach of Dornach, when she was teaching here in awaken the child inwardly. Surprise and amazement begin March; and Dorothea Mier suggested that it be made avail- to rise up in him, as we get him to intone A (ah), then E (eh), able to a wider circle. A Research Report by Kate Reese I (ee); and then backwards, I, E, A; then again, A, E, I, and Hurd, “The Speech Sound Etudes: Feeling the Gestures and so on. The child gradually wakes up, and despite all difficul- Finding the Figures,” will be available online at our website. ties, the principle of imitation will begin at last to work. It Thank you for your initiatives! will be necessary to take the child by himself, and to see to News from Gail Langstroth is that she has been teach- it that imitation has its place in everything you do with him; ing eurythmy on four continents. Her work found notice in always stop after a few moments and get him to intone after another publication, reprinted here along with amazing pho- you.” Rudolf Steiner, Education for Special Needs: The tos! Linda Larson was featured in an online video and I Curative Education Course, Lecture Eleven, Dornach, asked her to write about her experience. Reviews of euryth- Switzerland, July 6, 1924, CW 317, p.190 my performances are always welcome. Reports of meetings describe many diverse ideas for new initiatives and euryth- From Dorothea Mier: In the lectures, The Inner Nature of my gatherings, plus offers to host such events. Several Music and the Experience of Tone on page 65, there is a reports were needed to document the meetings of the mistake. If you read the paragraph carefully, you would feel Performing Artists at the Mystery Drama Festival. And I am that something is wrong, but reading the German, you see always so grateful for photographs to document our work. Who has seen the latest offerings on our website? Since that it is a wrong translation. The fourth line from the bot- the Council has taken up the question of media in our lives tom “...is brought about by the Melody out of the Harmony” today, several articles have been made available. Rudolf is correct, instead of the other way round as printed. 6 Eurythmy Association of North America EANA Annual General Meeting Laura Radefeld may host high school eurythmy group August 20, 2014 from Finland, March 2015. Laura told us that the arts were 7:30-9:00 cut in Finland, but the high school group raised money to School of Eurythmy, Spring Valley, NY travel and perform eurythmy. Present: Alice Stamm, President, Maria Ver Eecke, Editor Helen Lubin suggests a conference on the “Time Arts” Julia Alamo, Beth Dunn-Fox, Susan Eggers, Claudia hosted by the Section for the Performing Arts. Fontana, Karen Gallagher, Virginia Hermann, Sue Hiertz, Beth Dunn-Fox described ESV’s project: How to Michael Hughes, Marke Levine, Dorothea Mier, Alys rebuild culture of arts? A film is being made about euryth- Morgan, Shiori Ogihara, Sonia Plewa (Vancouver), Laura my and child development. Performances and interactive Radefeld, Patti Regan, Barbara Richardson, Victoria workshops will be given. This will involve teacher trainings Sander, Linling Xing, Binhui Xu; and the mentor program, with Leonore Russell. Guests: Keith Segall, Dornach; David Macgregor, Great Alice Stamm spoke of eurythmy in the charter schools Britain of California. The government grant given for five weeks of Remembrance of Eurythmists Who Have Crossed the eurythmy is under the Title I program. There are openings Threshold of Death (listed in previous report) for teachers in charter schools. R. S. College has courses for public school teachers to train in . Treasurer’s Report Note David Macgregor spoke about the Academy Schools in EANA grants for performing groups; $20,000 from the Great Britain & Ireland, who receive government funding. Waldorf Educational Fund, Philadelphia The Eurythmy training at Botton Camphill was closed by Carsten Callesen and Gino Ver Eecke, Treasurer the Board of the Camphill Trust. They were given eleven New Council Members days to leave the campus. They have been invited to join Christina Beck, Chapel Hill, NC; Connie Michael, with Eurythmy West Midlands Eurythmy Training at the Cincinnati, Ohio; Marguerite McKenna, Boulder, CO. Glasshouse Arts Centre, Stourbridge, England. The training Approved! in London closed. The remaining schools (Peredur and Concerns expressed in the last issue of the newsletter Stourbridge) look to see how they may combine forces. The Virginia Efta asked about eurythmy programs being cut project to expand eurythmy in Great Britain includes a from school. Alice reminded us of the work of Noris business plan. Fifty eurythmists met (out of 160 members in Friedman in creating the Guildelines. Presently Leonore G. B. & Ireland) and backed the plan. A larger resonance Russell and Carla Comey give support for eurythmy teach- group will give feedback in six years. ers through the AWSNA Mentoring program. Please see Marke told us that Peter Jackson set up lights for “What Best Practices at www.awsna.org. Moves You?” in Berlin (July 13 – August 11) and for the A concern came from Ruth Bucklin, how we can coor- Mystery Drama Production, Spring Valley, NY. dinate what is online that represents eurythmy. Marke Sonia Plewa told that her students from the eleventh Levine suggests we contact the Society to ask for help. grade in Vancouver were part of “What Moves You?” They Update on project: The Working of the Spirit did eurythmy for five hours a day in Berlin, Germany. Marke is meeting with artists and financial advisors to Susan Eggers has a project to translate part of Helga prepare this project, a world-wide festival. The first meeting Daniel’s books on pedagogical eurythmy for the Waldorf was in London, followed by meetings in Delphi, Spring Library. She will speak to Patrice Maynard. (Susan has a Valley, London, and again in Spring Valley. complete library of eurythmy materials. She was teaching Workshops will be given by speech artists and actors in the pedagogical course in the School of Eurythmy.) 2015: Barbara Renold, Kim Snyder-Vine, Glen Williamson, We ended with Hallelujah. and Laurie Portocarrero. Thank you to Alice for chairing this meeting! Marke shared that he first thought of this after the Class Respectfully submitted, Lessons at Rudolf Steiner College, twenty years ago. Then Maria Ver Eecke the imagination came for a fairy tale that Felicia tells of the Star Child’s Descent. This could be shown in eurythmy as a Meetings of Performing Artists preview. Michael Burton wrote the play from the imagina- during the Mystery Drama Festival tion of the fairy tale and the outline suggested by Marke. School of Eurythmy, August 10, 2014 New Initiatives Forty-four participants attended the first meeting for Offers to host artistic-eurythmy summer conferences Performing Artists! Introductions were made and it was came from Carrie Mass, Portland, and Gabrielle Schneider, amazing to hear how far people had come for this Mystery Barrie, Ontario. Drama Festival. Among the many eurythmists and speech Eurythmy Association of North America 7 artists were other professionals in various fields, such as and others were reduced from full-time to three-quarter- acting, teaching, architecture, engineering, and therapy. A time positions. Laura Radefeld directs the pedagogical professor of speech and educational theatre spoke about the training at ESV. They hope to engage a new ground swell Chekov method of acting (prominent among several of the for eurythmy and speech art in an educational project for actors in the Mystery Drama Production). One speech artist Waldorf communities. The Ensemble will provide interac- teaches communication studies in college and directs com- tive sessions, as experiential style of workshops on child munity theatre. Someone was from the Peace Maker development through the eurythmy curriculum. Also anoth- Project, a person who works with Color-Light Shadow-Play. er part of the project is a film in the making. That so many people were interested in attending this meet- Barbara Schneider-Serio, Director of ESV, spoke of ing about the anthroposophical arts was assuring. deepening and broadening the work of the Eurythmy Barbara Renold had invited many speech artists to be a Ensemble since 1986. They keep three programs for early part of the Festival. The choral speech presentations added childhood, middle school, and an evening program. so much life to the event, during the dramas and at the clos- Children are ready to see eurythmy, there is a deep need. ing. The verse, “Light’s weaving essence”, was spoken at the opening with the presenters and the cast. Many of these Eurythmy teaching position with experienced mentor artists joined this meeting of Performing Artists. Noris Friedman has taught eurythmy for 31 years at the At the meeting, our attention was directed toward the Waldorf School of Baltimore, Maryland. She feels fortunate trainings for the art of speech formation. Beginning in to have had Mollie von Heider as her teacher and mentor, September 2014, the Artemis School of Speech and Drama along with Sylvia Bardt. Noris asks, “Who wants to teach?” at Peredur Centre for Arts is no longer running a full-time Teaching is a calling! We teach out of love and enthusiasm! four-year training in Performance Arts. However Penolope Noris offers a one-year position for on-the-job training at Lait, speech artist, was present and invited us to visit the her school, before she will be able to retire. School of the Word, in Wellington, New Zealand. Spirit of Gabrielle Atkins spoke of her experience teaching the Word is an Independent School for Creative Speech and eurythmy in Operation Head Start in Nyack, NY. Presently the Art of Drama, offering a Professional Training Course she offers eurythmy in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New for actors and performers in Self and Professional Mexico, to a Nature Healing Group for Elemental Beings. Development through Speech and Drama. This three- to People are interested in spirituality and the life body. four-year Professional Training Course is taught in two Brigida Baldszun told of teaching fifteen-minute ses- blocks and two long weekends per year, with ongoing pri- sions of eurythmy to public school children whose classes vate tuition. Peneolope invited anyone to visit to give it a came to Pfeiffer Garden. Their teachers were amazed that try. For more information: http://www.anthroposophy. the non-English speaking children understood eurythmy as org.nz /~anthropo/node/347 communication. Marguerite McKenna spoke about her doctoral studies: Laura Radefeld of Green Meadow Waldorf School how movement, and eurythmy in particular, contributes to described the faculty study of the Foundation Stone cognitive development. Through her work as a eurythmy Mediation during four weeks of Advent 2013. Eurythmy teacher in two public charter schools last year she observes Spring Valley presented the mediation in eurythmy to the a potential link between the neuro-activity required for faculty every week. Laura stated how important it is for eurythmy and the neuroactivty required for reading compre- teachers to get to know eurythmy during the summer train- hension. At one of the charter schools where she taught she ings. ESV performs at the summer training programs. Then began an after school performance group with third graders someone, who had seen the Foundation Stone Mediation in who performed with Sound Circle Eurythmy Ensemble at eurythmy, asked why eurythmy is not more present in the Mountain Phoenix Community School. Also, she participat- world. ed in a Mystery Drama study group and helped initiate a Gabrielle Armenier, a graduate of ESV in 2012, collaboration between Sound Circle Eurythmy and the received her BA in 2013 and her Master’s Degree from Denver-based Mystery Drama group to perform excerpts Eurythmeum Stuttgart this year. Her thesis was on Freedom. from “The Guardian of the Threshold” in eurythmy and the- She shared this observation: “In Europe the arms are of an atre, for an adult Michaelmas celebration at Denver W. S. open heart, while in America the task is to incarnate euryth- my into the legs, to ground eurythmy.” Eurythmy Spring Valley announces new project. Beth Dunn-Fox spoke for Eurythmy Spring Valley about Offer to host eurythmy conference, August 2015 how they live with the question concerning what is coming Gabriele Schneider spoke of her experience in the BA toward us after one hundred years of eurythmy? After the Program, offered by ESV and the University College of economic crisis in 2008, teaching positions for eurythmists Eurythmy, Oslo, Norway. She asks: how may we help to 8 Eurythmy Association of North America support the performing art? She has made a business of with master teachers. This could encourage an exchange eurythmy costumes and accessories. During the year between colleagues. working for her Bachelor of Arts Degree, she appreciated Helen Lubin spoke for the Collegium of the Section of the solo programs where so many Steiner forms were Performing Arts. She described the idea of a conference on shown. Then one developed the forms for one’s own solo the Time Arts. She said, “Our relationship to time has pieces, which were all presented as a timeline of composers changed. There is a time-crisis in society. How may we and poets. Imagine seeing so many solo pieces in eurythmy! respond? As artists, teachers, and therapists may we inter- Gabriele would like to continue this format of sharing face our work; it may have the element of research.” Should artistic work. She offers to host a eurythmy conference in this be a working conference or open to the public? August 2015 at Camphill Village, Angus, Ontario. The members of the Collegium are Leila Allen, Helen Lubin, Dorothea Mier, Cheri Munske, Laura Radefeld, Barbara offers her help to work on the Mystery Dramas. Mike Ried, and Glen Williamson. Leila Allen is on a leave Barbara Renold spoke of the impulse of the Mystery of absence. The Collegium needs a team to organize this Dramas. What is the space of eurythmy and that of the conference. actor? Where do the two meet? Speech art and eurythmy How may we evaluate the emerging themes for confer- filled the space to their fullest. This was exploration, but ences? Could we combine with another conference? Is it there is plenty to research in the arts of eurythmy, speech better to have a large conference or regional gatherings? formation, and the Mystery Dramas for the next 1,000 The question as to who will host such a conference remains, years. This festival, in seed-form, is for us to keep working along with the venue. with the Mystery Dramas and the arts, which allow us to Marke Levine announced a special meeting for the strive to become truly human beings. project, Working of the Spirit. You may follow the progress Brigida Baldszun spoke of the process of rehearsing on the website: http://www.workingofthespirit.com/ scenes of the Mystery Dramas. How does one do eurythmy on a free stage compared with a stage with scenery and Report from Victoria Sander props? She experienced it as phenomena, like that of light Victoria was at the Goetheanum to do research on Rudolf and darkness seen through the prism; colors arise for the Steiner’s indications of Faust. She was in the Ensemble for eye. This kind of theatre where acting space and eurythmy three years, from 2011-2014. The first week the work was a space meet, colors may arise in the soul of an audience. mirror of Lory Maier-Smits first week of eurythmy lessons. This was the impulse of Margrethe Solstad for healing with Second Meeting of Performing Artists, August 12, 2014 artistic work. Living in Dornach, one meets the history of Twenty-nine people returned for our second meeting. Laura the and eurythmy. She remarked Radefeld took suggestions for contributions. on the lecture during the Mystery Drama Festival about the Helen Lubin spoke of the state of the speech trainings. character, Capesius, who was aided through his mental The training in Dornach is in German. There is a drama instability to his spiritual unfolding and transformation school in Basel, Switzerland. Finland has a full four-year through the gentleness which Benedictus and his friends program, five days a week. There are new initiatives for bestowed upon him in loving help. This gentleness is a speech trainings in Munich, New Zealand and Australia. social art. The culture of eurythmy has a social aspect that Helen has developed a project, now in its 21st year, is a concern for the younger generation. “Speech and Drama in Waldorf Schools in North America.” Victoria performed for conferences, festivals and public She has made over 200 school visits, teaching speech performances at the Goetheanum. In addition to the many formation of 1-6 weeks each, working with classes, teach- soul Calender verses, Steiner verses, poetry in several lan- ers, individual students and parents. Kim Synder-Vine is guages, orchestral string works and numerous music pieces, employed part-time as a speech artist in charter schools. some highlights in the repertoire were larger works which Laura Radefeld announced an initiative of a high school included the Window Words and the twelve moods, which eurythmy group from Finland who wishes to perform invited local eurythmists to join a group of up to 27! eurythmy in the U.S.A. This is planned for March 2015. Margrethe Solstad was the main artistic director of the Elsa Kohl Macauley hosts a sharing of artistic eurythmy ensemble, but members of our own ensemble, especially co- on Thursday evenings at the School of Eurythmy. leaders Mirjam Tradowsky and Rob Schapink, as well as, Victoria Sander, recently returned from the master eurythmists from Dornach such as Sieglinde Goetheanum, spoke for the eurythmy conferences at Witten, Lehnhard, Werner Barford, Ute Medebach, Carina Schmidt Germany. International groups are invited to give public to name just a few, were invited to direct pieces quite eurythmy performances for an audience of eurythmy and frequently, making it a rich experience. The Ensemble also high school students, who also participate in workshops carried the bulk of the eurythmy in the four Mystery Dramas Eurythmy Association of North America 9 performed twice a year in full, with monthly demonstrations provide school lunches and immunizations for all children. and performances all over Switzerland and Germany. When Nancy’s mother “Gammer” was visiting cousins, the After opening night on the newly renovated stage on Macbeths, where a family member had died in childbirth, September 26, the Goetheanum stage ensemble is currently she found a book by Rudolf Steiner on understanding death. getting ready to tour their new program “Licht und Luege” Anthroposophy became Nancy’s mother’s passion, though which is based around the story of Peer Gynt and incorpo- her father found it completely uninteresting. rates the music of Eduard Grieg’s Holbers Suites, a staple of When Nancy was eleven years old, in 1936, Gammer the Ensemble for the last couple of years. Then in January wanted to take the girls to Europe—so she could see the they will begin extensive focused work on Geothe’s Faust 1 Goetheanum, the world center for Anthroposophy, and the and 2, inviting an additional five full time project members girls could each pick a country to visit! The girls did not and ten young stage students to join them in the eurythmy. want to visit Germany because of the “horrible man in Respectfully submitted by Maria Ver Eecke power”, but they ended up there as well for a time. They set off on the Queen Mary for an adventure that would leave a Eulogy for Nancy Mitchell Root deep impression on Nancy and influence her life in many ways. It was on this trip that Nancy saw eurythmy for the September 25, 1924-July 12, 2014 first time, forming a seed that would later blossom into her Funeral held at in Hillsdale, NY, vocation. on Tuesday, July 15, 2014, by Rev. Liza Joy Marcato Back in Jackson Heights, she attended the Garden Country Day School, a very supportive and stimulating edu- cational environment for Nancy. She also met her lifelong friend Philly Lou there. She went on from there to Bryn Mawr as her mother had. It was wartime, most men were off at war, and the all-women’s college provided Nancy with some of the best years of her life. She drank in the experiences, studying philosophy with Paul Weiss, who called Bryn Mawr “the self-chosen destination of the most intellectual, intelligent, determined, and well-prepared young women in America.” That described Nancy well. She had a very philosophical, analytical mind, but also worked Just thirteen days ago, our dear Nancy Root sat in the front hard to make her thoughts experiential. She was an avid row here at her beloved husband Johnny’s funeral—and true reader of literature, especially the classics. to her word, the two have, within a relatively short span, She made the most of college, and after graduation, crossed the threshold together. We gather today to celebrate went with her closest friends to Guatemala where they Nancy’s life and accompany her crossing now into the shared some great adventures, like tasting whiskey for the world of the Spirit. first time. Nancy called it firewater, and she was sure— Nancy’s ancestors were descendants of some of the first seeking the higher meaning behind it—that the locals were Europeans to set sail for the new world, arriving in 1639, leading them through a ritual and giving them the ritual and soon thereafter providing Harvard with its fourth presi- drink, until she realized it was some whiskey her friends had dent. In the 1800s the family set out as pioneers for Indiana brought as a gift! in a Conestoga wagon. Nancy’s grandfather later started the Returning to New York, Nancy attended Columbia Indianapolis News. Her mother made the move back east University Teachers’ College to get her Master’s Degree in when she went to Bryn Mawr College, along with her sis- Education, one of the professions open to smart young ters. Nancy was born to Mary and Harold Mitchell, and an women like Nancy. But she also became very involved at older sister Evelyn, on September 25, 1924 in Fall River, Anthroposophical Headquarters at 211 Madison Avenue. It Massachusetts. When Nancy was born, the family moved, was there that she got involved with Hans and Ruth Pusch traveling for her father’s work in public health, finally land- and their Mystery Drama circle, and in a eurythmy class, as ing in Jackson Heights, in Queens. Nancy moved on stage, there in the audience sat a young Nancy’s family was close-knit, warm and loving. She man who looked to be but a boy, next to her mother also had extended family in upstate New York whom she Gammer. The man said, “That’s the girl I’m gonna marry!” loved to visit, and a beloved nurse Isabel, who later would Well, Nancy thought he was too young, but he did have an nurse her husband Johnny’s grandmother. Nancy’s was an army discharge button, and the two went on their first date incredibly happy childhood. Her father, “Mitch” became the on January 12, 1947, where they shared their first kiss. Public Health Commissioner of New York, and worked to They were married by Johnny’s beloved professor Fritz 10 Eurythmy Association of North America Koelln at the Steiner School in New York on March 21, allowed to do what he wanted. This allowed him to begin 1948, and spent the following year in Europe for Johnny’s developing himself, learning to listen through her deep junior year abroad. There Nancy could continue her listening and see himself. This importance of freedom for beginning studies in eurythmy in Dornach on the weekends. the other carried through in all her parenting and Returning home to Portland, Maine, Nancy began her grandparenting and her care for many people. career as a mother. John, Jr. came along in 1950, followed Always over the years, she and Johnny were passionate- by Ann Elizabeth in ‘53 and Christina in ‘56. When John, Jr. ly engaged in the work of the Branch, and often when was old enough, back in New York, Nancy sought out a Johnny got embroiled in affairs down at Headquarters, eurythmy teacher. Hanni Schlaefli was certified by the Nancy would first complain that he was too involved and try Goetheanum to train eurythmists and grant diplomas. Nancy to get him to extract himself, and then, when he convinced traveled to Poundridge, NY many weekends to work with her, she would join him and off they went to work things her. Hanni Schlaefli was not a small personality—somewhat through together. Anthroposophy was one of the languages terrifying actually— and Nancy even sent her girls to Hanni that united them. one weekend for a bit of discipline because she found she The other common language was out and out herself couldn’t say no to them. Hanni would say: “You enthusiasm. Nancy was totally interested in all that her can’t be a eurythmist unless you completely change your children, her husband, grandchildren, friends, colleagues etheric body!” Nancy took this to heart. were involved in. She went to every event she could. And She was undaunted and up for the challenge of being she was so very often THRILLED! Her children call their made new. She became the first eurythmist trained in home Hyperbole House, for Nancy was either thrilled or America. She threw herself with vim and vigor into the frantic most of the time. development and carrying forth of eurythmy at Her frantic side perhaps came as the unavoidable mirror Headquarters every Friday night for the stage group, and of that unbridled enthusiasm. And always with a reason, when the kids were bigger, traveling out to Spring Valley, thanks to Johnny’s being diagnosed with diabetes. When and later still, working in the Berkshires. She served as the that happened, Nancy committed herself to keeping him driving force for the founding of the eurythmy Association healthy through diet. Of course, mischievous and playful as in North America, and the Performing Arts Section in he was, Johnny was always sneaking sweets. And even if America. She worked to bring great eurythmists to America the children would go to grab a banana, Nancy might shriek: like Marguerite Lundgren and Else Klink, organizing the “You can’t have that banana! It’s Johnny’s Tuesday events as a real impresario. In 1966, Nancy helped to banana!” Her frantic nature only went so deep, of course. It organize and perform in an international eurythmy confer- was merely a reflection of the care and concern she had for ence on the big stage at the Goetheanum in Dornach, where the world and her loved ones. But almost everything she she performed with her troop a quintessentially American was supportive of, she was thrilled about. She just liked to program of African American Spirituals and “The Song of have things in hand. Though later she would admit, “Johnny Hiawatha.” They brought the house down. She was also a does what he wants anyway.” teacher of eurythmy, and when the children were in school, The marriage that Nancy and Johnny shared was always she would catch a quick flight to Washington, DC, every filled with delight and interest, respect and shared passion in Tuesday where she would teach in a number of Waldorf their search for true spiritual knowledge through anthro- schools, and be back home in time to cook supper! posophy. Family dinners always began with a discussion of Over the later years when her eurythmist-friends would the children’s lives, and then in the second half, Nancy and visit, it was clear to her family what a deep bond was Johnny discussed all of their work with the Branch and the formed through their shared love for this meaningful work. Society, all their groups and studies, their work teaching and And the eurythmy she brought to special needs folks in the working to bring Eurythmy and Anthroposophy into the Lifesharing community was also a special gift. Those world. During this, the children were allowed to leave the present report experiencing angels in the room! table. They remember too that there were discussions that Nancy was utterly dedicated to her family—when the happened behind the glass doors, a picture of the clear children were small, she was their mother first and boundaries of these parents, who knew with what to burden foremost. There was also always room for other people in their children and what was grownup talk. They shared a their home—the children’s friends would write in their high rich conversation culture as well, which stayed alive and school yearbooks: “I love your parents so much!!” thriving their whole life together. Even when differences of As they got older, she shifted the relationship so that opinion arose, they knew how to fight fairly with one they became friends. She learned in parenting John that she another, never losing mutual respect. could not get him to do what she wanted, but she made a The worst conflict I heard tell of was when John, Jr. was deal with him—if he would tell her everything, he would be young, and Johnny had his beloved motorcycle. He would Eurythmy Association of North America 11 take John, Jr. riding. When Nancy discovered that Ann would be for them to step in and take on a task, so that they Elizabeth was on the way, she decided it was time to get rid then did it out of themselves! She was a kind of social of the motorcycle. Johnny wasn’t having it! The story goes alchemist, with an unquenchable fire of enthusiasm. Even in that he drove that motorcycle right into the living room in eurythmy she was not the star, nor a performer with Jackson Heights. “It’s me or the motorcycle.” Well, she sent particular flair, but a competent, steady member of the him off to have one more blissful ride with his son, and then ensemble, creating community wherever she went. And, she he sold the motorcycle. was indeed a lovely eurythmist, I have heard. Johnny was always coming up with practical jokes and In her various work, she threw herself in so completely, Nancy was most often his straight man. But Nancy too that sometimes it seemed impossible for her to judge when loved to joke especially on April Fools’ Day—offering the something wasn’t going to work out or wasn’t meant to be. children her favorite Oreo cookies, for them only to find She often had a real gift for waiting until something seemed they tasted of lemon and pepper, or handing out the desert ripe—but occasionally hung on too long. Her work with the the children had requested: chocolate pudding and whipped Social Section probably needed to end long before it did, cream, which they discovered was black beancurd soup but she simply could not let go. Her forces could no longer with egg whites. She even managed to trick Johnny once, meet the task at all, but she tried desperately to hang on, and looking out the window and shouting “Johnny, the car’s felt it as a deep pain when they no longer met at her house, gone! The car’s gone!” which sent him into the street run- though she had long been sleeping through the meetings. ning, only to find his wife had got him. Her health was remarkably good—though she was diag- Grandchildren came along—nine of them! And Nancy nosed with cancer at several points. But she saw it as some- and Johnny became Nonny and Fa. Johnny took on the thing that appears in your life to tell you it is time to change Swedish name for Grandfather—Farfar, shortened to Fa, something. And each time she set to work, only having sur- and indeed carried something of the Scandinavian spirit; gery and taking on the rest with Anthroposophical medicine whereas Nancy wanted to be called the Italian name for and therapies. She was even grateful when the first bout Grandmother—Nonny. And she fit the bill, for she created with cancer brought her to Europe for a year, and she took always an atmosphere of warmth, nourishment and full advantage of all the healing therapies she could partake coziness. in! Never was there a firmer believer in anthroposophical If Fa was the only one in the house and someone came, medicine. And never a better example! For Nancy did not there might only be a light on in his office. If Nonny was die of cancer, and her heartbeat was strong until the last! there, many lamps were lit and it was “home.” She always Nancy and Johnny spent 66 years married to one anoth- had nourishing food (lots of whole grains and at least five er. The grandchildren and children have all looked to them vegetables per meal!) for anyone who came to the table, and as a model. In a world where divorce is more common than at holiday meals, she held forth as the matriarch. The silver staying together, Johnny and Nancy’s always affectionate, came out, which the grandchildren polished even if it didn’t interested and loving way with one another have inspired need it, the table was set, grace was said or sung, and in this many. The two of them drove everywhere together, arriving moment Nonny made sure also to invoke their parents who with Nancy’s baskets of wheatgerm and vitamins and reme- came before. She had the deepest respect especially for her dies for Johnny, and their books, and joy at life and readi- mother who had really worked to change herself and over- ness to experience anything and everything. Everyone come her own temperament. Nonny commanded with ele- remarks how together they were a powerhouse. gance and grace. Stories were told, as they always were with With an unbelievable commitment on the part of their Nonny. children and their spouses to keeping Nancy and Johnny at She could tell you all about someone so that you home for their final years, and the amazing help of care- became involved as if you knew them, or had been there. givers Stephen—who spiritually and physically accompa- She had a particular way about her—either frantic or nied their passing with a new Haiku written every morning thrilled! But you could see how much she took people into “From the Endearing Duet” and Leila, who cared for them herself with deep love and devotion, not only for who they as her own grandparents, and grandson Jason—who was were, but also for who they could become, their highest able to experience a special time with them and remarked potential. Many people speak of how she was their champi- how Nonny called everyone “Precious”— and they could on, people in the arts especially, but all the grandchildren, both die in Orchard House, the home that Johnny had built and her children and students all along the way. for them in which they had raised their beautiful family. As grandmother, mother and staunch supporter of Matriarch of the family, holding everyone together, waiting many—everyone’s champion—she was never really in until significant events like the right job, the finalization of front, but often the driving force behind things happening. the adoption and her own dear Johnny’s passing, Nancy was She had a gift for inspiring people to see how important it again, always where she needed to be until the last. 12 Eurythmy Association of North America As her daughter Ann Elizabeth wrote: Nancy crossed would always remark at how lucky they were to have such the threshold peacefully in her sleep this morning just wonderful parents. Many of them wanted to be included in before 4 a.m. True to her Libra nature the full moon was set- the Root family, and in myriad ways, they were. Later in ting in the west as the morning star was rising in the east. life, as Nancy’s children became more familiar with the idea They were equidistant from the horizon. Harmony and bal- of family dysfunction, it became clear why this was. ance in the heavens as she headed off to join her beloved Nancy may have worried about her children, but she Johnny less than two weeks after he crossed the threshold. was always more interested in what they were experiencing A beautiful reunion, a precious event. than she was worried. She was a curious mother, wanting to She had said just after he died: “I tried so long to keep know and participate in their lives, and always slow to judge him!” and “Johnny went off to a Vorstand meeting, and I’m or reprimand. late!” Now she has joined him and others in the spiritual John’s experience is particularly illustrative of this. realms they both love, and will surely continue working for When he was around 14 and complaining that his mother the good of humanity and the earth. Yea so be it. worried too much, she made a deal with him that if he would tell her all about everything he was doing, she would not In Memory of a Most Wonderful Wife, Mother, reprimand or judge him. This resulted in amazing conversa- Grandmother, Eurythmist, Teacher, Festival tions and insights. This interest in, rather than judgment of, Planner and Servant of Anthroposophia her children had a very salutary effect in that it helped them The Root Family increasingly rely on their own inner judgment rather than parental guidance or social norms to live their lives. Nancy was the consummate wife, mother, and grandmother. As a Grandmother She was a dedicated eurythmist with a special eye for the With the advent of grandchildren, Nancy became Nonny, social cohesion of eurythmists, and she was always on the and Johnny became Fa; Nonny and Fa, the quintessential Festival Planning Group for the local Branch of the grandparents. All of Nonny’s nine grandchildren felt the Anthroposophical Society, both in NYC and the Berkshire power of her interest in them. There are many stories one Taconic Branch. could tell of her skillful interventions, and of wonderful Nancy’s way of ‘taking care of herself’ was to make family Thansgivings and Christmases. Nonny presided over sure that everyone else was well taken care of. Nancy was a the family with grace and a steady hand, making sure that ‘trooper’, always ready to do what was necessary. She rec- all these celebrations also included the friends who needed ognized and appreciated people’s strengths, and because she to be there. Great-grandchildren were a special joy! There relied on them, they found themselves doing what they are five now, with another one on the way. loved productively. She was a true servant of Michael. As a Teacher Nancy always struck an admirable balance between family There was a time, after two of her children had moved out, and work – somehow she was always where she needed to that Nancy would fly to the D.C. area every week and teach be! Everyone relied on her, colleagues and friends as well as eurythmy in four different Waldorf schools, and this was her husband, children, and grandchildren. while teaching eurythmy at the Rudolf Steiner School in As a Wife New York City. Nothing was too much in the cause of teach- Nancy met Johnny at a eurythmy class at 211 Madison Ave., ing eurythmy! which they always referred to as “Headquarters.” She was After they moved to the Berkshires and began their sure he was too young for her, but couldn’t deny the attrac- work in Berkshire Village and Cadmus Lifesharing tion to this boyish, earnest, charming, budding anthro- Association, Nancy held three classes every week for the posophist. Nancy was devoted to Johnny and, he to her. people with disabilities. This continued right through 2009, For their fiftieth wedding anniversary, she wrote, and when she reluctantly had to admit she was just too weak. they acted out, a skit of their numerous previous lives Every year in late May or early June, the Cadmus together. It ended with a vignette of their next life, in which Eurythmists would give a public performance, which was they recognize each other again. always amazing to those who attended. “I wouldn’t have Nancy always said that they would die together, but you believed (so or so) could do that” was a typical comment. can be sure that Nancy wouldn’t abandon Johnny by dying No one doubted the value of eurythmy after one of Nancy’s first. Sure enough, it was only thirteen days after her hus- performances. band passed on that Nancy let go. They both died peaceful- Nancy was devoted to eurythmy. Apart from her family, ly in their sleep and are united again. Their marriage was a nothing was more important, and the children all participat- marvel and inspiration to many! ed in her devotion to eurythmy. In 1936, when she was As a Mother eleven and in Europe with her parents, she saw a magnifi- When the Root children were growing up, their friends cent eurythmy performance at the Goetheanum and formed Eurythmy Association of North America 13 the intention to become a eurythmist. However, she could- leader, as the Collegium for our Section. Nancy remained n’t see how to get to Europe to train, so she became the first faithful to this group until only a few years ago. She was a eurythmist to be trained in the United States. Hanni true cheerleader, always supportive, positive, and apprecia- Schlaefli, who was authorized by the Goetheanum to give tive of the slightest endeavor. She did not say much, but diplomas, trained her well. Her children remember Hanni every now and then a pithy remark, a keen observation vividly, how in awe of her Nancy was, and how devoted she always hitting the nail on the head, very modest, but strong. was to changing her etheric body, her habits and ways of thinking, so that she could become a worthy eurythmist. The Kristin Hawkins: I visited her regularly during the last two children all participated in eurythmy performances at plus years, and often did the Hallelujah for her which she Headquarters with minor roles as birds or fairies. loved. I knew when we went away this [last] time, that I Nancy was a competent ensemble eurythmist, but not a would not see her again. I admired her tremendously for soloist or star. Her devotion led her to be the initiator of how she accepted this slow diminishing of her strength. I much of the development of eurythmy in America. She was reminded of what Rudolf Steiner said about how impor- instigated the founding of the Section for the Performing tant it is for us to use up our forces and not leave them for Arts in America, and she spearheaded, organized and guid- Ahriman to use. Nancy really showed us how to do that. ed with a steady hand major eurythmy performance tours by famous European groups, including the London School of Martina Mann, Friend of Eurythmy Eurythmy with Marguerite Lundgren and the Eurythmeum Stuttgart with Else Klink. Nancy did her best to make sure † March 31, 2014 that eurythmy was always a part of the Festival Celebrations Martina Mann crossed the threshold on March 31 around in New York City and in the Berkshire Taconic Branch. She 3:00 p.m.in Europe. She was 83 years old. Despite her was a great advocate of performing eurythmy and bringing stroke years ago, she was sharp and seemed to be doing it before a growing public. quite well when I saw her in early February. As a Servant of Anthropsophia She had a profound impact on the lives of many of us in Nancy was devoted to eurythmy, not for its own sake, but as terms of her support of so many of us as striving individu- an expression of Anthroposophia. She felt called to euryth- als as well as her participation in so many of the activities my as her way of serving Anthroposophia, and also to that have come into being in SE Wisconsin. This is yet Branch work and to the School of Spiritual Science Section, another opportunity for each of us to stay connected with which for many years and up until recently, met at her those who have crossed over before us. home, Orchard House. Martina was granted US citizenship just before she left But most of all, she was devoted to her husband, and was going to attend the Naturalization ceremony when Johnny. This is the hallmark of life, the way that she bal- she returned in late April. I do not have any further details anced everything so that first Johnny, but then everyone at this time but know you will want to carry her in your else, was truly recognized, nurtured, and supported. She had thoughts and meditations during her time of transition. three children, as Steiner recommended, each three years Warm regards, John Bashaw apart, as Steiner recommended, and she knew how to be interested in and guide the destiny of her children, so that Memories of Elizabeth Hunter they understood their freedom and could recognize their Feb. 17, 1923-October 19, 2013 destiny and guide their lives and those of their children. Helen Lubin asked who remembered Elisabeth Hunter, Contributions from Colleagues eurythmist and wife of Rev. John Hunter of the Christian Dorothea Mier: Nancy is remembered for her incredible Community, Boston, Massachusetts. faithfulness; one could always depend on her. When I first Kirstin Hawkins responds. arrived in 1980, she came faithfully from the city twice or Dear Helen, three times a week for stage work and she had always prac- Maria forwarded your inquiry regarding Elisabeth Hunter. ticed in between and was prepared, in contrast to many oth- Like so many, I knew her, but not well. Elisabeth originally ers. Her support of any activity in connection to eurythmy was a nurse. During the war she worked in a hospital in and anthroposophy was always to be relied upon. Joanna Berlin where she was assigned to the night shift. All night van Fliet, Nancy, and Alice Stamm would meet regularly long, victims of the bombings would be brought in and she forming the nucleus of what became the Eurythmy was involved in their care however limited that was in those Association. I joined them, also Liselot van Lennep, and at days. Those of us who knew her always felt we did not real- the end of the 1980’s, the group was recognized by Hagen ly know her. Can we perhaps ascribe her somewhat with- Biesantz, the retiring, and Virginia Sease, the new Section drawn nature to these early experiences? 14 Eurythmy Association of North America We first met when she came to New York from time she was at Green Meadow. Not only that, she remem- Germany. John had come a little before her. She followed bers Elisabeth as the best eurythmy teacher she ever had. later with the express purpose to see if she would be able to I hope the above, though very limited, gives you a little bit live in the US and with John. Obviously, she felt that things of an impression of Elisabeth. I trust all is well with you. would work out and she and John were married a short time Fondly, Kristin later. Dave and I felt very honored when they invited us to dinner after they returned from their honeymoon. Later, In Memory of Yumiko Kaneko when we both had managed to finish our eurythmy degrees, I would see her fairly regularly at the Fellowship † November 16, 2013 Community (perhaps that was during the time she taught at the school). As you can imagine, our conversations were mostly about eurythmy, and Elisabeth, who was such a quiet and self-contained person, would become positively loqua- cious. After John was transferred to Boston and they left New York City, we saw very little of each other. When John retired, they moved to a retirement home of the Christian Community in Germany. I kept up a little with how she was doing through her good friend Ursula Lehnhardt. I called Ursula just now. After two major operations, she does not at present feel up to speaking to you personally, but here are some of the things she shared with me. Her contact with Elisabeth was very much through her weekly eurythmy lessons which Elisabeth gave at the Christian Community Chapel in New York City. There were on average five participants who met after work. Elisabeth would begin the class with about fifteen minutes of hygien- Dear Colleagues, ic eurythmy, after which Ursula felt as though she had had Yumiko Kaneko, crossed the Threshold November 16, a bath which completely refreshed her. Then they would 2013, in Tokyo, following a five-year coma. She was 62 proceed to more artistic work consisting of both speech and years old. She moved to Chestnut Ridge with her husband tone eurythmy. She also still carries with her the deep expe- and young son, so the boy could attend Green Meadow rience the study of the EVOE left with her. She mentioned School. The eurythmy school next door attracted her, since that the pianist felt that he learned a tremendous amount in she had practiced Japanese dance growing up in Japan. these lessons, as well. Elisabeth also was a member of the After she completed the eurythmy training with “N” New England Eurythmy Group. course in 1991, Yumiko developed her performing while On a more general level, Elisabeth was also a wonder- working with Elise (Liselotte) van Lennep in the Festival ful painter; the painting over the altar in Boston was her Group and Project Group. She completed the therapeutic contribution. She loved to garden, Ursula says, because to training in the mid-90’s with Linda Nunhofer and Titia her the world of plants was a world that was an open and Jonkmans in Peredur, East Grinstead, England. Quiet, perceptual world. Some of her paintings deal with this patient, reliable, Yumiko’s signature trait was, perhaps, fath- world as well. Yet, she was in no way estranged from the fulness – to her family, friends, colleagues and to her life’s everyday world. Ursula reminded me that she was also a goals. She consistently thought carefully where she would good cook and a wonderful baker. go and what she would do, then follow with carefully placed Since she lived to such an old age, she was also heir to steps the goal ahead. This steadfastness allowed her to be some of the infirmities that sometimes accompany that. one of the pioneers for eurythmy in Japan. Her cheerfulness During the last two or three years of her life, she gradually and fiery enthusiasm for her work made her a gem of a col- withdrew and no longer knew old friends or could engage in league and friend. We miss her dearly. conversation. Beth Usher What Ursula emphasized, and I would like to second, is that Elisabeth was a very upright and deeply Christian per- Jisei son. One might think that such an earnest personality would Jetsi, Japanese Death Poems: Written by Zen Monks and find it difficult to teach children but, like you, dear Helen, Haiku Poets on the Verge of Death, by Yoel Hoffmann. our Lisa has always remembered Elisabeth from the short Eurythmy Association of North America 15 Inhale, exhale As Barbara said, she could balance her life amazingly Forward, back well, her eurythmy life and family responsibilities as wife Living, dying: of an eldest son, and I believe an eldest daughter of her Arrows, let flown each to each parents. Yumiko was responsible for many important Meet midway and slice experiences in my life for which I am deeply grateful. The void in aimless flight -- Dorothea Mier Thus I return to the source. Gesshu Soko, died in 1696. Exploring the Four Ethers: Out of the Work of Northern Star Eurythmy Coming, all is clear, no doubt about it. Going, all is clear, with- Some twenty years ago physicists first postulated the con- out a doubt. What, then, is all? cepts of String Theory: that the basis of all and every- Hosshin, 13th century thing that was made in this creation consists of infinitesi- mally small moments of vibrating energy. These mathe- Yumiko (on left) with her sister matical explorations have been describing eleven dimen- in Kilkenny, Ireland, July 2008, before her stroke in Oct. 2008 sions in which these “strings” vibrate. As so often in the Yumiko Kaneko was my dear classmate and colleague. She last several hundred years, science explores worlds of joined ‘N’ class when her son entered first grade – quite a being not available to the unaided human senses. “Blind balancing act of parenting and practicing. I remember times belief” in these findings that one can in no way sense direct- rehearsing in the upstairs room and she would silently ly has grown in direct proportion to the loss of faith in the disappear and tend to her son who would be sitting on the unseen worlds of the spirit, humankind’s mainstay for mil- steps drawing or reading, quietly waiting. lennia. As we know, it was Rudolf Steiner’s life goal to She had a keen ear for music, a perceptive eye for color, bridge the gap between those sensible/non-sensible worlds style, form and beauty. Her manner taught us that quiet and of science and spirit. reserve could be quite powerful, that humor could be very Physicists’ pursuit of this Unified Field Theory is a subtle, and strong opinions could be expressed without counterpart to the spiritual grasp of the One Spirit: that all words. I’m so grateful to have known her. that is and has become is from the same eternal source. I Barbara Bresette-Mills think we would be justified in identifying this universal field of force as the realm of the etheric, in anthroposophic Very soon after Yumiko returned to Japan, she invited me to terms. visit and give workshops, and we did some sightseeing. Science again dovetails with many spiritual traditions in Yumiko was an excellent organizer and very knowledge- describing a single moment in which all emerged from a able, choosing particular temples to visit, each with some- single point of nothingness—the Big Bang, as science has it. thing special or unique. We also stayed in a traditional inn, From a spiritual point of view, countless worlds are created where I could really get a feel for the culture. Up until then, out of Oneness. In these worlds thousands or millions of dif- the eurythmists in Japan were divided into two groups, ferent levels of consciousness may each find an appropriate those who had trained in Munich and those in Stuttgart, and field of development. Rudolf Steiner taught that a “Big whenever a teacher came, the eurythmists from that group Bang” has happened not once, but four times. Out of these were notified. Yumiko arranged a workshop for ALL eury- four great cycles, we humans have developed the four mem- thmists, and if I remember correctly, at least 30 attended. It bers of our being, physical, etheric, astral and ego, on an was a first of its kind and the beginning of the Eurythmy earthly planet on which other physical beings share our par- Association there. In those days public courses were very ticipation in these various worlds. In addition, there are well attended, many participants flying to attend, usually realms of higher and lower spiritual beings on many levels, with eurythmy dresses, also the men. I was very impressed! not perceivable with earthly senses. Rudolf Steiner makes She did a great deal for eurythmy as such, was one of clear that all these forms of beings are conscious at all three [the other two trained in London] in a group called the times, alive as it were, on some level or another, from the ‘Bluebell Group’ which existed a few years giving perform- deep trance state of the minerals to the omniscience and ances, until she devoted her time to therapeutic eurythmy, omnipotence of the highest heavenly hierarchies. after her training in England. Her quiet, persevering way Rudolf Steiner spoke of four different “ethers,” four dif- achieved a great deal. Yumiko had real style in all she did ferent realms of etheric forces that work and weave in all and as already mentioned, she had a lovely gentle humor. this becoming. He called them Life Ether, Chemical Ether, When here, I hardly heard her speak; traveling together she Light Ether, and Warmth Ether. (He spoke, in fact, of seven, was really chatty, and could tell me so much. but the above named four are those we know, at work in our 16 Eurythmy Association of North America earthly world—not unlike those strings vibrating in 11 this world of motion, slowly but surely mastering it. This dimensions, of which we are only cognizant of four.) interface of arriving will impulses grasped by our inner Into the physical, with which it corresponds, the life being is the nature of the warmth ether. ether penetrates to the deepest level of material being. It is In the lecture series on the Lukas Gospel, Rudolf Steiner as though the whole sphere of life that lives in the envelope speaks of these relations. When things went awry with the of the earth—which extends out into the atmosphere— Luciferic influences—the Fall from Grace in Eden—he says penetrates us, and the earth itself, into the very center of the Gods then gave the two latter etheric forces, of light and bones and stones—we stand on it, we live it and it lives us, of warmth, into the hands of human power, and withheld the with every fiber of our being. We know that the rocky skele- first two, the life and chemical ethers. Thus over soul and ton of the earth is alive and conscious, in a deep trance state. ego forces, we gained a measure of conscious power; we are It lends us the very essence of our humanity, our able to change and manage our will and our feelings; not, uprightness, oriented to the star above our heads that is our however, our life forces or our physical being, associated calling and destiny. with chemical and life ethers. It is easy to change one’s The chemical, sound or tone ether, working in the mind and conscious intentions, and, though harder, one can element of the watery, sets in motion all those rhythms that transform one’s feelings with some discipline. Changes on give rise to biological life on earth. The forces of the sun are the etheric level, for example of inborn physiological taken up through the plants and the resulting nourishment processes, are impossible; and changing deeply engrained moves rhythmically through all other spheres of living habits requires months or years of daily discipline on beings. Water, the element of this ether, is constantly thought and soul levels. Changing the physical body is the rounding in its tendencies, in drops and splashes, and in its work of years, if possible at all, barring the work of actions of rising and falling and rising, expanding and miracles. contracting, in cycles great and small, all circling back on When we think of or speak of the etheric we should also themselves, as in the formation of all living organs. The bear in mind the so-called “elemental beings.” Every tree chemical ether lives in endlessly repeating seasons of light, that grows, spreads itself, establishes a place for itself in a of planetary rhythms, of the great cycles of the universe as biological context, develops an accompanying elemental they touch and bring to life the substances of the earth. being. Every part of nature has consciousness, and has The light ether corresponds to the element of air: as air beings that embody this consciousness. We easily note the is always present everywhere on earth, so relationships of chain of being from human, to animal, to vegetable, to min- soul live between beings. This is the world of the astral, the eral. An expanded consciousness knows that this chain con- formative forces of the stars and planets working down into tinues in all directions, upward to the higher spiritual life on earth. While the chemical ether brings forth living beings, and downward in endless beings, some appearing substance, the light ether gives it higher and more only ever so briefly, and some enduring for centuries, that complicated forms, bringing forth inner organs that provide literally “personify” on the etheric level the being of plants, the basis for the life of feeling. We see the emergence of a animals, rivers, swamps, mountains, water, air and fire. true third dimension both spatially and spiritually: in Thus when we work with the four ethers, we can know that animals and humans a body cavity and an inner world, sense we are calling out and working with ranks and realms of liv- perception bringing forth reactions of will. The musculature ing beings on the elemental level. Steiner, and others, all of sentient beings, with which we live out this inner soul assure us of how much these beings ask for, need, and await life, is a deed of this world. the recognition and cooperation of human beings. We recall The warmth ether, corresponding to the element of fire, here the repeating coda of the first three panels of the is the youngest of the four in its workings in our being: it is Foundation Stone Meditation: “This is heard by the spirits the fire in our blood, the bearer of the personal ego. As time of the elements, in east, west, north, south—may human was born in the warmth of old Saturn, so in the awakening beings hear it!” fire of egohood we span the time of our lives, each Northern Star Eurythmy started some eight years ago, consciously crafting his or her own biography. Thus the coalescing around a workshop given in Toronto by human being forms the fourth dimension, the encompassing Dorothea Mier on the eurythmic presentation of the and mastering of time, on soul and physical levels. As Foundation Stone Meditation. This work reached a wonder- expressed in the third panel of the Foundation Stone ful climax in the opportunity to perform the Foundation Meditation, a mystery is constantly occurring as we live in Stone Meditation daily at the great Conference of the North a world of will impulses arriving from the periphery which that took place in White Horse, Yukon, in summer 2009, are grasped by our free, thinking consciousness. As seen under the aegis of the Anthroposophical Society of Canada. with newborns, the world of will moves them, chaotically, The daily call on the elemental beings, and on all the vari- until the inner being gradually awakens and connects with ous hierarchies, as expressed in the Foundation Stone, Eurythmy Association of North America 17 resounded deeply on many levels. Steiner’s research, but fails to love, fails to include all who In the years since then we have worked intensively with “see something justified” in Anthroposophy—as Steiner put the Michael Imagination, the verse given on the evening of it on December 24, 1923—and fails to sacrifice personal Steiner’s last public lecture, before he took to his sick bed pride for the sake of the whole, it continues to fail miserably and eventual death. The relationship of Michael with the to take the central place in modern culture that it should etheric forces is central to this verse. And we have worked occupy. intensively with the legacy of around the At the time Northern Star took up The Michael four ethers. Imagination, we also began dedicated work on exploring the It is remarkable with this eurythmy group that the work four ethers, using the Butterfly Form and preliminary exer- has remained so esoteric in nature. An etheric stream of cises developed by Marjorie Spock. Several of our members great depth and power has grown between us. This is carried had worked with her in the last decade of her life. They by a love and acceptance of each other’s quirks and the brought to us the preliminary exercises for each individual willingness to listen and experiment rather than judge and ether, and led us into the process and dynamics of perform- reject as we move together. ing all four ethers at the same time using the Butterfly Form. Eurythmy as a living art, not to mention the Anthroposophic Movement as a whole, has so often come to The Preliminary Exercises grief because individual egos asserted themselves at the The life ether exercise begins with a movement similar expense of group cohesiveness, condemning and excluding to the latter half of the “L” gesture, with a step forward, the certain “others” instead of loving and including them. This hands apart in a downward gesture moving in and gathering, certainly relates to the lingering influence of the Luciferic as it were, the space below. One straightens, the hands rise incursions in human development. Each of us feels—with and meet, the back opens, the back space pours in, the entire justification!—that we are the “ONE” in our burgeon- hands, palms up, together at waist height, part and lift up ing egohood. This was the gift of the Christ being as well, (now diverging from an “L” motion) into this space. The that in each of us may live an entirely unique spark of high- sense is of becoming one with the whole arc of the zodiac er potential Godhead, to be realized on earth in the pursuit and all formative forces from the highest realms, as a of the gifts we alone possess. Yet asserting my egohood to golden glow and sparkle around one. Finally, with one step the exclusion of others, masked by some negative “judg- forward the hands then come down vigorously, below the ment,” out of ambition or fear or whatever, veils the truth of waist and together, balling loosely, with the sense that all of the etheric stream: that there is time and space and energy that power and glory and glow is penetrating one right down for ALL individuals to achieve self-realization. This was the into one’s bones, right down into the earth. The back great message of the Christ being: love one another, do not remains upright and entirely open to the backspace. The judge, and the peace and riches of heaven shall be yours. inflowing energy must grasp the whole gestalt, through the Love commands this stream of etheric power, and both the spine right down through the heels. It has something of the love and the power are endless and boundless. attitude necessary for the First Panel of the Foundation In all fruitful eurythmic group work, the individual Stone: from the highest heights power penetrates into the must voluntarily place him or herself at the service of this deepest depths. At all times the life ether involves in- stream of loving life force—that is, the etheric. This means streaming, enlivening and blessing, into the earth itself; it neither rejecting nor accepting what the other says, but never streams outward. There is little to “express” in terms rather trying it one way, then trying it another. The true and of gesture, formwork or veil; it is a total “becoming one beautiful will emerge through the movement, not through with” to the depths of one’s physical/etheric/soul/ego being. one or the other asserting their “rightness.” It is in the vol- It should be noted here that Spock emphasized that at no untary quieting of one’s personal egohood that the larger time in bringing the ethers into eurythmic motion should creative forces may come to move in the group, blessing one allow personal, astral expression to emerge in one’s and uniting it: this is a blessing the Northern Star Eurythmy movement. Group has been privileged to experience. In the exercise preparing the chemical ether, a lemnis- Exactly this is what Steiner placed at the center of our cate is done vertically by the hands and arms before oneself, earthly development right now: the transformation of our moving together, starting up about head height, the right astral-soul being, through the consciousness soul, into the hand leading down to the right, the left following, crossing spirit self. At its heart this is the described overcoming of the mid-line about waist height, then continuing down on personal egohood and the placing of one’s own powers and the left, rising back on the right to a crossing at the waist abilities at the disposal of a larger group and goal. Insofar as again, and completing the movement at head height. There Anthroposophy has made itself into a bastion of “knowl- is a pulse to it, the hands slowing at the top, bottom and edge,” pouring forth books filled with amalgamations of middle both coming and going. At the same time the feet 18 Eurythmy Association of North America carry one forward around an oval form, starting forward to releasing it again, giving it back, as it were, to the periphery, the right, and returning backward on the left. Hands and letting it go consciously and awaiting the next impulse. One feet are sometimes together in their motion, sometimes at is reminded with the warmth ether exercise of the great odds, which lends a particular liveliness to the exercise. mystery Steiner presents with his determination, that there This is all done with a watery deliberation, always with a are no motor nerves, only. Movement does not originate in rounded and rounding feeling, the achieving of wholeness our minds, but at the periphery. It moves us. and completeness, harmony and fulfillment. The corres- ponding consciousness is the sleep state of the plants, of The Butterfly Form as a basis for moving the Four innocence, of radiant, unconscious healing and beauty. Ethers With the light ether we really enter the usual realms of Marjorie Spock’s Butterfly Form is based on a seven- eurythmic expression, full of dynamic outward motion and pointed star. The five-pointed star may be seen as a living contrast—though, again, without “personal” astral expres- form of the incarnated human being. It is associated with the sion. The group moves around the circle in pulses, follow- rose family of plants and, by Steiner, with the flow of the ing one’s nose, the feet moving sweeping one forward for etheric forces. The seven-pointed star, with the two some yards, reining in, then launching forward again. The shoulder or wing points added in addition to head, arms and arms complete one half of a lemniscate going forward, legs, draws our attention to the higher being and fate of moving on a diagonal, not far off the horizontal, from above humanity—our path leads to spiritual hierarchy. and behind to fore and down. The latter half of the lemnis- The rhythm of the seven underlies all processes of cate, moving up and backwards, happens in the brief inter- development: there are three pulses of growth, a stage of val in which the whole impulse ebbs back for a moment. It climax, and then three of devolution. The seventh is a should all have an “arrow” quality of shining light, all mov- reflection and transformation of the first, the sixth of the ing with great lightness and quick pulses. This form has a second, and the fifth of the third. The fourth, climax stage, strong rhythm, fast at the beginning, slow at the end. It stands alone. In connection with the four ethers and their should have an awakening, energizing quality, punctuated relationship with the four members of the human being, we moments of change, up-down, left-right, back-fore, slow- may use the Butterfly Form as a meditative/movement fast. As with the chemical ether exercise, but even more so, exercise: the first path moves in the mode of the life ether, one gets caught up in it, with the feeling that it could just go as does the seventh, in a transformation of this life ether. on and on. Where the chemical has the process feel of the The second moves with the chemical ether, the sixth with its “L” gesture, here it would be the enlivening of the “R.” transformation. The third is the light ether appearing, the In the warmth ether exercise, the group begins with our fifth its transformation. The fourth path, in the warmth backs to the middle of the circle, hands and arms stretched ether, stands alone, or rather, is the axis of change in the above our heads. The group moves counterclockwise, the middle: it brings in the element—in this case personal ego- circle contracting and the bodies turning inward toward the hood—which allows the transformations that follow. middle, all spiraling in. The hands begin up, above the head, The history of the human being is that of the earth itself: coming down in the first part of a lemniscate on the right the life ether brought forth the physical basis of the world in side, right hand leading the left. Arriving in the middle the Old Saturn; and this physical will experience its final eurythmists form a small circle, facing in, and the inner loop transformation into Spirit Man during the Vulcan planetary of the lemniscate is moved, more slowly and inwardly, the stage, the last of earthly development. So the chemical ether hands making the lower, now horizontal loop of the lemnis- brought forth life on Old Sun, and will be transformed into cate, towards oneself, after which we arc out again in the Life Spirit on Jupiter, and the ensouling qualities of the light circle, turning as we go and accelerating, until we are facing ether on Old Moon will be transformed into Spirit Self on out again, the hands rising vertically again, over the left, in Venus. We now live on the earth, where we have received the last part of the lemniscate. The left shoulder leads, both the power of egohood, on the wings of the warmth ether, going in and going out. The exercise starts slowly, speeds which makes possible all future transformations. Yes, this is up, slows in the middle, and speeds again out to the periph- a vast panorama, but it is also who we are and what we are ery, where it again slows. We consciously connect to the becoming. Eurythmy is uniquely able to open a door to periphery, receiving impulses to activity from it. These put experience this in group movement—always vastly more us into motion, circling down into earthly communion, act- fruitful than anything done alone. ing and experiencing. Filled with this new experience we The first path of the Butterfly Form, the first life ether are carried back out to the periphery again. Whereas the life path, descends from the highest point of the star, the head, ether is the most impersonal and objective, in this exercise to the lowest, the foot, as is the nature of this power. In Old one always feels oneself engaged in perceiving the in- Saturn the outpouring of the Thrones first laid down the coming stream, carrying it down and handling it, then basis of our lowest member of being, the physical. The Eurythmy Association of North America 19 reascension from foot to head in the seventh path, the final solar plexus. This is the movement center of the human transformation, crosses the first path at the heart center, as it being, located there at the nexus of the metabolic processes were, of the star. and organs. The second path, in the chemical ether movement, Finally all ascends again from the depths to the heights ascends, from the right foot to the left wing, as the physical in the second life ether path, through which the physical is given levity and life by the forces of growth through the being is transformed into the Spirit Human. As we saw, the etheric body, as was wrought in the Old Sun phase. gateway of the heart is crossed in this motion, going and In the third path, in light ether mode, light from the coming. heights moves down from the left wing to the right hand Another aspect of this form would be the dynamic of point—as the hands are much more vehicles of soul expres- the curves in each path. There are no straight lines; at all sion than the feet. Thus the physical-etheric was ensouled in times it is curving either clockwise or counterclockwise. Old Moon. The first life ether path The warmth ether of begins with a clockwise the fourth path passes from motion, but at the heart hand to hand, descending crossing it changes to to the greatest depths of the counterclockwise. This form, right down into the counterclockwise motion earth, as it were, below the continues into the next feet. There, between the path. At each new path the legs, is the inner, closed ending curve of the last is loop of the lemniscate: continued. The life and with hands, legs and feet light ether paths all we live out our will impuls- involve two double es on earth. This path, curves, starting counter- reflecting our present, clockwise, then turning earthly being, stands alone, clockwise in the midst of a in the middle, the axis of dynamic smaller form, but change for all future trans- emerging from this into formations. counterclockwise again. The fifth path, the The warmth ether alone, in transformation of the astral the middle, has no double in the light ether, rises up, curve; it is entirely a con- from the left hand, on the tinuous counterclockwise heart side, to the right turning form. At the end wing, as we strive to purify the final life ether form, and uplift our soul drives starting counterclockwise, and impulses. This striving changes at the heart and results in the formation of finishes the whole process what Steiner called the again moving clockwise. Spirit Self. Notice how the two light ether paths cross at the Steiner speaks of how sculpture comes to life through the level of the “larynx” of the figure. Speech lives in the light use of such double curves, in which the direction of rotation and air, a central transforming moment, the higher reaching changes. into the lower, in the life of our soul. Thus counterclockwise motion by far exceeds clock- In the sixth path, the sound ether moves from the right wise. Clockwise is there at start and finish, emerging and wing, out of the transformed astral of the path before, back returning to higher worlds, as it were, and in the midst of the down to the feet, as the transformed soul forces will pour most dynamic moments, but by and large the rest is counter- into the transforming etheric/physical. This process, the clockwise. emergence of the Life Spirit, can be seen as central to the I have heard, apocryphally, that moving clockwise is path of eurythmy, lifting the physical into the realm of the going in the “sun” direction; counterclockwise in a “moon” life forces, as Steiner describes in the Conference at the direction. Where does this bit of wisdom come from? The Eurythmeum Stuttgart on April 30, 1924. The crossing of moon would be associated more with coming into being, the ascending and then descending chemical ether forms, incarnating, going deeper into the physical. The sun would the second and sixth paths, takes place at what would be the be our path back out again, back to the spirit, our true home. 20 Eurythmy Association of North America An image appears that would seem to make sense in star, before speeding up again out to the left hand. We recall terms of the turnings of the Butterfly Form: it starts and that the warmth ether alone does not change its sense of ends with the more highly spiritual Sun direction, clock- rotation, as all other paths do. This is a mystery to be wise, but remains in the more earthly, incarnating, moon explored with this work. direction, counterclockwise, after that. In the middle forms Indeed all of these factors—the forms themselves, their of chemical and light ethers it is only in the moments of interplay with each other, the changing rotations, the chang- greatest transformation, in the midst of the triple curves, that ing tempi within each path, the transition from path to path, the Sun direction appears again. The one form that does not the wholeness of it all amidst so much separately differenti- have a double curve, that of the Warmth Ether, is the most ated motion—all of these unfold before us in this work, an deeply incarnated, the most personal, as we struggle with endless source of study and inspiration. As we hear in the our newest powers, that of own will beings. With our will Foundation Stone Meditation: “Human soul, you live with- we can but plant seeds that will find their growth and fulfill- in the limbs, which lead you through the worlds of space ment in the distant future. into the spirit’s ocean being.” In the movement of our limbs When performing this form as a group each eurythmist we penetrate into the world of spirit much more deeply and moves through the transformations described above, from immediately than with our limited thinking consciousness. ether to ether, constantly changing. This means that, at the Slowly but surely mastering such a form together, taking it end of each path, for the briefest moment all expression is apart and practicing individual aspects of form and tempi, let go, and all must be grasped anew—in tone eurythmy this taking turns stepping out and watching the amazing would be a “bar line.” This corresponds to the world dynamics as they change and unfold, all of this activity has development moment known as “pralaya,” when all went been a deep and abiding blessing for all of us in the out of being and was born anew—indeed, practicing the Northern Star eurythmy group, for which we are eternally ethers in this form with the described meditation content grateful to each other, to our masters such as Rudolf Steiner involves moving from world to world with each new path. and Marjorie Spock, as well as to all those who have helped It might be said, that these worlds are not simultaneous, support us over the years, particularly the Anthroposophical that they follow one another, and should not all appear at the Society of Canada, the Julyan Mulock Foundation, and the same time. In fact, in the spiritual world all stages are pres- Eurythmy Association of North America. ent all the time. In fact, within the various beings on earth, Respectfully submitted, in various states of development and consciousness, all Mark Ebersole, stages are present. It is only our limited waking conscious- Northern Star Eurythmy Group ness that can usually grasp but one at a time. Here again Mark Ebersole has worked as a group eurythmic movement can take us where we can never pedagogic eurythmist for 25 years, the go on our own. last 17 at a number of Waldorf schools A further step that unfolds as we put it together is the in the United States, and before that at contrast in dynamic in the paths. All paths begin slowly and Camphill Christoforus in Zeist, then change to fast, or start fast and change to slow. If done Netherlands, for seven years. He and properly, there is a moment in the middle of each sequence his wife, Maria Walker, trained at the when all form a smaller circle, with the seven-star now Academie voor Euritmie in Den Haag. inverted—the warmth ether, between the feet of the original They completed the Waldorf Teaching Training in Wanne- star, forming the new head—in which moment all paths Eickel, Germany, while working as class teachers at the change dynamic. Thus each round has three moments: a Christophorus Schule in Bochum, for seven years. Mark beginning, a mid-point when all changes, and the worked for four years in Camphill before that, completing emergence from this, in changed dynamic, going to final the training in Curative Education, on the Lake of completion. Constance in Southern Germany. Mark and Maria have The life ether starting from the head, the first path, been blessed to be able to work artistically with other eury- begins very slowly, and finishes fast. The one from the foot, thmists since completing the eurythmy training in 1990, at the seventh, begins fast and finishes slow. The chemical present with Northern Star Eurythmy in Toronto, Ontario. ether, second path, starting from the right foot begins slow- ly, while the one beginning at the right shoulder, sixth path The Stars spoke once to Man. But in the deepening silence begins with a much faster sweep. The light ether, third path, It is World-destiny There grows and ripens starting at the left shoulder begins very fast; the one at the That they are silent now. What Man speaks to the Stars. left hand, the fifth, slowly. The warmth ether, as always on To be aware of the silence To be aware of this speaking its own, is the only one with a double change: it begins fast, Can become pain for earthly Man. Can be strength for Spirit-Man. Rudolf Steiner then slows as it turns that little loop between the feet of the Eurythmy Association of North America 21 The Alphabet: an expression of of the esoteric writings and of the cosmic magic of sound the mystery of the human being arise again in the instructions of the Speech Eurythmy Course, which flows from the creative springs of the pri- Eurythmical observations of the sounds of language mordial language, where out of the elemental sounding and Hedwig Greiner resounding of the soul with the encircling cosmos in cultic Translated by Clifford Venho and reprinted with kind per- chants, led by dance, the beginnings of human language mission from the Goetheanum Weekly (Das Goetheanum) were developed. The artistic development of our century arrived at a In the hour of the birth of a new art, which will only in decisive turning point with the unfolding of Eurythmy as the future be fully developed, a connection must be estab- visible speech. A completely new orientation dawns for all lished with the most ancient times of humanity, in order to the essential forces of language in its capacity to fashion re-enliven the lost knowledge of the word. The written signs human beings and reveal the spirit. Step by step and with the of the gods in the starry heavens, in the kingdom of nature, greatest attention, we regain what one can call: the lost pri- are deciphered anew. The human being as microcosm learns mordial Word. One can sense how a new creative epoch for to understand himself as a cosmic rune through the experi- the art of language is thus to be anticipated. The poetic ele- ential possibilities of Eurythmy, which grasps with modern ments of form can undergo metamorphosis when the consciousness the inner nature of speech and carries it over obstructed springs that arise in the sound event itself can in its lawfulness into the bodily instrument of movement: flow again. The path of training that leads to these well- visible speech. springs of experience lies in the instructions given by Here we touch upon the secret of the larynx, which is Rudolf Steiner. Modern consciousness is thus in the position able to reveal the hidden connection of word and world. A to sense again that epoch of old in which esoteric knowl- Goethean method of observation allows us to recognize in edge—the memory (preserved through long ages) of the every individual organ the whole of the human being. So creative primordial Word—was nurtured in the Mysteries. too, in the organization of the larynx. Goethe came to know There is a concise historical rift between the age of liv- the secret identity of the eye as an organ of light with the ing relationship to the cosmic source of language and the forces of the world light, which it was organized to per- age of abstraction, of dry conceptual language that can only ceive. The eye is built in light, through light, for the light. be a means of communication. It is, namely, the transition So too can the complicated structure of the speech organ be from the Greek to the Roman culture: “In the Greek lan- understood in a Goethean sense. The larynx—an expression guage we still have the naming of the first letters of the of the whole human being—is built in the word, through the alphabet; in Latin we have only ‘A’. In the transition from word, for the word. Thus, in the art of visible speech, in Greek to Latin, that which is living in language, which is in Eurythmy, the whole human being can become a larynx. the noblest sense concrete, is transformed into something The larynx is the holiest part in the temple of the body. abstract…As long as human beings called the first letter of We consider the organization of the speech organ as the alphabet ‘Alpha,’ they had in this act of naming some- belonging to the middle, rhythmical, essential human being. thing of Inspiration; the moment they began to call it only It also takes on in this sense the unique middle point ‘A,’ there arose instead of Inspiration, instead of inner expe- between the organ systems of the upper and lower poles. rience, the acceptance of outer convention, of the prosaic The brain in its mineralized, nonliving substantiality is not nature of life…” the organ of thinking, but rather creates for thinking a hol- When the letters of the alphabet are felt to be the name low space in which spirit can be freely active in waking con- and expression of something full of being, then the experi- sciousness. The organs of the willing realm are by contrast ence of cosmic realities underlies them—these realities are fully active, creating and maintaining life, and yet uncon- active and reveal themselves in the human speech organism. scious, asleep. Thus, in the ancient Mysteries the esoteric writings con- How does the middle sphere of the larynx reveal itself, veyed in various ways the experience of speech sounds as a with its neighboring speech organs? Life and movement holy science. One can find the final echoes of this in the take place in fluid, airy warmth processes. It forms and seven liberal arts of the Middle Ages, which in their weaves, opens, closes, rubs, presses in tension and release. sequence were memories of the once livingly experienced Life functions play themselves out and appear connected to cosmic Word. The magic of sound and word in the the nourishing, fashioning sphere of the organism. They do Germanic runes recalls the most ancient speech traditions in not wear themselves out, however, in physical processes, the Atlantean Mysteries. The Egyptian hieroglyphs inspired but rather—released, streaming outward—they reveal the by the god Hermes-Thoth express the knowledge of the pri- life of the soul, the content of the spirit in speaking. mordial Word. Only through initiation could the priest be The eurythmical gestures are rooted in this fact. We raised to the position of scribe. And so the holy transmission become aware that in speaking an unobserved element is at 22 Eurythmy Association of North America work, which in everyday consciousness eludes our attention typal phenomenon. It is not simply the beginning vowel; it due to intellectual interest strictly in the content of the com- is an archetypal sounding which embraces in an undifferen- munication. We do not pay attention to the forms and move- tiated form all that comes later, all creative forces. It holds ments of the speech organ, to the living stream of the breath, all the possibilities of becoming within itself, just as the to the warmth process that flutters in forms and gestures archetypal plant contains all plant beings. Multiplicity through the exhalation. The unobserved element of speech comes out of unity. This primal beginning of the being of suggests a similar mystery, which Rudolf Steiner character- language is the Alpha, the primal origin of all being in the ized as the unobserved element of the thinking process. We sense of the creative word: “I am the Alpha and the touch here on the actual formative force in the human being: Omega.” Alpha is the whole etheric human being which the etheric being. To observe the activity of thinking in an gives birth to itself in the formation of the air; it is “the sym- “exceptional state” means to raise the thinking process from bol for the human being…who ‘experiences his own the body into the etheric world, to grasp from within its breath.’” As vowel it is at the same time the archetypal feel- etheric movements and forms. Likewise, the conscious ing of wonder, of opening on all sides to the in-streaming of observation of the speech organism in its living activity the surrounding cosmos. To experience the human being “in leads to the grasping of the etheric human being. The the fullness of what is divine within him…that was called Goethean thoughts on metamorphosis can lead to a thresh- by an ancient humanity: the human being standing before old experience of sensible-supersensible revelation, through himself in wonder, ‘Ah.’ That is the human being in his which the mighty movement organism of the eurythmical highest perfection.” This primordial, archetypal feeling, gestures is taken up and formed with inner necessity. The which raises the human over the animal, becomes an arche- perception of the etheric body that presses itself through the typal gesture. It places the human being at the center; he larynx-human being in order to impart itself to the world reaches into the cosmic surroundings, in the two directions ether, longs for Eurythmy, which in active imitation of this of the arms, and says to himself: “You, human being, you formative creating serves the human as its instrument. What exist out of two points in the universe. You stretch your can only be suggested in the larynx during speech is unfold- arms out to grasp these two directions. Now you grasp that ed in its full force and brought to visible expression through from which you stem. You feel how these forces stream the eurythmical gestures. through your arms, how they stream together in your Now let us consider the concrete being of this etheric breast…” The human being in his noblest, truest nature element that pushes outward in the warm, damp breath of learns to feel “as if the gods allow the powers from the air. It consists of the sounds of speech which actively sculpt reaches of the universe to pour together into us.” through the ether body in the larynx: this being is the alpha- It seems at first to be the powers of light from the world bet. The whole human being as an etheric being brings him- of the stars that stream in formatively from without. The self forth as the alphabet. What was in primordial times a paradisal archetype of the human being, the Adam Cadmon, magic name-giving, the essential naming of the human sees himself born of light, in awe of the realized perfection being gifted with language, today becomes a new artistic of the creation. The Egyptian sun god is called, “RA.” Alpha task. ‘Being’ is present in the word when the word is again is the apollonian vowel connected with the sun. As primor- experienced as creative. The sounds of the alphabet become dial light that belongs to the light ether, this alpha, this grand real forces. Consonants and Vowels: to take part in the cos- being, now sinks one step deeper. It becomes primordial mic processes of forming and destroying within the reigning tone, sinks itself into the realm of tone ether and becomes a of the elemental realms, within the spheres of the fixed streaming etheric being of the watery element. There are stars, to let the primal archetypes of soul impulses resound thus many names for water that contain the “A” sound: in planetary harmonies, is to experience the microcosmic mare, aqua, Aare, Aa, etc. Rudolf Steiner also characterizes creation of the human being as alphabet out of the macro- the way the “A” feels in the form of the body as the cosmic Word of worlds. An artistic schooling is undertaken sparkling wine in our sense of comfort and wellbeing, or which grasps and forms the gestural metamorphoses of the when in the pain of the Minor mood, as a fever or tears, or etheric human being in the alphabet. what comes to expression in the lamenting German interjec- The eurythmy gestures in their sequence cannot simply tion, “ach!” be counted uniformly one after another as a row of sounds. So we encounter along many paths ever richer traits of They arise from out of creative supersensible spheres with this archetypal sound “Alpha,” indeed, even in those beings entirely unique qualities of being that inwardly correspond who arise, fairytale-like, out of the elemental realm as to the many features of the human archetype. “Alfs” (“Elfs”), and we find it also in what is condensed Metamorphoses in polarity and growth form in this time- into pressing weight and experienced as Alp or as the moun- body. The first step, the first tone, the first gesture of the tainous weight of the Alps. When this feeling for the high- alphabet must be felt in this organic progression as an arche- est human worth comes to expression in the gestures of the Eurythmy Association of North America 23 threefold color qualities in the eurythmical movement, so into matter merge together in this enfolding sound being. does one stand again in awe of all-encompassing human So there stands at the beginning of the etheric human nature. Active and passive tones of color work together: the being the archetypal vowel Alpha, the archetypal consonant breathing feeling of the blue veil receiving in the periphery, Beta. However, there is yet another aspect of speech sounds the power of the will impulse in the muscle tension that must be added in a particular way as an archetypal phe- expressed in the red of the stretching gesture, the flowing, nomenon. Into the downward hardening movement of incar- active, devoted movement of the dress in violet as the nation a mysterious upwards tendency is interwoven as a streaming together of blue and red. counteractive force, a means of healing the all-too-powerful It is also significant to livingly feel the formative power process of embodiment which would of itself lead to illness. of the gestures in relation to the metamorphosis of arms and It is the consonant—as Rudolf Steiner explains—that was ribs. The A-gesture of the arms should show how the ribs of called in the ancient mysteries “the regent of health,” name- the chest release themselves, wafting free to become arms ly, the sound C (pronounced “ts” in German, as in “pres- that join themselves to the spine. The spine is the axis of the ence”–translator’s note). The German language rarely uses in-streaming gesture. The gesture becomes the sounding this sound. But it is important in the eurythmical forming of instrument, the lyre of Apollo. It depends on this direction the word and there are certain opportunities to use it. This of the stream. “A slug cannot be an aleph, cannot be an archetypal sound of C is connected to certain processes that alpha. A fish could indeed be an alpha. Why? Because the restore disrupted balance, release tension, lighten a heavy fish has a spine and because the spine signifies the starting load. “In C levity is imitated.” An aphorism of Rudolf point for the development of that kind of being which is an Steiner’s makes this process especially palpable: aleph.” So are the original forms of this archetypal word of The forces of the human being are twofold; creation to be found everywhere. They become archetypal There is a stream of forces that goes inwards: sound in the etheric form (Gestalt) of the human being, they It gives substance and inner rootedness; become archetypal poetry. There is a stream of forces that goes outwards: After the great world tone of Alpha the question of It gives health, light and levity to life; Therefore incarnation must be posed, the question of the material one should consider oneself a weightless being of light, sheath, which the force that builds up the body condenses when plagued by the weighty forces of the body. into form. All stuff, all substances of the surroundings This weightless being of light reveals its essence in the should become a garment, an earthly dwelling, into which power of C. The weightiness is lifted at its limits. The force the spirit-soul kernel enters, hides itself, enfolds itself. The of levity is at work. Thus we feel the process of levity in a archetypal vowel is joined by the archetypal consonant. The sneeze and answer with the polite expression: “Zur Beta, B: the human being in his house. It is densification to Gesundheit!” (meaning, “to health!”). It also points to the the level of the mineral arrived at in a firm plosive sound wonder of the spine. In its flexibility it builds up vertebrae that is plastically spoken with closed lips; it brings to arche- after vertebrae elastically, is predisposed to freely moving typal expression all enfolding beings, all beings that hold or musicality, to gradation, to melody, whose artistic echo the bear something. Again it is the blue atmosphere of feeling in C-gesture allows to rise shimmering out of the zodiacal the veil that carefully enfolds an inner light, the yellow of sphere of Libra. In the cosmos this countermovement the dress, ‘the movement.’ “The human being in his home against gravity works in the atmosphere, in weather forma- (Bau), in his temple.” One should co-experience as it comes tion, when the evaporation in the highest atmospheric layer into being this archetypal gesture of the forces that build up leads to the forming of fleecy clouds in the mantle of the body. The Gestalt of the temple, which conceals within warmth around the earth, the Cirrus Clouds, as Goethe so it the holiest of holies, has passed through the elements of characteristically depicts in his cloud poem: fire, air, and water until it densified into the solidity of form. Ever higher climbs the noble surge! This hardening process that comes to expression in the Release is heavenly, weightless urge! sound B, does not lead to the extreme hardening of which Density dissolves into fleecy foam, other plosive sounds are capable, for example the sounds K, Like a tripping flock of lambs, freshly combed. P, or T. It remains the transparent, loving, restful and enfold- So at last, what formed itself with ease below, ing gesture, as it stands before us in the Imagination of the To the hand of the Father above serenely flows. Madonna, who with her protective blue mantle enfolds the light-filled child on her heart. It is the mystery of incarna- So stand—as three archetypal impulses of the etheric tion which is addressed through archetypal imaginations in human being—the first three parts of the alphabet: all characteristic manifestations of Beta. It is the archetypal Alpha, the archetypal vowel, the archetypal human consonant that precedes all consonantal beings. In fact, all being, who swims as spirit in the streaming tones of the levels and gradations in the downward trend, the descent primal water; Beta, the enfolding sheath-nature that leads to 24 Eurythmy Association of North America the formative bodily densification, to the temple of the tural experiences. They have an entirely different effect body; C, the force of etheric weightlessness that works from the calming consonants and must be experienced from against gravity, the everlasting healing process, the power of the opposite pole of the etheric organization in their flow- levity. ing—in no way fierce or aggressive—quality of movement. When one considers the threefold order of the begin- We are in the sphere of formative, streaming life. Here it is ning of the alphabet as a kind of basin for the birth of the not about a death process that awakens perception, nor etheric human being, then the following sequence of sounds about the pictures that illumine the world around us through leads into the inner space of the human organization. The separation and indication. Here everything depends on inner picture of the human being unfolds before us with the polar sympathy, on intimate feeling for the creative stream of life. forces of the head organization and the metabolic-limb This takes place in the half-conscious and unconscious organism, between which weaves the rhythmic element. spheres of productive forces, where the sound gestures are This organization finds its active expression in both note- largely tinged with the darker colors of the spectrum: green, worthy groups of sounds consisting of five consonants, blue, violet. which Rudolf Steiner indicated as a series of metamor- This sequence of gestures proceeds from the wellspring phoses of calming and enlivening consonants. They belong of the growing, welling, surging life-sound L, the consonant to the earliest indications for Eurythmy in the year 1912 and of formative, plastic “free unfolding.” In the sound M, conceal untold spiritual treasures for the development of which like N is an impact sound, this streaming life is artistic Imagination, when they are experienced as a revela- dampened into “insightful penetration,” an entering into the tion of the human etheric organization. form through tasting and feeling, a becoming one in sympa- The sequence of calming consonants is a practice that is thy with that which one touches. One can feel in it plantlike at the same time connected with certain mental pictures: the processes, the flowing up and down of the sap in the tree, in consonant as an imitative reaction to particular processes in which there is a certain resistance to be overcome. Toward the outer world, which then work back upon the soul. The the periphery this streaming element cools down and picture of a pleasant, peaceful evening landscape, which the becomes the light touching of N, which then pulls away observer receives into himself, leads to an imitative gesture again. When this inner sympathetic stream continues still with the sound D. Movement now comes into the scene—a farther into the outer world, life becomes hardened and wind rises, the leaves of the trees and the waves of the rigid. It begins to develop a bark, a crust. This becomes a stream begin to stir—the gesture of the sound F answers. firm sheath in P. In the beginning sound B this sheath was Another landscape, this time felt to be ugly, is repelled right still a cosmic, motherly gesture. Here it is the life process away with the sound G. The antipathy becomes aggressive: that, moving outwards, ebbs away. Compression, deposi- K. It escalates to active defense: H. The experience of the tion, hardening can then become in the final climax harrow- sounds in this sequence can be further practiced in steps or ing and oppressive, as expressed in the unique gesture of Q forms that are accompanied by characteristic word (kwah): a pressing of the hands against the body with the sequences. vain attempt at liberating release: Qual (pronounced Insight into the degree to which this series of conso- “kwahl” meaning “agony”—translator’s note). The gesture nants is to be felt as having a calming effect, with its grow- of streaming sympathy hardens itself within itself. It clash- ing metamorphosis from rest to active gesture, is deepened es—moving backwards with the series of hardened, repel- by an orientation toward the above polarity in human lant consonants—into the calming consonants. nature. Here in the revelation of the etheric human being the Thus we have in the twofold metamorphic sequences of forces of the head are addressed more; forces that are at rest the calming and enlivening consonants a true Imagination in the perceptual observation of the outer world of objects. of the etheric human birth, as it comes to expression in the Thereby the light of consciousness arises, resting on a cer- two polar processes of the head and metabolic systems. tain antipathy through which one experiences the objects of With this double fivefoldness the inner space of the human the outer world as separate from oneself. This can develop organization is described. In two pentagrams we see before increasingly from the restful, reflective observation (D, F) us living human essence. This process is then integrated by to the active, liberating gestures of G, K, and H. We can feel that sound which, belonging to the element of air, always the liberating light of consciousness in this sequence of has the task of bringing about a living “neutral” balancing sounds when we consider their associated colors, in which effect: the rolling, storming, trembling sound R—the the active side, the luminous side of the spectrum—yellow, expression of rhythm, bringing balance to the region of orange, red—greatly predominates. sympathy and antipathy. There follows in the sequence of the alphabet the five The human being incarnate in the bodily organization is enlivening consonants that also have an “exciting” effect: L, described in this “inner space” of the alphabet. The preced- M, N, P, Q. Again it has to do with a metamorphosis of ges- ing archetypal phenomena in their threefold nature (A, B, C) Eurythmy Association of North America 25 indicated the process of incarnation. In a lawful continuity, birth, the sound of wonder: Alpha; at the end, the being of the missing sounds of the alphabet point to the many aspects the power of darkness in U, the sound of fear in the sphere of that which, in the sphere of excarnation, again has a of excarnation; and the ‘I’ element of the self-comprehend- strong connection to the processes of the outer world. They ing personality, the I (as in “me”—translator’s note), which are the consonants which in Eurythmy can be carried out at the same time sounds and wafts in compassion with the “with a foreign object,” with a rod, a veil, a flower, etc., in world. Fear, Compassion, Wonder: the three stages of order to place a stronger emphasis on the sway of forces tragedy resound. In order to encompass the riches of the outside the body. One develops the capacity in the life of cosmic-human soul essence, the fivefoldness of the vowel feeling not only to sculpt with the plastic forces of the bod- organism must rise to the planetary sevenfoldness. Just as ily nature, but also to enter into the surrounding material the planets freely circle through heavenly space and come world. At the beginning of the alphabet the possibility of into changing relations to the fixed stars, so do the vowels harnessing matter—for example, in order to protect oneself stand in relation to the consonants. as if with a shield against the attack of the adversary— The human being as a physical Gestalt was spoken forth dwells in the sound B. It belongs to the sequence of conso- and took on form out of the etheric creation, which gives as nants “with a foreign object”. Now in the pole of excarna- a whole the wonderful formation of the alphabet. We can tion stands the S. The Scorpio sound S can penetrate into approach this Mystery when we harken to the experiences matter with its wand, magically enchanting, even destroying present in the eurythmical movements that make visible matter—splitting it, smashing it—as if with sword and spear what in the usual course of speaking remains unobserved. it can annihilate. We are in the sphere of death. The T also That is the first step toward a re-enlivening of the lost arche- has an enhanced connection to the outer world “with a for- typal Word. Ancient Mysteries like, for example, the one in eign object.” It is that which strikes from above. The spirit Ephesus, out of whose spiritual wellsprings the John Gospel penetrates into the depths of the earth. Just as the B builds a was still supplied, had an idea of this. The Word became sheath with the blue veil, so in the death-sound T with its flesh. Does that not also mean that the Christ, the cosmic red veil, the process of uncovering is majestically revealed. Word, took on the form of a human being gifted with lan- Also the V (in German pronounced as a lighter, finer “f” guage? A human being who in primordial ages came to sound—translator’s note) which easily inclines to the vowel being out of this Word and who, as an etheric creation bears U (as in “do”—translators note), can, like in “Evoe,” touch the cosmic alphabet within himself. An artistic evolution something foreign in a gesture of greeting. was introduced with Eurythmy in order to realign the bodi- In the second to last consonants (when X and Y are ly form, born out of the Word, with its archetype. In a rever- omitted as not entirely original elements) we touch on a sal of the words of the John Gospel it can be said: insofar as very mysterious sound event that in its whole way of being Eurythmy handles the instrument of the physical form as if must appear as concealed, the head hidden in the veil: W. it were an etheric body, the flesh, the physical body, The bodily sheath that had hardened in B, now releases becomes Word. This should be seen as a process of healing itself into spheres of warmth. In the etheric cloak of the for the physical body that has become ill through the Fall. “wandering sheath” something essential wafts in waving Artistic education becomes healing, nourishing, forms into the widths of space, in order to hand earthly enlivening. The physical form is raised out of its tendency experiences over to the general world-ether. Only with toward mineralization and brought closer to the etheric. The deep, humble reverence should one approach this sound alphabet can be experienced as the full etheric human being being—this was Rudolf Steiner’s instruction. The final who stands near the primal Word. The ossifying tendency of sound Z (pronounced “tss” in German—translator’s note) is an ahrimanic civilization, from which Eurythmy was been the lightning into which the cosmos shines, illumining wrested, can be given the same answer that Christ gave to weather, freeing the astral being out of the etheric sheath. the tempter, when he asked Him to turn stones into bread: Thus we can see the alphabet as the expression of the “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by mystery of the human being, encompassing birth, death, and every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” life. From the perspective of consonants, the human being stands before us in his sculptural nature, forming the body, fashioning the Gestalt, built from out of the starry cosmic background of the zodiac. In wafting harmony the vowels then weave into the etheric plasticity as the innermost ele- ment of the soul, sounding, illumining, moving in streaming gestures, like many-colored gems. Fivefold, themselves the image of the whole etheric human being, they build the pen- tagram (A, E, I, O, U). The primal beginning of cosmic 26 Eurythmy Association of North America Considerations of Nature Please look to the lectures in The Evolution of and Modern Technology Consciousness, where Rudolf Steiner compares the use of the typewriter with the scribe in the Middle Ages creating Maria Ver Eecke illuminated letters. Steiner warns that “…we live in an age “And when we open our heart to the silent gesture of Nature when mankind is more than ever before exposed to the revealing her eternal innocence beyond all good and evil, danger of losing connections with the Spiritual world.” our eyes are opened presently to the spiritual world, from [From Rudolf Steiner. The Evolution of Consciousness, as whence ― into the dumb gesture ― the living Word rings revealed through Initiation-Knowledge, Lecture 9, August forth, revealing good and evil.” From Steiner’s The Life, 27, 1923, Penmaenmawr, Wales, GA 227.] Nature, and Cultivation of Anthroposophy To All Traveling by car drives us further away from the spirit Members–VII, The Work in the Society, 3/2/24, GA 26 and “...must be counterbalanced by a strong penetration The great Being of Nature is our maternal connection to into spiritual knowledge, spiritual feeling, and spiritual life. Recently I reread Goethe’s Aphorisms on Nature, willing.” Steiner continues, “…where Imaginations stand which begins: “Nature! We are surrounded by her and so firmly in the spirit, we have the disturbing influence of embraced by her: powerless to leave her, and powerless to the motor-car.” Imagine! It makes one wonder how it is come closer to her.” It is well worth getting to know. Dr. possible to be a contemporary person in the world today Steiner created eurythmy forms for the text, which I did in without a meditative life to keep one balanced. my training. What stays with me in this reading are the But it is the auditory recordings that “bring the mechan- lines: “She envelops man in darkness, and urges him ical into the realm of Art.” And… “if mankind develops constantly to the light. She makes him dependent on the enthusiasm for such things as that, it will then be able to earth, heavy and sluggish, and always rouses him up defend itself no longer, there will be no help to be found. afresh.” Every line is a gem of perception! Help can then only come from the gods.” This is a much It is our task to transform the natural world. Visiting more serious warning. [From The Evolution of older civilizations, one can sense the Christian element in Consciousness, Lecture 11, August 29, 1923, GA 227.] the earth. As we become conscious of the vast destruction Thanks to artist and painter Margaretha Burger, for that mankind has wrought, we realize the possibility that life directing me to these important lectures by Dr. Steiner, on earth is threatened. Four-hundred-thousand attended the available at www.rsarchives.org. People’s Climate March in NYC at the autumn equinox, to The most important thing to remember is that Rudolf influence the leaders meeting at the United Nation’s Steiner foresaw the development of technology and its con- Climate Summit! President Obama stated that he was aware sequences; he gathered people around him to strengthen the that the people had spoken and must be heard. So what is work of the Anthroposophical Society, to help prepare happening as an outer manifestation is also happening on a humanity for such an onslaught. When the farmers asked soul level. When we lose our connection to nature, we lose him about working with the farming machines, it is report- an essential part of our own being. ed that he told them to directly address the force behind the Through the insights of Rudolf Steiner, we know that technology by saying, “Go to work, Ahriman!” We are the seeds of materialism began with the Ancient Egyptians advised to look at Ahriman directly and to name him. One in their attempts to preserve the physical body through may feel gratitude that machines do our work for us, so that embalming. Materialism in our age is an outer expression of we may be free for other endeavors, although such a preceding idealistic period in the Middle Ages. “We live in machines create ahrimanic beings. “How can one protect a materialistic age and this is the result of a preceding age. oneself against Ahriman? By being satisfied with what’s This materialistic age has accomplished much, not only out- given to one: Be glad for what’s given to you; gladly do wardly but also inwardly. We may think for instance of the without what is not given to you.” [From The Contents of decrease in mortality through hygienic measures. This is Esoteric Classes, Part III. Oslo, 10/6/1913] And from the actually a step forward, brought about by hygienic means. same source: “The only way we can counteract Lucifer is to Such external progress is always a karmic result of progress develop the deepest modesty and humility.” which earlier has been made inwardly. These steps forward When Maria faces Ahriman in the Mystery Drama, The in the physical are the result of inner steps forward in the Trial of the Soul, she defeats him with her own reasoning as Middle Ages. … Now too we must work in preparation for they argue about karma. What is most astounding is that the future. Just as the karmic result of the earlier idealistic Maria’s holy, solemn vow reveals that she will no longer period made its appearance in materialism, so again a new feel a sense of bliss when thinking spiritual thoughts (a kind beginning must be made in regard to Idealism and spiritual of spiritual arrogance) and this vow she makes in front of impulses.” [Rudolf Steiner. Foundations of Esotericism: Lucifer! It was quite potent that the characters in the Lecture IX, October 4, 1905, Berlin, GA0093a] Prologue make fun of such arrogant talk of spirituality, in Eurythmy Association of North America 27 that one’s ‘World View’ makes one feel exclusive, not a part today. of the world, but separate. Perhaps pride is a more serious error for us in our spiritual strivings? What moved me most in the Mystery Dramas is when Benedictus explains that what we view as tragic events on the earth might have pos- itive outcomes in the spiritual realms. These plays of the Mystery Drama teach us much about the relationship of the soul to the spiritual world. The following verses describe something of the mystery of the soul in nature. There exits the human soul, There exists the world of nature, But nature is only able to but man is only able to reach Approach this humansoul this nature when he lets himself By becoming mere semblance. Be extinguished by it. Verses by Rudolf Steiner. Anthroposophie—Neun Vortrage. Published in Karl König’s essay, “The Human Soul,” in Aspects of Curative Education, edited by .

Laurie Portocarrero as Maria Brigida Baldszun as Ahriman

Dr. Russell, a biology professor at Adelphi University, has organized workshops on Nature and Storytelling, among others. Last spring the workshop in Garden City, NY, featured guest speaker Lowell Monke, who taught Virginia Hermann as Lucifer Computer Sciences for twenty years and saw the results of Glen Williamson as Johannas technology firsthand; his message is that the time for action is now! His essay in the book is on “The Human Touch,” The word, semblance, is a picture that points to a higher concluding with “Technology with a Human Touch.” This reality. In another translation of the verse, the word ‘virtual’ collection of essays is a Michaelic deed! Please make use of was used. Through anthroposophy, we recognize it and spread the word to your Waldorf communities. ‘Beingness’ through the realm of Intuition. As eurythmists Children and Nature – Making Connections is available for we come to know the Beings of the sounds of language, $14 from the Myrin Institute: http://www.myrin.org/. through the color of their movement, feeling, and character. Dr. Russell told me that it was the following passage in This is enlivening! The sensory stimulation of the virtual The Curative Education Course, that inspired this project. computer games is so powerful that the soul becomes “Suppose one day a civilization were to arise that confined numbed and the sense of life compromised. human beings in rooms, keeping them there from morning Recently a new book appeared that addresses the till evening, so that they were debarred from taking any serious condition of our children who spend close to eight interest at all in the outer world. What would be the result? hours daily on ‘screen’ time. Here the ‘Nature Deficit These human beings would of course by such a process be Disorder’ is addressed with positive advice. As the title sug- precluded from acquiring any knowledge of the outer world; gests, Children and Nature – Making Connections is about and this would mean that when they passed afterwards cultivating, renewing our relationship with nature. Dr. through death and came into the spiritual world, they would George Russell is the editor, who had the vision to compile be insufficiently equipped for getting to know the human these essays from some of the leading thinkers in the field organism in this spiritual world (where all is contained); 28 Eurythmy Association of North America with the result that when they descended again to Earth, A call from yonder sounds to me: they would come down with far less knowledge than one Of love and light the enemy who had in his previous life acquired the faculty for looking His eyes now gaze upon – out upon his surroundings with free, open perception. No more the angel asks of thee. There is another secret connected with this. You go through the world. You think perhaps, as you go through the Just that thou as a mirror be world, that a single day is of little importance. And so it is In which the demon sees himself reflected, for ordinary consciousness, but not for that which is build- And, burning in your clarity ing the unconscious within this ordinary consciousness. If His evil shatters inwardly. for one single day, as you go through the world, you observe the world intently and carefully, then this gives you already The Lord of Destiny does not demand the preliminary condition for knowledge of all that is con- That you as judge must raise your hand, tained in the body of man. For what is outer world in Just that you live within the truth. Earthly life is spiritual inner world in life beyond the Earth. Spirit itself will judgment stand. And we shall have to speak further of the results that cannot but ensue from our present civilization, and of how it comes about that children are born defective. Those human beings Eurythmy and Technology who live shut off from the world today will all of them, at Notes by Mary Brian, Reprinted from the Spring some time or other, come down with a lack of knowledge of 2014 issue of the ATHENA Newsletter the human organism, and they will choose ancestors who In her lectures to teachers at the 2014 Western Waldorf would otherwise have remained barren. It will be precisely Educators Conference in Fair Oaks, California, Dr. those parents who tend to beget sick or feeble bodies who Michaela Glöckler spoke about technology and the crucial will be chosen, while those who would be capable of pro- role of eurythmy. Rudolf Steiner has said that technology ducing good bodies will remain sterile. Yes, it is actually so: will bring death to the earth; but if humans can develop an it depends upon the whole development of a particular appropriate “moral state” then technology can bring a great epoch, how a generation, when it descends again to birth, service to mankind. Eurythmy can be a strong instrument to will be formed and built.” [From Rudolf Steiner. Education school this moral force. for Special Needs: The Curative Education Course, Lecture Technology is really young. Mankind lived for many One, June 25, 1924, GA 317] generations with extremely simple technological assistance. Such thoughts may lead to despair. However we must The wheel, for example, was born out of observation and remind ourselves not to be drawn down into the dark abyss, experience, and came on this continent in post Christian but to stand in balance between the forces of light and of times. More modern technological instruments come out of darkness. An excellent image of this is Michael in the West a very abstract thinking. Window of the Goetheanum; his constant gaze is level with From the 15th to 18th centuries, man developed the horizon, where sky and earth touch and meet. Let us machines to replace using their own motor skills and remember to keep our sights focused on the real reason we muscles. From the 18th to 19th centuries instruments of incarnate on earth, to know the love and healing power of measurement could replace the senses and feelings. Then Christ. The becoming human being needs the resistance of from the second half of the 19th century and in the 20th matter for ego development. Every day is important for the century, information technology (IT) is taking over all the spiritual world to receive our thoughts and deeds, which we functions of the brain. Only man’s creativity is left. place before the Guardian every evening in our meditation In this context Dr. Glöckler said, “Eurythmy has the and review of the day. One’s angel is only allowed to give task to bring back into mankind’s development, the WILL.” aid when we ask, by openly holding a question, and by We need to educate children to be self-directed, to guide listening for a response. In the faculty meetings [Volume I, their own will. Eurythmy is an art in which you must, out CW 300a] Steiner gave the teachers of the Waldorf School of your own free will, engage your total being. a positive outlook: “We live in a time when people are faced We have all experienced how eurythmy looks when with the danger of losing their souls to materialistic impuls- done – generally by high school students – by just moving es. This is a serious problem, a fact that we are confronted around with empty gestures. Michaela emphasized the with today. This fact is the secret that will increasingly man- importance of class teachers fully supporting eurythmy in ifest itself and out of which we can act fruitfully.” Through order to help their students connect. It is much easier to do anthroposophical spiritual science we have the tools for our what everyone else does, out of a group consciousness. But task of creating eurythmy with others, as an active practice to unfold one’s own will, this is brand new. Pure will, pure of maintaining one’s balance. Eurythmy Association of North America 29 intention from within, is the “I am”. Then we are fully Usually children do not wish to imitate any longer after they present in what we do. have gone through the nine-year-old change in third grade. In high school eurythmy, the students should work with How does one guide them in choosing their own gestures? the colors of the eurythmy figures and learn to distinguish Although it is a longer process, it involves them in the thinking, feeling, and willing. The “character” of the figure creative process. indicates the pure will aspect of the sound. In eurythmy we What has become the most important instruction for have a way to school this new needed “morality”. Due to students is that they listen to how the music or words let technology, for the first time in our evolution the will is set them know how to move. I tell them that listening is the first free and the human being must decide how to meaningfully step before moving. Sometimes the students sit to listen to handle it. “Can I bring my will in the service of the well- new music. Students in middle school can discover the time being of humankind?” signature by clapping the down beat. All children learn to clap the rhythm before stepping it; after all, the hands are Helpful Practices for the Eurythmy Teacher quicker than the feet! And we always pull our feet tougher, “Eurythmy portrays all that in the human being which is of poised for movement, creating a silent moment before the nature of life itself. For this reason, eurythmy can call moving. With speech eurythmy, I do the gestures silently in forth the feeling of how the universal cosmic life laid hold standing, then while moving in and out as a circle, and then of man and placed him into earthly evolution, giving him his I speak and move. It is an exciting moment when they can earthly task.” [From Introductory Words by Rudolf Steiner do this without me! to the eurythmy performance given in Dornach, December Eurythmy creates social harmony within a school. 26, 1923, on the occasion of the Foundation Meeting of the Whatever hindrances there are to learning, eurythmy, when General Anthroposophical Society. Eurythmy as Visible practiced well and over time, balances and harmonizes. Speech, Rudolf Steiner, Anastasi Ltd, Weobley, Eurythmy is much more powerful than we realize. The Herefordshire, 2005, page 186] entire etheric body is present when speaking the alphabet. The task of the teacher of eurythmy can be challenging. To quote Rudolf Steiner: “When the limbs execute irregular Classroom management is essential, yet it is the activity movements the soul begins to mumble; when the limbs per- itself that disciplines the student. Entering the room by form regular movements it begins to whisper: when the stepping the rhythm of the music challenges the students to limbs carry out the harmonious cosmic movements of the be fully present, listening and moving, until they all are universe, it even begins to sing. Thus the outward dancing breathing deeply. Eurythmy engages the will of the movement is changed into song and into music within.” students; music and the content of the stories and poems [From Rudolf Steiner. The Study of Man, Lecture X] speak to their feelings; memory and thinking capacities are I know eurythmists who ask the class teacher to speak developed through repetition of gestures and forms. for the eurythmy lessons. This works very well at assem- As eurythmy is an art form, it is essential for the blies and the students like to see their teachers collaborate. students to show their work. They develop a greater respect Another possibility is to have part of the class speak for the for the artistic process when they can experience this other, taking turns. This can become part of a class play. culmination of their work, by giving it away to an audience. Some eurythmists use music more than language; however Some classes are better than others at learning from it is speech that develops the ego. watching their classmates in eurythmy and the teacher must The question for all of us is how to find a balance in our watch for when they may be ready for this step. The Waldorf practice of teaching. Needless to say, the physical needs curriculum meets the children at each stage of development; must be met with plenty of sleep and a healthy diet. An this is a given. But it is an art to get to know a class, to guide anthroposophical doctor suggests eating the four parts of the them into a relationship with eurythmy. plant daily: roots for our nerve/sense organization; leaves Speaking, while doing eurythmy, is the most exhausting and stems for the rhythmic system; fruits and seeds for the part of our task, as we are splitting our own forces. It takes metabolic/limb system. practice to speak, and then do, but the students are usually Be sure to drink plenty of water after teaching, as it is fascinated and excited to hear the words of the gestures after more rejuvenating than a caffeine drink. And beware the they have seen them in silence. Children, who were unable chills as the weather turns cool. The silk scarf around the to imitate gestures, by the spring of second grade, become neck is not part of the uniform, but a protection of warmth engaged as they discover they can ‘read’ the gestures for the to ward away sore throats. As for the feet, many teachers use characters in a story or poem. When a teacher does strong orthotics in eurythmy slippers. The best cure for muscle gestures, the children’s eurythmy is just as strong. Once the aches is a hot magnesium salt bath, well known to all gestures are introduced, the question is when to step back. dancers. A healthy life is helped by maintaining a rhythmical life, as well. 30 Eurythmy Association of North America There are a few practices that I have found to be A tussle and struggle ensues, as the children rush to our helpful over the years. Every evening after I have planned truck. Each child wants to be the first to reach fingers right my lessons and pictured the classes of students for the next up to my white arm and touch. The race being over, dark day, I do the Zodiac in eurythmy and then the Evolutionary eyes aglow, an inevitable chorus of laughter and screaming Sequence on the Zodiac. This simple exercise gives breaks out, Muzungu, Muzungu! (Muzungu means white in formative substance, yet it seems to lift me into a restful the Luganda language of Uganda.) sleep. As we are evolving in time, this sequence also works This village, Nakuusi, is located about 220 kilometers in long-distance travel, and another benefit is that it allevi- southwest of Entebbe, a major city and the site of Uganda’s ates the affects from jet-lag, if it is practiced a few weeks international airport. Sylvia Namukasa, founder and before a flight. These are cosmic forces of the hierarchies director of KYEMPAPU (Kirinda Youth Environmental who stand behind the Zodiac. Management and Poverty Alleviation Program Uganda) had Just before I teach a nursery/kindergarten class, I do the organized three weeks of eurythmy movement workshops in exercise, “I behold” (Ich schaue auf), which I do slowly at the villages surrounding Nakuusi. least three times. It helps me to feel balanced, calm, and Of course I knew that these were innocent children and centered when entering the classroom. I also like to sing in that most of them had never seen a white person before. Just the car on my way to school; it warms my voice and pre- the same I had trouble getting used to their reaction. Even pares me inwardly to be receptive to the children. Before six-month-old babies, cradled in their mothers’ arms, would my classes in the Lower School, I will quickly jump through burst into tears as I approached. I felt horrible. I wanted to the positions for “I think speech.” This was how the be free of being reminded of a difference. I kept hoping we exercise was first given; the verse came later. could feel that: nothing separates us. Not only was this a Please ask a therapeutic eurythmist to show you the soul new experience for these children, it was also a new experi- exercises. Every person living today can find them helpful. ence for me. I was now in the minority. The deep rift and And with so many verses and meditations to practice, you significance of the words discrimination and race began to may find your own way. It was my teacher, Rene Querido, take root in my heart. No longer just words in the English who told us that the meditation that works the best, is the language, discrimination and race now had strong feelings one you practice. attached to them. I was experiencing being different. Teaching eurythmy can be exhilarating! As an artist, That initial feeling of isolation and being different was one never feels finished. As eurythmists, we know that we erased, one day, as if by magic. I had planned the eurythmy are working with the Hierarchies. Trust in the Creative class and had practiced the poems with my two Ugandan Word, the Logos, to sustain. Best wishes for your practice! translators, days prior to the actual workshop. Sylvia hadn’t Maria Ver Eecke expected so many children to join the Muzungu with her dance. In a large dirt opening outside the mud brick walls of MUZUNGU, MUZUNGU! a village school in Kabandiko, nearly 150 eager children Muzungu, Muzungu! Children scream as they touch my had gathered. white skin and run. Muzungu, Muzungu! After the children had formed a large circle in the mid- December, 2012, I am in Nakuusi, Uganda, a small dle of the open schoolyard, we began with a verse, “From African village, population 180. Early each morning I am the stars we have descended.” We then enacted a lively taken, along with Sylvia’s younger nieces, nephews, Russian folk tale which I had adapted for the occasion so cousins, brothers and sisters, in a rickety pickup to the day’s that the grandfather plants a cassava root instead of a beet eurythmy* movement class. Being the rainy season, the seed. Forty-five minutes in the morning sun, moving, laugh- roads are pitted with gullies and potholes. The children, ing, dancing with our limbs and feet, making speech visible. along with Sylvia, sit in the truck’s open bed; I am given the We then closed with a verse about how straight and tall we passenger seat in the cab. As bicycles, mopeds or walking can stand. In a gesture of silence we crossed our arms, rest- are the common means of transportation in this rural com- ing them on our chests. As we knelt on the dirt, I said, munity, the sound of a car or truck draws children out of “Listen to the birds.” Silence fell upon our large circle. mud huts. They are curious to see who and what is passing “Let’s guard all our secrets and wishes deep in our hearts.” by. Traveling at a snail’s pace over the challenging terrain The class ended, and we gathered under the huge and navigating our way between the ridges and holes in the umbrella of a mutuba tree for a photo shoot. We moved the road, the children can catch up to us. Our driver knows most pure vowel sounds of Uganda in eurythmy. U, g A n, d A. of the families en route, so we have even more reason to Marcus, a young boy, separated himself from the throng of make frequent stops, allowing for time to say “hello,” and children to present me with a gift. Extending his left hand, exchange tidbits about local news. he looked up. In the palm of his hand rested one egg. Its per- fect, elliptical, beige smoothness made the moment seem Eurythmy Association of North America 31 larger. We were touched by something greater than either of poem out loud. I taste the words. I let her words work in me. us, and we smiled. “I am very hungry. I am incomplete. / And none can tell Turning toward the pickup, I slowly began to gather my when I may dine again.” I try to allow that her experience things. Sylvia and her family returned to the open bed of the live in me, speak to me. In time I have begun to think the fol- truck. As we drove away from the school yard, the children lowing: Perhaps this is a way, perhaps this can help me dip waved from the road. They no longer screamed Muzungu deep and change the difference thing. Help me understand and ran; rather they waved and smiled. What seemed to race and discrimination. Help me clearly see the incidents separate us was gone. What we had exchanged belonged to and struggles in African American life. Help me move with all of us. Now we were people returning to our homes. a transformative light of empathy into this wound.” But that’s not the end of the story. New questions Gail Langstroth arose. How do I work with the layered and burdened his- tory of race and discrimination? How do I activate a Muzungu: Mathias strength that can truly climb into the situation? How do I Mugema, Sylvia’s enter into the core of difference and kindle understanding? younger brother, Upon returning to my home in America, I read informed me of the Toi Derricotte’s memoir history of this par- The Black Notebooks. ticular word for the She writes, “...We under- people of Uganda. stand that blackness is Muzungu is singular both real and unreal, that for a white person of it can’t be explained, any sex and Bazungu, the plural form. It was nailed down, or verified. adopted from the Swahili-speaking culture That it is an attribute out during Kenya’s fight for independence from of the body, slightly, like a the British in 1963. Kenya’s MAU MAU halo and therefore insub- Teaching the O rebellion drew its name from Swahili: stantial.” Using Toi Derricotte’s image I add, how do I Mzungu aende ulaya Mwafrika apate uhuru, reach past the “insubstantial...halo” of race and discrimi- meaning: whites should go back to Europe nation? How do I change something in myself? and Africans should become independent. The Luganda I asked the question, and began to try out the following language of Uganda adds the letter /U/ after the /M/ thereby exercise. I love poetry. It is an art form which plays an remaining true to the word’s original pronunciation. important role in my life. Alongside writing and reading Notes: Toi Derricotte, The Black Notebooks, An Interior poetry, I always keep at least one poem alive in my heart. I Journey (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, p. 182) memorize it. Many of the voices of both living and late Gwendolyn Brooks, Selected Poems (New York: Harper African American poets are an inspiration to me. Perennial, 1999) Recently I became aware of Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem, In May of 2014, Michael Simms, founder and editor for “MY DREAMS, MY WORKS, MUST WAIT TILL AFTER Autumn House Press, a small, well-established press based HELL.” This poem became my daily recitation and medita- in Pittsburgh, asked me to be a monthly contributor to his tion. After breakfast I listen to my own voice speaking the new online journal: Vox Populi Sphere. Here is my second article, Muzungu, Muzungu, which appeared in August. My Elders first article: The Named, The Nameless, can be read by visiting the vox website: www.voxpopulishpere.com. Any comments on the website itself are greatly appreciated. Teaching eurythmy in Kabandiko Thank you and enjoy! Warmly, Gail

gplcampostela @gmail.com

www.word- moves.com 32 Eurythmy Association of North America Bringing Eurythmy to a New Audience could bring a sense of form in the mood of Greece to our “You-with-Me?” surroundings. So I agreed to do it. One other factor is that I was first asked to do some- Something interesting, amusing and very enjoyable thing with and for Geo, Steve’s sidekick in the series which happened for me recently. In March I was asked if I would I understood would be a sample individual eurythmy consider taking part in a project that Steve Buscemi was therapy session. I realized that Steve would also want to working on. I appreciate the opportunity to share with you take part. Before I had fully formed my plan, I learned that how it came about that I decided to accept the invitation. he then had a few more people he would like to join us so it was becoming a group situation. It eventually turned into a workshop format with six men and myself doing eurythmy together in a park in Brooklyn! This included Steve, his brother, his father, two fellow actors from Boardwalk Empire, Geo and myself. I felt so fortunate that it turned out to be a most beautiful sunny day, and that they all were totally open and receptive to this movement form that they had never done before, and other than Steve, had not even heard of before. It was a total privilege and treat to do this – to talk with Steve Buscemi and Linda Larson Steve as we walked toward the park and to facilitate this group Eurythmy in the park. There was no script and we I had no idea at first what this was going to be, and I never sat on a park bench! We were moving the whole time! asked to receive some background information. I had met One thing of interest is that it was edited by producers Steve Buscemi at an event in the fall at Peter Max’s studio who did not know eurythmy and they inevitably took out and we talked about what we both do. When I was telling things I would have wanted to include. However, I think him about eurythmy he asked for my card which I gave him. they created a brief three-and-a-half minute segment from For months I heard nothing until a phone call in early March the nearly 30 minutes that we filmed, with a continuity to it, from his assistant about his project. This project turned out even though I know they took one line from one verse with to be an AOL web-series called “Park Bench” in which he a few lines from another verse and parts of other things. sits on a park bench and talks with various New Yorkers for After seeing it when it first aired on July 10, along with anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes about what they do, their other episodes of Park Bench, I realized that I was glad that life in New York, giving an idea of what is going on in New it was shorter rather than longer and that it did not “explain” York. I am just about the least known “quantity” in the but just gave a brief “experience” of eurythmy. I think this series with what I later discovered was a wide array of could have been the best way to go, especially for people guests from Chris Rock, Julian Schnable and Rosanne Cash, who did not know of eurythmy before viewing this Clip. to Dick Cavett, Joel Grey and our new NYC Mayor Bill de So thank you for letting me share with you this experi- Blasio, and more. ence and the process that brought it into being. Hopefully I My first question (to myself) was whether I should have answered some questions you may have had upon first agree to do eurythmy on a web-series since I have always hearing about the fact that I had taken part in this web- been very aware of the importance of doing eurythmy series. It definitely was a process. I was also noting that directly with someone with no media involved. After much eurythmy is already on the web in various ways, with consideration and more input from the producers, I decided eurythmy organizational websites and even a website for the that respect would be shown for our profession, for the New World Symphony Tour. I would very much like to eurythmy, and that this would be a wonderful opportunity to know your comments and impressions upon seeing the reach some people who may have never had the opportuni- eurythmy segment. The producers chose to title it, “You ty to meet eurythmy otherwise. With Me?” All the best to all of my colleagues – how Then when I was told where it would take place, in a much I appreciate your dedication to our profession, this park in Park Slope in Brooklyn, I again had hesitations since wonderful world of eurythmy! I do not practice eurythmy with groups in an outdoor setting Linda Larson and do not encourage people to do so. When the location Note from the Editor: Park Bench is still viewable on the they had chosen was described to me and that there were web for some time to come. If you haven’t seen it, go to columns in the Park, I said the only time I have done euryth- www.parkbenchtheshow.com, scroll down to the lower left my was in Greece, in the theatre at Epidaurus. It helped me corner and click on CLIPS, then look for the photo with the consider the idea more favorably, knowing that the columns title, “You With Me?” and click on the photo. Eurythmy Association of North America 33 In Sun Light and in Soul Light joined by her sister Jane and brother-in-law Kyle, who went The San Francisco Youth Eurythmy Troupe in Taiwan out of their way to help show us Taipei with typical February 13-22, 2014 “nothing-is-too-much-trouble” Taiwanese hospitality. Our Astrid Thiersch’s San Francisco Youth Eurythmy Troupe contingent of locals, together with our troupe mom, nurse, presented its nineteenth annual set of public performances and eurythmy enthusiast Caihong, guided us effortlessly, on January 28 and 29, 2014 to a total audience of about translating fluently and anticipating our needs. At dusk we eight hundred delighted people of all ages, from our own joined the throngs attending a major Lantern Festival, an San Francisco Waldorf community amazing display of hundreds of larger-than-life paper sculp- tures, from zodiac to horses to scenes and beyond. For many this is a much- Troupe at Taipei anticipated highlight, and each year from literature and film, all intricately we hear the comment, “that was the formed, brightly colored and lit from best one ever!” It seems like a kind of within. Our dreams were full of vivid small miracle in our time of material- impressions of this wonderful culture. ism that high school students contin- A free morning in Taipei led to ue to dedicate themselves whole- many discoveries – shops, monu- heartedly to eurythmy as a perform- ments, parks and gardens. An after- ing art, and indeed it is. In perform- noon bus ride through verdant hilly ance they put their soul forces com- country dotted with thousands of small pletely into the movement, and this, rice paddies brought us west to together with their youthful energy, is Taoyuan County and the Renmei highly inspiring to all who see it: it Waldorf School, perched on top of a speaks for the future. hill outside a small town. Renmei is a Astrid creates a new full-length public junior high school for grades 7- program each year, and this one had 9, which incorporated a Waldorf an Asian flavor because of our tour to stream from grades 1-9 five years ago; Taiwan. The tale was “The Spring of now it houses two schools on one large Butterflies”, the seniors performed a campus. There we were welcomed by piece from the Dao De Jing, and the Hsiao-Chen and school director Jacob, humoresque “Pulling Up Shoots” was who had organized everything beauti- the perfect Waldorf chengyu proverb. Steiner’s morning fully. After a short but enlivening verse for upper grades, a tribute to Mandela, a Beethoven rehearsal, the students were met by their school families for sonata, pieces by Prokofiev and Satie, and funny animal the first home-stay night. We felt centered and energized to poems rounded out the program for the tour. do eurythmy again – this is why we came! With one hundred eight costumes, hats, props, pins and Then came Performance Day, with four different shoes packed into four suitcases, we flew twelve hours from shows! When we saw the response of the children and San Francisco to Taipei, where we began our trip at a teachers to the eurythmy, we felt that all of the practice delightful hostel in Taipei City. The neighborhood was full learning this program was worthwhile. We performed three of bakeries, coffee houses, noodle shops, sushi bars, street short programs for various combinations of classes. The food stalls and more, our first clue that we were in a major teachers were beaming and the children entranced. Jacob “foodie” culture. The city abounds in beautiful temples, and thanked us for “bringing sunshine to the school”, and many we visited Longshan Buddhist Temple, which was decorat- teachers asked us to return. The students were hosted for ed with intricate and colorful paper lanterns for the end of lunch by various classes, and engaged in making traditional the New Year festival. It was an amazing spectacle, with the foods and decorations for Nián Jié, or Spring Festival, a grounds full of worshipers bringing fruit and burning thoughtful way of bringing the students together. incense, and chanting along with the monks. The evening performance was in a local theater—quite At the National Palace Museum we spent several hours beautiful and modern, with a perfect stage (just no colored in wonder at Chinese art and artifacts dating back through lights). The house was nearly full, with about 450 people! the dynasties and before: ancient inscriptions, bronzes, The students performed the full program with intensity and Buddhist sculpture, jewelry, painting, calligraphy, ceramics, beauty, and the audience was delighted. Jacob, in thanking glass art – it was astounding! High dumpling culture fol- us publicly at the end, declared that no one watching the lowed in Shilin, at a delicious birthday lunch for our dear performance could doubt the need for the school to expand Mandarin teacher and Taipei native, Yi-Hsing. We were to senior high school (grades 10-12). He also said that Waldorf education was able to turn teenagers into angels; if 34 Eurythmy Association of North America not literally true, there was the sense that eurythmy can day, and had time to play and chat. They received high reveal something of the higher, even divine aspect of the praise for their performances, and were like minor deities to human being. the little children. On our last morning, led by high school Ninth grade students and their teachers from Renmei director Yu-Dee, we all took a bus together to the National school took us on an outing the next morning, to a pictur- Center for Traditional Arts, a beautiful place dedicated to esque river town called Dasi. We shopped for souvenirs in Taiwanese arts like brick making, woodworking, calligra- the old town, then visited a large and magnificent temple, phy and painting, architecture, and clothing. The students about 150 years old, followed by hikes across a bridge and were able to wander about and get to know each other in a along the river bed, then bento box lunch (with dancing) very relaxed atmosphere and some glorious sunshine. overlooking the river. It was a beautiful way to further our An afternoon bus ride brought us back to Taipei, where new friendships. our hostel felt like home. Our evening activity was very A two-hour bus ride across the island brought us to the Taiwanese – buffet dinner and karaoke. The gods provided city of Yilan in northeast Taiwan, and the Ci-Xin Waldorf a beautiful day of clouds and sun for our next day zoo school in Dongshan, the oldest and largest in the country. outing; perhaps our good weather fortune came from the Teachers Hsiu-Ping and Ya-Chih were on hand, with smiles abundance of temples in Taipei. The Taipei zoo is justly and rosters. The school began in a large public school build- famous—large, shaded, diverse and well kept. A very ing (it receives state support), and has built a new wing and special event was riding the sky gondola up the mountains, a beautiful hall with a large stage, where we rehearsed while soaring silently and gaining a view of the whole city of a small army of parent volunteers ironed the costumes. Taipei embraced by lush mountains. In the evening we When all was ready, parents arrived with their students to attended a lively and professional Chinese opera perform- pick us up for another two-night home stay, and each meet- ance – a monkey king story with astonishing acrobatics. We ing was heartfelt. Several of their teachers took our teachers spent a sunny morning in the botanical gardens and art out to dinner, where we were delighted to be joined by Ya- museum before rocketing up the tallest building, Taipei 101, Chi’s partner, our good friend and China Waldorf mentor, for a fabulous view, then on to a celebratory buffet lunch so Ben Cherry. delicious and abundant that the airplane food to come did Then we were on to our second big performance day, not matter. Yi-Hsing’s family all came to the airport to see and the students pulled it off beautifully. We gave a morn- us off, presents in hand. ing performance for grades 1-6, with about 400 students, The Taiwanese culture seems to have absorbed the best and a second one for grades 7-12. The stage was spacious, influences from its neighbors: customs, colors and tastes allowing for full Beethoven movement, and the student from China, Japan, Thailand and the Philippines are all to be audiences were rapt. The teachers were very complimenta- seen and savored. Yet at the core there is something endur- ry and thankful – one eurythmy teacher was overjoyed to ingly Taiwanese, a relaxed enjoyment of life and warm hos- have the inspiration of our performances for her fledgling pitality born of true interest in the other and care for each high school eurythmy club. After dinner came the final per- visitor’s well-being. Here, as in other Asian cultures, formance of the full program for the parents, students and eurythmy is immediately appreciated and enthusiastically community. Our students truly rose to the occasion; pieces received. There is no critical-minded barrier as one can find like the morning verse and Dao de Jing resonated with in the West where so much movement is primarily physical, majesty, the tale sparkled, the humoresques were hilarious, like exercise and sports. For many centuries movement arts and the music pieces expansive and beautiful. Standing ova- in the East have been purposeful, healthful, and beautiful, tions from ninth and tenth grade boys may be a first! The relating the human being to nature and the cosmos. It seems program flowed easily, and the students truly put their that the Asian eye easily discerns the inner properties of hearts into it. Their host families eurythmy, and the question is not all attended, along with many Troupe at CiXin ‘why do you do it?’ but ‘can I do it children, teachers and some old too?’ We are immensely grateful to friends, and all were uplifted. Astrid for her inspired initiative, The students made mean- choreography and teaching, and to ingful connections with their our donors for their generous help, counterparts at Ci-Xin school, which have enabled us to bring the through wonderful home stays precious gift of eurythmy to yet and some delightful activities another part of the world. the teachers prepared for us. David Weber Our students joined their hosts in classrooms for lunch each [More photos on inside back cover.] Eurythmy Association of North America 35 Review of Project Zero Circle long colored silk on the floor. This was intended to “aug- In May 2014, Markus and Andrea Weder of Austin, ment” the mood imparted by lighting by bringing a “stroke Texas, together with speech artist Jeremiah Turner, of color” to the floor, much as cellist Jun Seo and violinist Risa Ando, brought their a painter might paint a single new eurythmy performance, Project Zero Circle, to line on a canvas. In the course Fair Oaks, California. I found it to be the most remark- of the evening, three more able eurythmy performance I have ever seen. silks were also laid on the Let me present a few disclaimers first. At 85 years floor, a tasteful and very sub- old, I certainly no longer belong to the younger gener- tle gesture that helped paint ation. I have had only limited formal education, and I the mood of the poems. have no musical talent to speak of. I love to paint, Although we are not used to however, and even more than that, I love to garden. I love seeing objects placed into the space in a eurythmy perform- colors, and I love living things. And I have been a lifelong ance, in this case I found what they brought was not at all student of Rudolf Steiner. gimmicky, but truly relevant. So what was it about this evening of eurythmy that The tankas were delightful. Some were humorous—as impressed me so much? The first part of the evening’s was the poem about a chicken taking a dust bath, or the old performance consisted chiefly of serious works by the poet man who mistakenly took his umbrella to a bicycle shop for Denise Levertov, interspersed with the movements of the repairs! Others were more serious, yet all were done with violin and cello duo Sonata by the French composer exquisite artistry, and every single gesture was a perfect Maurice Ravel. embodiment of a sound of language. Nothing was extra, The eurythmists entered the performance space from nothing was contrived: everything was lawful yet beautiful- the front. From their very first steps, we could experience ly original. with how much love and how much presence of conscious- Also I want to comment on the costumes, for although ness they indwelled the space. Their faces were very neu- some of the costume choices were surprising, I experienced tral, and very open, and we could see how their ears were them all to be perfect choices. For instance, Andrea wore a opened wide to hear what lived or what was to come in the very bright red dress for a poem about a garden. Upon space. The connection between the two of them, and from reflection, I realize that I instantly experienced in myself the the two of them to the audience, was palpable. Then the counter image of green in my own soul as I watched her recitation began, and with articulate movements they move in red! brought the pictures of the poetry to life. It was, however, the eurythmists’ presentation of the Beginnings solo cello work by Sofia Gubaidulina that most impressed But we have only begun to love the earth. me. This is music that I would never listen to in my own We have only begun to imagine the fullness of life. personal life. It is harsh and grating, sometimes shrill, usu- How could we tire of hope? So much is in bud. ally a-rhythmical. In many parts of the score, the composer How can desire fail? —We have only begun merely indicated to the player that s/he should improvise for to imagine justice and mercy, only begun to envision a few seconds, before continuing to play the scripted music. how it might be to live as siblings with beast and flower, The eurythmists thus had to work in an active dialog with not as oppressors. the cellist during the performance, “intuiting” with him in Denise Levertov the moment what notes he would play! The music was an intimate conversation between And as I watched and listened, I had the ever-present two instruments, and as the two eurythmists moved it experience: This is where humanity is NOW! This is what together, I could see the conversation of the cello and violin we have to hear, with all of its dissonances and strained har- imprinted into the space in front of me. The eurythmists’ monies and rhythms, because this is the perfect expression gestures were articulate and graceful, corresponding of the stretching and straining we are all going through now! exactly to what I was hearing. I have seen quite a few eurythmy performances n my In the second half of the performance, the eurythmists life, and enjoyed most of them. Yet usually, the memory of chose to do a series of Japanese Tankas, short poems with them was usually gone the next morning. This one powerful symbolic or metaphorical images, accompanied continues even now—days later—to stay with me. And as it by solo cello works by contemporary Russian composer goes through me again and again, I continually feel, “This Sofia Gubaidulina. is eurythmy for the future. This is what eurythmy is It was this second half of the performance that I found evolving into, and it is beautiful.” most riveting. The performers began by simply laying a Johanna Frouws, Fair Oaks, CA 36 Eurythmy Association of North America Appreciation of Sound Circle Eurythmy ENSEMBLE Austin Eurythmy Ensemble Imagination in Practice – Practice in Imagination Having just gotten the news that Andrea and Markus Weder Despite many challenges faced this year, SCE once again of Austin Eurythmy have made the decision to return to had very successful performances in Colorado. Before Europe after 25 years of work in the U.S., I feel called to sharing mostly about the touring program, which (as in pre- express heartfelt thanks to them for all they have done for vious years) was our largest activity, it is worth noting some our art in that time. Through their tireless and dedicated of the smaller performances we gave. work they have helped spread understanding of, and appre- As in the past several years, our performance year ciation for eurythmy to countless people across the country. began with our annual All Soul’s celebration on November As their letter summarized, they did “twelve extensive 2. With the all-but total demise of any real anthroposophical U.S./Canada tours, two European tours... a wide array of group in Boulder, Sound Circle Eurythmy has basically annual public performance activities and many outreach ini- taken on the responsibility of creating this festival each tiatives in Austin… nine years [leading] the Austin Youth year. The well-attended event was particularly poignant this Eurythmy Troupe, including tours in the U.S. and Europe year, in that it was the very evening on which David Blair; and hosting the International High School Eurythmy our dear friend, colleague, sometime speaker, and husband Festival in 2004 in Austin… five intensive Summer of one of our Ensemble members, passed away. And his Eurythmy Academies… and graduating the impulse.euryth- enormous spirit was very much present that night! my International Eurythmy studies…” The annual Dance is for Every Body event at the This is an impressive and Boulder Public Library followed immediately, and was once profound record of unending again a chance to put eurythmy right into the heart of the hard work, love, and commit- contemporary dance/movement world, sandwiched between ment to both eurythmy and its tap dancers and belly dancers! development on this continent. While we had originally planned to create a major tour, Thank you for everything, incorporating a full evening program as well as a middle/high school program in addition to a children’s pro- gram; we postponed these plans due to the decreased size of the Ensemble and the devastating effects of the huge flood which struck Boulder in September. In the end, we enlisted our about-to-be graduating fourth-year students to once again enhance the Ensemble (as they already had done last year too) to create our new children’s program, Celtic Andrea and Markus – and may Treasures. your work continue unabated and About half of the program consisted of small pieces of with equally powerful effects in poetry and music from Scotland, Ireland, and Wales (or Europe! artists whose heritage was Celtic). These included The David-Michael Monasch Skye Boat Song, A Minor Bird by Robert Frost, Si Bheag Si Mhor, and The Rune of the Four Winds by Fiona Macleod It is with great sadness that we heard that Andrea and (performed only when there were older children in the audi- Marcus Weder, and with them the Austin Eurythmy ence!). The other half of the performance was the delight- Ensemble, will be leaving the US. The embattled art of ful The Faerie’s Gift by Tanya Batt, accompanied by a eurythmy in the US is losing two people who have made selection of Celtic music. As often in our performances, we eurythmy in many of its aspects, but first and foremost also featured our musician and speakers in solos of their eurythmy as a stage art, the central concern of their lives own, which always brings a lively shift of the energy and and have an impressive roster of activities, enthusiastic focus to the whole event. students, supporters, audiences and alumni to show for it. The Celtic Treasures tour was spread out over almost It is good to hear that they plan to continue to unfold five weeks, during which time we gave twelve performanc- their initiatives in Switzerland, though it is a great loss for es (plus a Benefit!) in seven venues, performing for just the work here. With great appreciation of all they have under 2000 children, parents, and teachers. brought during this last quarter century and the very best In a few of these venues, we once again also featured chil- dren from local Waldorf (or Waldorf-inspired charter) wishes for their work in their new surroundings. Sheila Shapiro with her Barbara Schneider-Serio schools. This time, instead of being part of our fairy tale, daughter Nalina For the Faculty and Staff at Eurythmy Spring Valley they performed a piece of their own, practiced with their Eurythmy Association of North America 37 own eurythmist, as a kind of entre-acte for the rest of the Sound Circle Eurythmy Update performance. It was, as always, thrilling for them to be part 2013-14 ENDING of the show, and delightful for us to experience their enthu- The end of the last school year was a particularly important siasm! one for SCE, in that it saw the first graduation from our full- Indeed, experiencing the gift and sustenance which time Training program. The four Aspen students did their eurythmy brings was perhaps more profound than ever in Graduation program What’s in the Wind? on May 31 in the this year’s tour. This was probably especially perceptible High School Assembly Hall at Shining Mountain Waldorf because we performed in several venues (indeed towns!) School. Knowing it was already pre-booked and over full, where eurythmy has never been seen before. While some of the Dress Rehearsal the day before was also opened up, and us might have had a bit of trepidation before going to these just enough people came to allow everyone who wanted to places, it soon evaporated in the fact of the joy and appreci- witness this special moment to do so. ation, which streamed toward us from precisely those new A week after the Aspen graduation, the Second-Year audiences of both children, teachers, and parents! class (Borealis) shared their End-of-the Year Recital, and To give a little sense of our touring experience this year, many who were seeing them for the first time, became here are just a few glimpses: excited about watching this second cohort grow over the A mother to her 8-year-old eurythmist (participating in next two years! the show): “Honey, I’m so proud of you. I really enjoyed After a much-deserved break, the Aspen reconvened in watching you dance today.” The child: “Thanks, Mama; but, the middle of June to prepare for their visit to the it’s not really dancing; it’s more like soaring . . . like a bird!” Goetheanum for the Graduation Meeting (Abschlusstreffen). A honky-tonk piano at a brand-new Waldorf-inspired Knowing they only had 20 minutes to perform, only four charter school at the first-ever eurythmy performance in the group pieces from What’s in the Wind were selected for town — fine for jigs and reels, not so much for more subtle their sharing, as well as the Soul Calendar verse they’d pre- pieces! pared, which was to come in a separate performance. The A eurythmist falls down in the middle of her solo, and Aspen were part of the first evening performance, which pops back up so that, if you’d blinked you’d never have began with the graduates from Tokyo and ended with those even noticed it! from Stuttgart. While Many young children in the audience of an estab- there, we had inspir- lished Waldorf school gently singing along to The ing meetings with Skye Boat Song — hauntingly beautiful! Silvia Bauer who A missed entrance leaves a eurythmist onstage played Maria in the doing loop-de-loops until she is finally joined by her Mystery Plays for missing partner! many years; and Herr The sound of a collective ‘aha’ when a whole Feuerstack with his audience gets the solution to the riddle posed in The scale model of the Faerie’s Gift. First Goetheanum, on Beautiful small public theatre; back after a year’s which he has worked absence for two sold-out performances; a markedly David-Michael (L), Aspen, Glenda (R) for some 20 years! different response — open, warm, engaged, moved. (Pictured here.) So many helping hands showing up at the last minute to 2014-15 BEGINNING save some near-disasters. Working together, the SCE Ensemble and Third-Year class Our new portable stage curtains help create magic (Borealis) have just completed performing “The Rock spaces in unlikely places! Spring Wonder” (Quellenwunder) scene from The Soul’s Colcannon — an Irish stew, is also a featured song from Probation for the Denver Anthroposophical Society’s our marvelous speaker, and the recipe is given out in every Michaelmas Festival (and we will repeat the performance at program. (“Yum, I love mashed potatoes” comes a little our annual Fall Benefit on November 22, which will be an boy’s shout from the back of one auditorium!) evening of storytelling featuring Susan Strauss from Oregon Fourth-Year students (Aspen class) reflect on being part and Rose Red Elk from Denver). We are also excited to of such a tour for the second time: how much easier every- have been asked to give a presentation at the Colorado thing is, how much more confident they all feel, what a Sacred Dance Guild on November 1, and then we’ll do our revelation it is to experience how essential is eurythmy, and annual All Soul’s Celebration on November 2 and public that they are helping it to come alive in Colorado! presentation as part of the Boulder Library’s Dance is for David-Michael Monasch Every Body event. 38 Eurythmy Association of North America We are also just beginning to work toward our next Eurythmy Spring Valley children’s program tour for March-April, 2015, with Earth, Welcome to the 2014 - 2015 School Year Water, Air, and Fire as the theme. Looking ahead even further, we are planning to do more full-scale tours of a Barbara Schneider-Serio bilingual program (English and Spanish) in 2015 and 2016, We opened this school year after a memorable summer, with potential venues throughout Colorado, in Southern when the four Mystery Dramas were performed on our cam- California, and even possibly Mexico! And we are particu- pus, with most of our eurythmy students and stage group larly excited that the Borealis students will take part in members taking part in the productions. It was truly an many of these events! Such repeated ‘apprenticeship’ unforgettable experience for all involved, whether on the participation by the stage or in the audience. Later in August, we had a three- Aspen class proved a week finishing block in our pedagogical eurythmy training wonderful learning with our rising fourth year students and recent graduates. experience for them Added to that we had a pedagogical refresher course for and was much appre- eurythmy teachers and the second and third year students ciated by everyone. started their pedagogical journeys in the first week of September. Guiding these courses were master teachers; Laura Radefeld, Susan Eggers, Raymonde Fried, Susanne Zipperlin and Leonore Russell. Finally on September 8th, we had a festive opening to On another front, and welcome the first year students from Taiwan, Korea and following the success Canada, the second year students, including a new student SCE has had in opening from China, the third year with new students from Taiwan some of its adjunct and Germany and the fourth year, a trio. Our part-time courses to interested Frontier group will be joining us later in October, just after members of the public, we plan to continue this community we have completed hosting the two-week Oslo B. A. service, which provides support to the SCE Training while Program Course, led by Coralee Fredrickson and Michael also brings aspects of anthroposophy and Walbe Parzival, Leber. The stage group, presently with seven members, has Choir, Mandala –Living the Circle, and Painting; as well as been deeply involved in preparing four fairy tales from the a Stage Lighting Conference with Thomas Sutter from Mystery Dramas, as well as some of the more involved Dornach. eurythmy roles, such as Lucifer, the Soul Force Astrid, the Now, having gone through the fire of our first gradua- Double and the Guardian of the Threshold. We are now tion, we are encouraged and excited to have just begun picking up and preparing programs for All Soul’s, The SCE‘s fifth year of training, with our four full-time students Foundation Stone Meditation, various conferences, many in their third year and six students in our new Intensive local performances, and lower, middle and high school Course. And, as we have already begun to receive inquiries programs for Waldorf Felicia tells a fairy tale from potential students interested in creating a new class, so in Portal of Initiation we are considering offering a new First-Year course in schools. September 2015, instead of waiting until 2016 as planned. It promises to As we look be an exciting back, and also year! proceed into the future, we are deeply apprecia- tive of the sup- port of members of our local community, the work of our incredibly dedi- cated Board, grants and help from EANA and others, as well as enthusiastic supporters of eurythmy and anthroposophy throughout the country and world! The Rock Spring Wonder David-Michael Monasch from The Trial of the Soul Eurythmy Association of North America 39 Eurythmy Educates – A New Project Underway at trainees and work in collaboration with the local eurythmist. Eurythmy Spring Valley In November, 2014, we look forward to launching this new As we shared in the last EANA newsletter, Eurythmy offering at the Cincinnati Waldorf School in collaboration Spring Valley is developing a project for teachers and par- with Connie Michael and the Center for Anthroposophy. ents active in the Waldorf movement now. The project came If you are interested in learning more about the project, about when we began to see full-time eurythmy positions in please give Beth Dunn-Fox a call at 845-352-5020 ext. 11, Waldorf schools declining, due to schools reducing their or email: [email protected]. Beth Dunn-Fox eurythmy positions from full to part-time or short blocks. To address this growing concern, our project is focused on forging new connec- tions with the current generation of teach- ers and parents, many of whom are com- mitted to the deep values in Waldorf edu- cation. Through stimulating a wider dia- logue about eurythmy’s role in the Waldorf educational process, we want to encourage greater understanding for why eurythmy is essential in the daily work of a Waldorf school. We are currently developing the tools Linling Xing, Patti Regan, Karen Gallagher, Marta Stemberger (back row) to provide an opening for this dialogue, Nazanin Kanani, Binhui Xu (front row, left to right) all of which tell the story of the child’s experience at each age, their developmental milestones, how the curriculum Graduates of Eurythmy Spring Valley 2014 works hand-in-hand with the child’s growth process and Karen Gallagher is enrolled in the B.A. Program with the what the eurythmy actually does to foster the child’s devel- University College of Eurythmy and will take up post-grad- opment. uate work at ESV in the Winter term, 2015. Nazanin Kanani is enrolled in Rockland Community College in Suffern, NY. Eurythmy Educates – Project Highlights: Patti Regan teaches eurythmy at the Rudolf Steiner School, The video segment of our educational project includes pro- Great Barrington, MA. Marta Stemberger participates with ducing thirteen, seven-minute videos that tell the story of eurythmy at the Branch in NY City and has been observing the child’s unfolding development through time, from Leonore Russell’s eurythmy classes at Adelphi University. Kindergarten through twelfth grade. We plan to produce Linling Xing is working with Kairos Zentrum für four of the thirteen videos over the next twelve months, Eurythmie with Ursula Zimmermann in Dornach. Finally, focusing on the change years: Kindergarten (change of Binhui Xu has returned to her homeland, China, and has teeth), third grade (nine year old change), seventh grade begun to teach at the Chengdu Waldorf School. The Editor (birth of adolescence) and tenth grade (birth of the soul). We are very excited to be partnering with teachers in Green Meadow Waldorf School, as well as seasoned teachers in other schools, to develop scripts for these videos. Ultimately, they will be packaged as an educational series for anyone interested in the relationship between child development, the Waldorf curriculum and eurythmy. Last summer, we launched a pilot program with Sunbridge Institute Teacher Training Program, to provide an experiential walk through the Waldorf curriculum via eurythmy, for teacher trainees in their summer training blocks. These first sessions at Sunbridge Institute, led by Laura Radefeld and Maria Ver Eecke, provided a promising B. A. Completion Course, July 2014 step toward future courses of this kind. University College of Eurythmy, Oslo, Norway This fall we are offering new parent-teacher education Master teachers Coralee Schmandt (left, back row) evenings to Waldorf schools that we visit on tour. These and Michael Leber (third from left, back row) events are modeled after the courses developed for teacher Speaker and pianist standing on far right 40 Eurythmy Association of North America Eva Lunde Celebrated Her 100th Birthday on April 12! Eva Lunde is the sister of Kari Lunde Van Oordt, who Reprinted from Anthroposophy Worldwide, May 2014 was a eurythmist and teacher at Rudolf Steiner School, Translated by Dorothea Mier NYC, and at the School of Eurythmy, Spring Valley, NY. Eva Lunde was born into a large family, as the seventh child The Editor of ten, in Lillehammer, Norway. Already in her fifteenth year, she was sent to the Friedwart School in Dornach. After Letters from Members and Friends four years, she started in the Eurythmy School. After com- pleting her training, she stayed for a while in Dornach and Jonathan Snow writes from the Toronto Waldorf took active part in the stage work; she also was allowed to School: Last June, the usual busyness was punctuated by a take part in the Faust performances under Marie Steiner’s joint project between the Halton Waldorf School students, direction. grades 6, 7, 8, and the Toronto Waldorf School grade 7, and For Eve Lunde, eurythmy was closely connected to the high school performance group. This collaborative pro- poetry, and she found that the poems of the Norwegian duction of Beethoven’s Sonata in E-flat major op. 31/3 was poets, such as Henrik Ibsen would be a good foundation for the inspiration of Maria Helms. the art of eurythmy, which also applies to Norwegian folk With the different classes taking on a movement each, tales. For Eva Lunde, it became an important task to inte- we planned performances at both schools. Unfortunately, grate eurythmy into the Norwegian language. the performance at Halton was cancelled due to a massive During the Second World War, Eva Lunde lived in snow storm that shut down the whole region. (It takes a lot Sweden and worked in a home for handicapped children in of snow to force highway closure in Canada!) But the TWS Järna. Already before the war, she had participated in performance happened on schedule in front of the whole eurythmy performances in Mikael-gården in Järna, together school, and then some. Olivia Hannah enthusiastically with Elena Zuccoli. In the autumn of 1946, she started her organized for most of the Toronto Waldorf Academy chil- work as a eurythmy teacher in The Rudolf Steiner School in dren to come see the event. Major undertakings like these Oslo. In the evenings after her schooldays, she gave cours- displace a lot of regular scheduling in a school, and we were es for adults. Together with the eurythmist Meta Aukrust very grateful for the support of faculty and parents. At the and a number of other people, she put on eurythmy end of the day, a third-grade student came to me as I was on performances. Also she gave lessons in many public duty outside, and said: “Whoa, that was really cool!” That schools. She was even offered a full-time position there, was my favorite review. which she declined for the sake of her other commitments. On the artistic front, Northern Star Eurythmy continues Speech eurythmy was Eva Lunde’s main task. She had to work together and perform in festivals and conferences an especial love and special interest in Alliteration, about around the Toronto area. There has been some comings and which she wrote a book that has been translated into goings, but we have been fielding seven eurythmists for per- German. From time to time, actors came to Oslo from formances even when some members were temporarily Dornach and worked on Rudolf Steiner’s Mystery Dramas incapacitated in one karmic way or another! with a group of amateurs. Eva Lunde played the part of Maria. Ruth Unger carried this work for many years. From Eurythmists at Green Meadow Waldorf School In later years, Eva Lunde was active with therapeutic Laura Radefeld, Cezary Ciaglo, and Hilary Alexanian, are eurythmy. As an example of her all roundedness, it can be eurythmy faculty at Green Meadow Waldorf School, mentioned that she took part in the puppet shows for the Chestnut Ridge, NY. Marie-Eve Piche, a post-graduate stu- Christmas Bazaar in the school. dent at ESV in pedagogical eurythmy, developed her teach- In her retirement, Eva Lunde, together with Jürgen ing skills with the high school classes at Green Meadow, Kroft, founded the Norwegian Eurythmy School. After a attended Sunbridge Institute courses, worked with The few years, Margrethe and Trond Solstad took over the lead- Study of Man in independent study and now teaches middle ership of the school and most of the teaching. Eva Lunde school students in a Waldorf School in Paris, France. still gave lessons, especially on Alliteration. Her interest The re-introduction of therapeutic eurythmy into the and insight into Alliteration and The Poetic Edda made her school under Hilary Alexanian’s guidance has been a wel- a sought-after teacher for European stage groups and come addition for many students Early Childhood through schools of eurythmy. HS. Cezary continues to teach early childhood through We congratulate Eva Lunde on her birthday with deep- seventh grade—the growing Early Childhood program now est gratitude for the great and important work which she has has six classes of children, including two classrooms at the done for eurythmy, both pedagogical and artistic. She cele- Fellowship Farm. Laura Radefeld teaches eighth through brated her day with her friends and family. twelfth grade students. Annually the spring brings a week of Nora Aanonsen, Oslo, Norway,and Sølvi Sørum, Norway eurythmy festivities, including the school festival for grades Eurythmy Association of North America 41 five through twelve, and an eleventh grade evening solo As I watch the superbly choreographed flight of a flock of program. This year the school will also see performances by birds moving as one organism, I know there is something I Eurythmy Spring Valley. Lastly, Advent of 2014 and this cannot see that communicates to each bird the synchronized coming Advent season the full faculty of Green Meadow timing of the flock’s motion. will study the Foundation Stone Meditation with Eurythmy Through our eurythmy exercises during the AWSNA Spring Valley performing the meditation in the faculty study workshop, I saw how different “organisms” attuned to a time and Dorothea Mier leading the faculty in a workshop common voice, how they could come together in a seeming- exploration of the mantram. We are blessed indeed! ly random fashion to produce a more complex synchronized To be of the Earth is to know higher “organism” that was as attuned to that common voice the restlessness of being a seed, as the individual “organisms”. In the same manner that a the darkness of being planted, choir’s voices meld to produce overtones that no one voice the struggle toward the light, could ever produce, I saw how the combination of many the decay of the seasons, individual groups could combine into one group to form an the mystery of death and “organism” that was more than the sum of its parts. the miracle of birth.” ― John Soos Through this exercise I could see the “overtones” of choreographed dance, which are synchronized with an inner Andrea Baker writes: Aloha from beautiful Maui! I have voice and in this way “see” that inner voice. Just as the been teaching full time at the Haleakala Waldorf School this wafting wheat field “shows” the wind, so eurythmy year and it’s been quite amazing! The campus is unparal- “shows” me the spirit and the laws guiding us. leled in its beauty and breathtaking view, which graces the Donald Griswold, physics teacher, faculty lounge and lanai. My accompanist, Peiling Lin, is a Lake Champlain Waldorf High School remarkable woman who delights the children with her beautiful music. As a matter of fact, it has happened more A letter from Susan Eggers to Raymonde Fried, after than once that upon greeting me, a child calls me Ms. meeting at the Regional Delegates meeting in the spring. Peiling! The children are enjoying their exploration of Hi Raymonde, I am enjoying my fourth year at the WS eurythmy as a new program this year with lessons once a of Princeton, teaching eurythmy in the kindergartens and in week. The community is warm and open with a real ground- grades 1-8. I enjoyed welcoming two fourth-year students ing in Hawaiian culture. There are two other eurythmists on from Eurythmy Spring Valley for their teaching practicums. Maui, Sherri Reiner and Michael Hughes whom I have A highlight of this fall was hosting the Pennsylvania known for some weeks now. They offer a weekly public Eurythmy Ensemble for school performances during their Eurythmy class and I am delighted with the opportunity to 30th anniversary tour. The group was a joy to host, with move with others. It has been a remarkable year of opportu- their superb organization and planning. With their own nity and growth for both myself and the students, and I backdrop, wings and lighting system, they quickly trans- couldn't be more grateful! formed our space into a performance-worthy venue. The two programs, for younger children and for the middle Participatnt at Northeast Regional AWSNA Conference grades, were perfect in mood and content for our students, After a eurythmy workshop at the Northeast Regional who eagerly received the stories. Our community enjoyed AWSNA Conference at High Mowing School in November hosting the troupe, who were easy to plan for, and we look 2010, Donald Griswold, physics teacher in the Lake forward to hosting them again! Thanks so much, Susan Champlain Waldorf High School, got into conversation with Barbara Richardson, the Center’s Coordinator of Victoria Sander writes: For those who were not aware, Foundation Studies and a practicing eurythmist. At I’ve spent the last few years, since January of 2011, doing Barbara’s prompting, Donald offered some written artistic work in Dornach. For the first six months, thanks to reflections on his experience. a research grant through the Performing Arts Section of the What did I see that helped me understand what School for Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum, I was eurythmy is about? I am a physicist and see the world made studying and also recording Rudolf Steiner’s indications for up of many physical systems operating in concert with the eurythmy in Faust, as it was then later passed down many other physical systems governed by unseen natural through the generations. My work with many of the older laws. As an amateur astronomer, I know that the orbits of eurythmists who performed Faust for twenty or thirty years, the planets in our solar system, the positions of the stars in was compiled into written form (as well as presented in a the evening sky, and the many periods of time (day, months, talk/eurythmy demonstration in Dornach), and will be years, seasons) are determined by the motion of these plan- available through the Section at the Goetheanum in English etary motions ruled by underlying laws that are not obvious. for those interested. 42 Eurythmy Association of North America Beginning in September 2011, I joined the newly EANA website. It describes the remarkable and joyful formed Goetheanum Eurythmy Ensemble under the leader- developments in my work in eurythmy since beginning my ship of Margrethe Solstad, and continued to perform with re-approach to it a year and a half ago, which has involved them through the spring of 2014. This incredibly rich jour- laying a new foundation for that work. ney for which I am so grateful, also deserves a more lengthy My background before studying eurythmy was in and thoughtful article, which I very much look forward to English Literature and Music. I served as a pianist for the getting to write for the newsletter in the near future as well. other classes in the School of Eurythmy, Spring Valley, NY, Why am I so busy now?! I moved back to the United States during my attendance there and I worked with third- and at Easter time and promptly became pregnant. Jordan fourth-year students on their tone eurythmy solos and Walker (my patient and generous partner over these many performed these pieces with them. These were wonderful years) and I will welcome our first child during the Advent experiences. My class, ‘I’ Course, was the ninth class to season. We certainly have a lot to pull together in terms of graduate from the school. this new life-changing process, and have chosen During my first three years out, I taught public classes Harlemville, New York, as our family’s first home. I am in Speech Eurythmy; but even though I know that in what sometimes overwhelmed by the wealth that this life bestows I offered I was a good teacher, I wasn’t able to embody upon me; never a dull moment, never a question of not eurythmy at all well enough to command the respect for it enough artistic work! A part of my heart remains in that I felt it deserves. This situation was upsetting for me, Dornach, but my feet are now gladly here, slowly knowing because my background was suited to working with adults it is all right. Whatever the future holds, I hope to support in the public and in colleges and that is where I might have eurythmy in ever new ways, listening to how I can be of been able to do the finest work; but I simply couldn’t service. I think of you all with great warmth, and send my continue. encouragement towards all the work you do, during this Two questions ached in me all these years: What is it Michaelmas time. If you would like to be in touch, contact that I lack? And even if I knew what I lacked, how would I me at [email protected]. find remedy for it, to supply what I need? The answer to my first question is this: I knew in my Szilvia Budai writes: Two years ago I moved to the Santa heart and mind that I had not personally verified the Cruz area, where Camphill Communities California had just foundation of Speech Eurythmy – the gestures for the completed its Paloma Hall, and, by their words, were now speech sounds. I realized that for me, this lack was a huge ready for Eurythmy. It sounded unbelievable, but turned out stumbling block in bringing anything at all of eurythmy to to be true, and it is a testament to the appreciation and sup- the public. My aim, therefore, was to become fit to find the port that the has shown to our art for gestures and the figures out of my own being and to over 70 years. I have been working with almost everyone in corroborate what Steiner pointed to with these figures. I the community, in different groups: friends with and know that this is a tall order; but it is the order of the day in without special needs, young and old, seasoned anthro- the Age of Michael. I would try. posophists with a love for eurythmy or students of the My research report details the process I have been Camphill Academy, which is the formal, college-level train- following to fulfill that aim and the marvelous role that the ing in Curative Education and Social Therapy in North “Speech Sound Etudes©” are playing in that work. These America. Once a week a small, but steady group from the are poetic miniatures, summoned into being as my response Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay Branch gathers to explore the to Steiner’s advice to Lori Smits – that she “should do eurythmy form for the Calendar of the Soul. Recently, two speech exercises. Speak sentences which had only one graduates of the Mount Shasta training settled in the area, vowel” and try to dance them. She did not find speech and we have been engaging in artistic work together, and sound gestures through the sentences she wrote, but the sharing it during festivals and gatherings. Paloma Hall has a gestures can be found this way; powerfully. In my report I small, but inviting stage, with an open, warm audience – describe how this has developed and where I am in my this is an encouragement to those who may have a program progress; and I begin to share these wonderfully evocative to share – if so, contact me! Sylvia and helpful Etudes on all of the speech sounds. They have a life of their own to live in the world, like all poetic works. I Announcing am sending them forth to do their work with others, just as The Speech Sound Etudes they are doing so beautifully with me. “Holy hermits harken to helio-halo harmonies humming.” Feeling the Gestures and Finding the Figures “Soft silky seals sink and surface silently.” A Detailed Research Report by Kate Reese Hurd Kate Reese Hurd, My report with the above title will be appearing at the High Falls NY Eurythmy Association of North America 43 BOOK Releases Weekend Intensive – Public Eurythmy Course ADAM’S ALPHABET by Reg Down Once more, there is an opportunity to make or renew your Eurythmists, and those interested in a view of language acquaintance with eurythmy, the art of movement inaugu- informed by an anthroposophical view point, might find my rated by Rudolf Steiner. With it we can become 'visible new title, Adam’s Alphabet, interesting. It is a literary jour- speech and singing' and express our inmost relationship ney through the alphabet in imaginative form, touching on with the Word in movement. The course in speech eurythmy the outer and inner aspects of each ‘letter-sound’. Even will be lead by Annelies Davidson again. This time she will though I have been aware of and have worked with the explore the foundation of Spoken Sound in gesture and has sounds of speech in eurythmy for decades, I was surprised chosen Samuel Menashe as the poet-guide. Elsa Macauley by what revealed itself when I ‘told’ the alphabet as a con- will lead the course in tone eurythmy, in which is mirrored tinuous tale. The alphabet is not at all random ... which we the human soul by means of melody, rhythm and beat. know … but to see its finer structures and rhythms was a Enrich the season with refreshing and meaningful encoun- wonderful experience. It truly is a living organism, an ‘ini- ters, meeting fellow participants and Lady Eurythmy tiation’ process, a revealer of the forces of nature and the herself...! human being in body, soul and spirit. True, it is a little tat- Everyone is welcome as always. Friday-Sunday, tered and beaten up from all the various linguistic streams October 24-26, 2014. School of Eurythmy, Chestnut Ridge, flowing into English, but still, within the tattered coat there NY. $225 (sliding scale available). is no tramp but a being quite extraordinary. Paperback, 9 x 6, 140 pages, available on Amazon, $14.85 The Tide is Turning – Eurythmy Spring Valley Ensemble Performance CHILDREN AND NATURE: MAKING CONNECTIONS The Eurythmy Spring Valley Ensemble’s new evening pro- George K. Russell, editor gram, The Tide is Turning, is one full of history, rich with Published by The Myrin Institute sacred colors of identity. In the opening corridor of the pro- Twelve essays about how children’s connection with gram’s journey, a modern re-imagination of Chief Seattle’s nature can be enriched and enhanced in an age of digital words of 1854 brings an old question: what is our human media. A refreshing variety of perspectives and useful belonging? Our ancient ancestry invites us into a universe of strategies for accomplishing this are included. interconnection, with the manifold ways for the healing of This collection of twelve essays has been assembled out this sacred Earth as our bearing. In Mary Oliver’s Wild of a concern that many young people in America have little Geese, discovery lifts us like the geese that flock together contact with the world of nature. The essays aspire to and pass over us in their great transportations homeward. awaken in readers the wish to assist young people by With the poem Sweet Honey in the Rock, the hatred and guiding them to what lies outside their front door or in a suffering that whither us down like vultures can also allow local park or woodland, and that true nature experience will us to create an unbounded, living light. In the second half of come to replace what is surely a powerful form of addiction, the performance, darkness returns, now humorously. In a dependency on text messages, e-mails and videos and a Portia Nelson’s Autobiography in Five Short Chapters, torrent of unreal, virtual images. A challenge stands holes lure us in, unexpectedly, and haunt us when we can’t squarely before us: How can we begin to address the find our way out—of always the exact same hole! Angelic malaise of indifference to nature so widespread among our fabrics of purity and lightness in Shostakovich’s A Major young people? Prelude and Fugue then help us out of the hole, and H. D. Paperback $14.00 from http://www.myrin.org/ then exhilarates us with her absolving words from our dark- ness into light: “…coals for the world’s burning, for we Events at Eurythmy Spring Valley must go forward.” Finally, the birth of a new form of musi- cal expression in Chopin’s Ballade in g minor serves as an Workshop with Dorothea Mier for Professional advancing flame of sobering vehemence. We are awakened Eurythmists In our upcoming professional workshop, to a whole, enriched with ardor. Modern music composed Dorothea Mier will explore what we can learn from the by György Ligeti as well as our own accompanist, Marcus Introductory Forms (Auftakt) of Rudolf Steiner. This work- Macauley, weave throughout the poetic affirmations to cre- shop is built out of a wider inquiry of Dorothea’s, stimulat- ate a vibrating relevance to distant questions, both far past ed by Ingrid Everwijn’s article in the companion volume to and still far to come. the new German edition of the Tone Eurythmy Course. We Join us! Saturday, October 25, 2014. 8:00 p.m. hope you can join us! Pre-registration is required for the Threefold Auditorium, Chestnut Ridge, NY. course. Friday, October 17, 7:30–9:00 p.m., and Saturday, Tickets: $15 / $9 students and seniors. For tickets or Oct. 18, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Workshop Fee: $100. information: [email protected] or 845-352-5020, ext.13. 44 Eurythmy Association of North America Festival for Those Who Have Crossed the Threshold of the first year of the full-time training, learned over a two- Death year period of time. Unlike the full-time training, we don't The month of November leads us over the bridge from offer a new Frontier class every year, so if you’ve been Autumn into Winter. The stars are closer, as are the dead. thinking about beginning the eurythmy training, this is your The Festival for Those Who Have Crossed the Threshold of best opportunity to enroll in our new part-time training Death will offer eurythmy, music, reading of the names, and program. First Block for New Course: Sunday, January 11 - a short address. Due to the quiet nature of the event, doors Saturday, January 17, 2015, School of Eurythmy, Chestnut will close at 8:00 p.m. All are welcome. Ridge, NY. Interested persons should contact the Student Saturday, November 1, 2014, 8:00 p.m. Threefold Services Coordinator at 845-352-5020, ext. 13, or by email Auditorium, Chestnut Ridge, NY. Donations welcome. For at [email protected], for information and an application. information: [email protected] or 845-352-5020, ext.13. Events at the Goetheanum ESV Autumn Tour: November 3-11, 2014 and Winter Tour: February 8-21, 2015 September 26, 2014 The day after the All Soul’s Festival at the Threefold The stage in the Great Hall re-opened with a public celebra- Auditorium, on November 2, the Eurythmy Spring Valley tion and the premiere of the eurythmy program, “Light and Ensemble will travel to bring eurythmy to Waldorf schools, Lies”. The large stage was completely renewed, except for Camphill Communities, and public venues, at Kimberton the concrete shell, and is now equipped with an orchestra Hills and Beaver Run in Pennsylvania, Detroit and Ann pit. Special features are sensors that register the weight the Arbor in Michigan, and Cincinnati, Ohio. beams carry, and a new fiberglass woven curtain with steel The three different programs that we will be sharing are inlays for fire protection. The Little Donkey, by the Brothers’ Grimm for younger audiences, Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady for middle Worldwide Eurythmy Conference school children, and the evening program, The Tide is The Apollonian Course of 1915 Turning for high school students and adults. Plans are also Cosmic Word – Human Speech underway for a west coast tour, including Northern April 6-10, 2015 California, Oregon and Washington, and possibly even The conference begins on Easter Monday, 6 April 2015, British Columbia or Alaska! If you live in one of these at 7 p.m. and ends on Friday, 10 April 2015, at 10 p.m. areas, we would love to stop by and share eurythmy! In August 1915, Rudolf Steiner invited the four For information on tour venues and performance dates, eurythmy teachers Elisabeth Dollfus, Tatiana Kisseleff, or to find out about hosting the Ensemble, please contact Lory Smits and Erna Wolfram to a course at the Sea-Anna Vasilas at [email protected]. Goetheanum that would form the foundation for the further development of the cosmic dimension of eurythmy and of Threefold Community Family Christmas Festival the soul qualities in speech. Now, a hundred years later, this Join us for this year's Christmas Festival. The joy and quiet conference will provide the framework for our exploration of the season will be shared through story, singing, and – in lectures, workshops and conversations – of the eurythmy. Saturday, December 20, 2014, 7:00 p.m. impulses given in 1915 and their unfolding since then. How Threefold Auditorium, Chestnut Ridge, NY. are we making use of these foundations today? Donations welcome. For information: 845-352-5020, Margrethe Solstad, Shaina Stoehr, Stefan Hasler ext. 13 or [email protected]. Announcements Frontier Eurythmy Independent Training Course: A New Project at Eurythmy Spring Valley New Class Forming — January, 2015 As we shared in the last EANA newsletter, Eurythmy This winter we are opening a new class in our Frontier Part- Spring Valley is developing a project for teachers and par- Time Training, which has been a doorway for many devot- ents active in the Waldorf movement now. The project came ed eurythmy friends to start their professional training in about when we began to see full-time eurythmy positions in eurythmy. The Frontier program is ideal for those who want Waldorf schools declining, due to schools reducing their to begin their studies in professional eurythmy while honor- eurythmy positions from full to part-time or short blocks. ing other existing commitments. The format also works well To address this growing concern, our project is focused for those who live at a distance, as they attend the School of on forging new connections with the current generation of Eurythmy for study blocks during the year. Between blocks, teachers and parents, many of whom are committed to the students work on their own at home, with a local eurythmist deep values in Waldorf education. Through stimulating a as their mentor. The Frontier Part-Time Training focuses on wider dialogue about eurythmy’s role in the Waldorf Eurythmy Association of North America 45 educational process, we want to encourage greater under- ing/study-programmes/eurythmy/masters-of-arts-euryth- standing for why eurythmy is essential in the daily work of my-in-english. This is a course for professionals in Therapy, a Waldorf school. Education or Performance. Interviews will take place in We are currently developing the tools to provide an April in Spring Valley, New York. opening for this dialogue, all of which tell the story of the child’s experience at each age, their developmental mile- Workshop at Sound Circle Eurythmy stones, how the curriculum works hand-in-hand with the LIGHTING FOR EURYTHMY AND THE STAGE child’s growth process and what the eurythmy actually does Rudolf Steiner’s Impulse for Eurythmy Lighting to foster the child’s development. An intensive workshop in Boulder, CO Eurythmy Educates – Project Highlights: With Thomas Sutter (of Switzerland) The video segment of our educational project includes the Light Ensemble (Licht Ensemble) producing thirteen, seven-minute videos that tell the story of Thursday to Sunday; Feb. 19-22, 2015 the child’s unfolding development through time, from The art of ‘light eurythmy’ follows the dictates and lawful- Kindergarten through twelfth grade. We plan to produce ness of the stage art of eurythmy. The stage space should be four of the thirteen videos over the next twelve months, so transformed that it becomes the best possible spatial- focusing on the change years: Kindergarten (change of metaspatial ‘sheath’ for the movement itself; ideally appear- teeth), third grade (nine year old change), seventh grade ing as if it were an etheric space! (birth of adolescence) and tenth grade (birth of the soul). We This workshop will provide an in depth introduction to are very excited to be partnering with teachers in Green Rudolf Steiner’s highly creative approach to stage lighting Meadow Waldorf School, as well as seasoned teachers in and color. Participants will be given far-reaching experi- other schools, to develop scripts for these videos. ences with light and color within the stage space. Through Ultimately, they will be packaged as an educational series demonstrations, examples, and exercises the laws and sheer for anyone interested in the relationship between child wonder of the play of color will become a living experience. development, the Waldorf curriculum and eurythmy. Eurythmists will be given the opportunity to have their pre- Last summer, we launched a pilot program with viously prepared solo pieces lit by Thomas and his crew. Sunbridge Institute Teacher Training Program, to provide an The workshop is open for all – eurythmists and non- experiential walk through the Waldorf curriculum via eurythmists; actors, therapists, teachers, students, painters eurythmy, for teacher trainees in their summer training and other artists – for everyone interested in more deeply blocks. These first sessions at Sunbridge Institute, led by experiencing the rich world of color! Laura Radefeld and Maria Ver Eecke, provided a promising Portions of the workshop will take place on a stage, step toward future courses of this kind. enhanced with plant-dyed curtains! This fall we are offering new parent-teacher education Sponsored by Sound Circle Eurythmy, the workshop evenings to Waldorf schools that we visit on tour. These will take place at Shining Mountain Waldorf School and the events are modeled after the courses developed for teacher Nomad Theatre; just blocks apart, in Boulder, CO. trainees and work in collaboration with the local eurythmist. Thur-Sun, Feb. 19-22; 9am-1pm daily at the Shining In November, 2014, we look forward to launching this new Mountain High School Assembly Hall offering at the Cincinnati Waldorf School in collaboration Friday, Feb. 20; 7.30pm Public Performance by Light with Connie Michael and the Center for Anthroposophy. Eurythmy (Dornach, Switzerland) at the Nomad Theatre If you are interested in learning more about the project, Course Fees: General public $250 please give Beth Dunn-Fox a call at 845-352-5020 ext. 11, Students/Seniors/Professional Eurythmists/Lighters $180 or email: [email protected]. Mid-morning snack included, but no meals; there is a wide choice of restaurants within walking distance. Master’s Degree in Eurythmy To register and/or for further information, please contact: In September 2014, Alanus University (Alfter, Germany) David-Michael Monasch, Sound Circle Eurythmy: offered the first block of the Master’s in Eurythmy in P.O. Box 11285, Boulder, CO 80301 English. The venue was Emerson College in Forest Row, (303) 484-5559; [email protected] England. The English Master’s is directed by Coralee or Schmandt-Frederickson and Shaina Stoehr. Lichteurythmie-Ensemble, Thomas Sutter In 2015-16, Coralee and Shaina are considering offering Dorfgasse 2 the course for American students. If you are interested, CH-4144 Arlesheim please contact them at [email protected] or see the Tel. +41 61 703 94 17 Alanus University web-site: ww.alanus.edu/english/study- [email protected] 46 Eurythmy Association of North America Calendar for Eurythmy Spring Valley Oct 17-18: Workshop with Dorothea Mier for Professional Eurythmists Oct 24-26: Weekend Intensive – Public Eurythmy Course Oct 25-26: Rummage Sale to Benefit the ESV Student Emergency Fund Oct 25: Ensemble Evening Performance Nov 1: Festival for Those Who Have Crossed the Threshold of Death Nov 3-11: Fall Tour - Ensemble Dec 12-13: Foundation Stone Performances Dec 17-18: End-of-Term Festivals Dec 20: Community Christmas Festival

January 2015 Jan 11-17: Frontier Program - New Class Forming Jan 13-Mar 24: Winter Public Course with Sea-Anna Vasilas Jan 17: Agriculture Conference Performance (open to the public) Jan 24: Eurythmy Studio Program Feb 8-25: Winter Tour - Ensemble Feb 26-27: Visiting Faculty: Michael D’Aleo; Projective Geometry Feb 23-27: Visiting Faculty:John Wulsin;Victorian Poets I March 2: Visiting Faculty: Christiaan; Health through Singing March 6-7: Professional Eurythmy Conference – Theme to be announced. March 14: Ensemble Public Children’s Performance March 14: Ensemble Evening Performance March 20-22: Weekend Public Eurythmy Intensive April 2: End-of-Term Festival May 2: Eurythmy Studio Program May 17: Graduation Solo Performance May 18-22: Visiting Faculty: John Wulsin; Victorian Poets II May 30: Graduation Performance – Reservations required June 4: End-of-Term Festival June 6-9 ESV Fourth-Year Graduates – Regional Tour June 21-26: Summer Eurythmy Week www.eurythmy.org

Calendar for 2015 Workshop at Sound Circle Eurythmy Worldwide Eurythmy Conference LIGHTING FOR EURYTHMY AND THE STAGE The Apollonian Course of 1915 Rudolf Steiner’s Impulse for Eurythmy Lighting Cosmic Word – Human Speech An intensive workshop in Boulder, CO the Goetheanum, Dornach, CH With Thomas Sutter, of Switzerland www.goetheanum.org The Light Ensemble (Licht Ensemble) April 6-10, 2015 Thursday to Sunday; Feb. 19-22, 2015

Collage of photographs from the Mystery Drama Conference and Festival (back cover) Felicia tells the tale of “The Ax and the Tree” in The Trial of the Soul (photo at the top of page) The Sun Sphere in The Souls’ Awakening (left) and Lucifer’s Kingdom in The Guardian of the Threshold (right) ‘Thought Forms’ in eurythmy with Lucifer and Ahriman in The Guardian of the Threshold (photo in third row) The Other Philia with Johannes and Maria in The Guardian of the Threshold (bottom row on left side) Eurythmists as Sylphs (behind scrim) and Soul Forces (The Other Philia, Astrid, and Philia) surround Johannes in a scene from The Souls’ Awakening (bottom row on right side) "In Sun Light and In Soul Light"2014 program, San Francisco Youth Eurythmy Troupe on tour to Taiwan

Teachers at CiXin School

Teachers and Guides, Taipei

Astrid at Longshan Temple Lanterns and Dragons Audience at Renmei School

Morning Verse, at Taoyuan Cultural Center (Renmei Waldorf School) with Astrid standing in the center