Is Dalcrose Eurhythmics appropriate for beginning performers?
Are Dalcrose Eurhythmics concepts appropriate for newly beginning instrumentalists or do they rely on instrumental techniques that are only acquired later? If they are appropriate, what are some of the benefits that have been said to come from beginning Eurhythmics at an early stage?
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I've come across Dalcroze Eurhythmics as part of a class on Kodaly - our teacher gave us a taster of some DE exercises. My impression is that (rather like Alexander Technique) it could be extremely useful to beginner musicians/performers because it embodies good habits before you have a chance to develop the bad ones!
Internalising pulse and rhythm in the body is essential for later playing. Musicians who have trouble with this often exbibit problems such as speeding up, over-intellectualising (e.g. only being able to play rhythms through counting rather than feeling them), or over-controlling the body (a problem I experience in conducting).
As Kyle says, the exercises are also massively fun - so a beginner player struggling with various technical and mental challenges might find these very helpful in keeping the momentum and joy going!
(Your question made me look up DE again, so I might now have talked myself into giving it a go - alas, to fix the bad habits I already have!)
The preparatory school at one of the music schools I attended offered this for children learning music. I can't point you towards any studies, but there are two things that come to mind why I think that this is a great idea.
Learning good rhythm from the start by feeling it in your whole body makes a lot of sense. This way, as you a learn an instrument you will be able to focus son the instrument more.
I saw some of these classes being done with kids and everyone was having lots of fun. They are fun for adults as well :-)
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