Progression Through Eurythmy in Waldorf Education

Have you been curious why Eurythmy is a special part of Waldorf Education?

Have you been curious how Eurythmy progresses through the Waldorf Grades?

Our teacher Ms. Tiffany leads our Seasons of Seven students through the main Eurythmy theme for each grade Class 1 - Class 12!

Class 1
The theme for first grade is “Discovery.” In this class we use eurythmy gestures through seasonal storytelling and imagination which help in the discovery and building of the will-forces. Along with contraction and expansion, polar contrasts, and rhythmical principles, we will also work with geometric forms and basic copper rod exercises and activities.

Class 2
The theme of second grade is “You and I”, belonging the spiritual world with the angels, but also belonging to the animal world. We will express this through form walking and eurythmy gestures. In conjunction with learning basic rhythmical principles, we will experiment with the concept of pitch. We will also learn copper rod exercises and activities to meet the needs of the second grader.

Class 3
The theme of the third grade is "Inner Life Expressed Outwardly." We will follow this theme with specific spatial movements and arm gestures. We will learn letter gestures as the secret code they are! Our basic form walking will begin to change and transform. We also work with rhythm, beat, and the awareness of rise and fall of pitch. Copper rod exercises consist of basic principles learned in previous years, as well as, intermediate rod exercises.

Class 4
The theme of the fourth grade is “We are here; we work hard; we are humans. Apollonisians.” We will work hard! This year will we will dive deeper into the eurythmy gestures and what they mean. When we walk forms; we do it always facing towards the front of the room, which brings about spatial awareness. We will work with rhythmic principles like basic tone gestures, as well as, beat, rhythm, and pitch. For copper rod exercises, we bring a mix of basic rod exercises for a light mood, and intermediate exercises which take work and concentration.

Class 5
The theme of the fifth grade is the star. We are stars; I am a star, its rays shape me and I form it. We go deep this year into the eurythmic gestures and form walking in learning how to use our etheric bodies and ray into the space surrounding us. We add steps to gestures and work with basic colors. This year for tone eurythmy, we learn not just rhythm, beat and pitch, but how to truly experience each. We will also work with major scales including the c-major scale. For copper rods we will add steps and movements to basic and intermediate rod exercises.

Class 6
The theme of the sixth grade is “Master of the House.” The sixth grader is reminded where he comes from. This year we will work on memorizing the letter gestures forwards and backwards, as well as work with all colors. We will continue our work with walking various forms, as well as, threefold walking and moving through etheric space. For tone eurythmy, we work with rhythm, beat, and pitch in the direction of space, minor scales, and the Interval of the Octave. For copper rods exercises we will work intermediate to advanced rod exercises and activities that involve great concentration and coordination.

Class 7
The theme of the Seventh grade is moody drama. We will work with this by working with the soul gestures of affirmation/negation and sympathy/antipathy. We will learn how to move through and occupy the etheric space around us as we learn to form walk with continuous forms. For tone, we will solidify basic tone gestures, work with sharps and flats, and work with major/minor chords and moods. For copper rods, we will dive deeper into advanced copper rod exercises fitted for the seventh grade.

Class 8
The theme of the eighth grade is FREEDOM. We work through questions like, “Am I deciding whether to move my bones and muscles or is something streaming into and through me?” We will use this as the guide to all the gestures and form walking we do this year, which is a deeper study of the gestures and form walking. For tone, we will work with intervals, harmonies, and tone gestures, as well as, gravity and levity through raying and streaming. For copper rods we will learn to master and properly execute advanced copper rod exercises as well as learn to form walk with these.

Class 9
The theme of the ninth grade is “Dynamics, Dionysus, Polar Opposites", and we will explore this by connecting movement and gestures to their most intimate feelings. We work with dramatic soul gestures and specific concentrated exercises. For tone, we will work with intervals, harmonies, and tone gestures, as well as, gravity and levity through raying and streaming. For copper rods we will learn to master and properly execute advanced copper rod exercises and put together a copper rod “piece.”

Class 10
The theme of the tenth grade is “I am to myself an alien land.” We will work with this theme by exploring personal pronouns, thinking-feeling-willing form, and the "evolutionary sequence." For tone, we will work with intervals, harmonies, and tone gestures, as well as, gravity and levity through raying and streaming. We will also work with the deeper structure of the c-scale. For copper rods we will learn to master and properly execute advanced copper rod exercises and put together a copper rod “piece.”

Class 11
The theme of the eleventh grade is “Individual Quest.” We begin this individual quest by working with the 4 main Zodiac, colors, continuation of planetary gestures and activities, and vowels and diphthongs. For tonal work, tone eurythmy intervals and the gestures that accompany them are introduced. All other tone work is a continuation of previous learned fundamentals except with more complex music and forms. For copper rods we will learn to master and properly execute advanced copper rod exercises and put together a copper rod “piece.”

Class 12
The theme of the twelfth grade is “Movement in Time".  Another theme is “Personal Space.” We work with both of these themes by exploring deeper work with the Zodiac, as well as, applied eurythmy. For each gesture, we will dive deep into its accompanying quality, element, season, color, body part, and sound. We will learn to walk the circle of the Equinoxes and Solstices as this helps us better understand the Zodiac. For copper rods we will learn to master and properly execute exercises previously learned, as well as, advanced copper rod exercises.

Our Four Fold Enrichment includes Eurythmy as well as Handwork, Music, and German. 
Watch samples HERE