Association for Therapeutic Eurythmy in North America

A Little History

From its beginnings as a performing art, eurythmy quickly found its way into pedagogical settings, where it could support the curriculum. Students in the first Waldorf School in Stuttgart, Germany, were introduced to poetry, music and the subtle integration of all the academic subjects though the rhythm and joy of eurythmy classes. Waldorf Schools are the largest private school movement in the world and offer eurythmy classes to all students in Kindergarten through High School. See www.awsna.org for more information.

The early students of eurythmy quickly noticed that it gave them an uncommon sense of well-being. At the Waldorf School in Stuttgart, class teachers observed improvements in coordination and rhythm and also in the health of the children. In 1921, Rudolf Steiner began working with eurythmists and doctors to develop therapeutic uses for the art.

Within a year, Steiner had invited a doctor to join the faculty of the Stuttgart Waldorf School to serve as a consultant and advisor for the therapeutic activities that support the learning process. The therapeutic eurythmists worked with this doctor, as well as parents and teachers, in addressing each student's needs. The arrangement has since become a model for Waldorf schools throughout the world. Therapeutic eurythmy has extended into clinics, hospitals, homes for the handicapped and other school settings. Its practical applications for both children and adults in the physical, emotional and mental health realms have been developed and tested in thousands of cases.