Artistry, the Cornerstone of Dalcroze Eurhythmics

Jaques-Dalcroze described his pedagogy as a “preparation for art” and insisted on the idea that practitioners should make his work their own as long as they respected his principles. From its origins up to the present, the practice of the pedagogy Dalcroze Eurhythmics has found multiple applications worldwide. Given the openness and richness inherent in Dalcroze Eurhythmics practice, a diversity of interpretations among practitioners from contrasting backgrounds has come to light. For this reason, the purpose of this article is to reflect on: the key traits of Dalcroze Eurhythmics pedagogy as described by the “Dalcroze Identity” written by the Collège of the Institut Jaques-Dalcroze in Geneva; how those traits are embodied in the praxis of a master teacher based on the Jaques-Dalcroze pedagogy; the attributes that Dalcroze Eurhythmics sessions must have to “prepare the students for art”; and the challenges that unknown cultural nuances constitute towards the preservation of the essence and principles of the practice.