The Follow: A Reaction of Nuance

The follow is a uniquely American Dalcroze teaching strategy and combines elements of association, dissociation, improvisation, and group exercise. Here, Leslie Upchurch describes the elements that comprise a follow activity, as well as several examples of how to use the follow when teaching students of various ages. My first Dalcroze eurhythmics experience was as a…

Read More

Improvisation in the Dalcroze Classroom

Along with eurhythmics and solfège, improvisation is one part of Jaques-Dalcroze’s tripartite description of his system of music education. Often associated with on-the-spot instrumental creations, Michael Joviala illuminates how this subject reaches beyond the instrument, the exercise, and the notes. In this article, you will find diverse manifestations of improvisation within a teaching environment, as…

Read More

Member Spotlight: Michelle Li

Every summer, professional Dalcroze students pass examinations and checkpoints, coming one step closer to finishing a Dalcroze Professional Certificate or License program. Recently, DSA member Michelle Li completed all the requirements towards her certification from Carnegie Mellon University. As part of our new Member Spotlight series, in which we introduce new Certificate holders to the…

Read More

Reflections of a DSA Scholarship Recipient

This past summer (2022), I attended the Dalcroze School of the Rockies two-week program to pursue the first level of the Dalcroze Professional Certificate. I had very little experience with Dalcroze going into the program and within the first couple hours, I wondered what I had gotten myself into. Throughout the first eurhythmics class, I…

Read More

Developing as a Dalcroze Teacher

I first learned of the Dalcroze approach in graduate school, when a fellow singer remarked of my incredible teacher: “He went to a Dalcroze workshop, and came back as a new conductor.” I never forgot this, and I hoped that the approach might have something similar in store for me. I am now in the…

Read More

Diving into Dalcroze at the Longy Dalcroze Institute

My experience attending the first week of the Longy Dalcroze Institute surpassed all of my expectations!  Each day was a “deep dive” into not only the practice of Dalcroze Education, but a chance to workshop ideas, observe and discuss Dalcroze methods and overall become immersed in the world of Dalcroze.  I am grateful for the…

Read More

Dalcroze in USA: E Pluribus Unum

Fiercely independent thinking. It may well be a key characteristic, if not a distinguishing feature, of our DSA membership. Or should I say, more precisely, of each of its participants. I’d go so far as to suggest there are ways we might even think of the DSA as the ultimate “anti-club”: we each pursue distinctive…

Read More