Looking at the Differently-Abled 

In my last blog entry, I wrote about our recent online discussion on Dalcroze Eurhythmics with differently-abled bodies, and shared a couple of personal stories that arose, some from the perspective of a student with a disability, some from the perspective of a teacher working with students with disabilities. I also related my own story…

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Undoing Racism

Our monthly, hour-long conversations generally have very little plan or structure. Sometimes I suggest a reading or watching of a video, but not usually. At times, I like to start with a quiet centering, a 60-second “pause,” as my Alexander teacher and colleague Anne Johnson would call it – closing our eyes, feeling our feet…

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2022 DSA Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Survey

The Dalcroze Society of America (DSA) is embarking on a process to investigate and improve our organization with regards to diversity, equity, and inclusion. In this effort, we are joining many organizations in addressing a long history of unequal opportunities and disenfranchisement for BBIA (Black, Brown, Indigenous and Asian), the differently-abled, LGBTQIA, and others. In…

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Undoing Racism

This reflection was written on August 7, 2021 July 25 was our twelfth Zoom meeting, marking the one-year anniversary of our monthly sessions discussing “undoing racism in music education.” I hosted the meeting on Zoom from my AirBnB in Dallas, TX, where I was teaching and learning at the Dalcroze School of the Rockies Dalcroze…

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Eiko Ishizuka in Conversation with Melissa Tucker

This interview was conducted May 11th, 2021 Melissa Tucker:  In 2019 you earned the Diplôme Supérieur, the highest level of Dalcroze achievement, from L’Institut Jaques-Dalcroze in Geneva, Switzerland. Along with Eri Inoue, Sachiko Muranaka and Kayo Nakaaki you are one of only four Japanese women to attain this credential. Tell me about your first experience…

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Undoing Racism, May 2021

I am writing this the day after President Biden’s first address to Congress, where he stood, for the first time in US history, in front of two women leaders of the house: Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Kamala Harris. I am heartened that President Biden is diversifying leadership in the government, and that his…

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Undoing Racism, March 2021

The monthly conversations on “Undoing Racism in Music Education” have continued. We’ve had three conversations since the last blogpost: one in December, one in January and one in February. I wish I could have posted something each month, but time has been speeding by faster than I expected. Our conversations have consistently been fruitful. We’ve…

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Undoing Racism, December 2020

We are in a unique time. Our conversations have the potential to bring about major cultural shifts, I believe. I hope so! But they are painful, I guess, like most growth spurts.  Even the idea that one must have pain in order to grow is questionable, as my practice of the Alexander Technique posits. Yet,…

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Undoing Racism, November 2020

“The paradox of education is precisely this – that as one begins to become conscious, one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated.”    “The purpose of education…is to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions.”    “Education is indoctrination…

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Getting Racism Out of Music Education: An Open Discussion

This past August and September on the last Sunday of the month the DSA has hosted informal Zoom discussions on racism in music education. These gatherings have been well attended, with over twenty participants joining from all over the world. I agreed to lead these discussions, inspired by recent events. After George Floyd was killed…

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