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 DALCROZESKILLS
FOR ALL TEACHERS
approachcan be a valuableadditionto any musicteachers
TheJaques-Dalcroze
method.MonicaDaleJohnsonoutlinesthe main tenetsof thisapproach.

S *s S S

he method of Emile Jaques- .

' "
Dalcroze cannot be found in
books. There are no specific : '
song materials,lesson plans, or '
exercisesthat truly define this '! L __:
approachz Instead the method is
embodied in the teacher through awho sty
unique combination of musical andgain sil in te e in
pedagogicalskills.
The three branches of Jaques-Dal-
croze studies-eurhythmics solfgge,
and improvisation-stand on their own
to make up a completemusic education
program. For teachers who use other
methods, however,the skills of Jaques-
Dalcrozeteachertrainingcan open new s of
possibilities for depth, creativity, and
interaction in the classroom by aug-
menting the repertoire of successful
teachingtechniques.
Justas the Jaques-Dalcroze method is
found in teachers' skills rather than
books, it is passed on from person to
person ratherthan throughprint mate-
rials.AlthoughJaques-Dalcrozeteacher-
training institutes vary because of the
personal nature of the teaching
involved, one should expect certain
skills to be developed in a Jaques-Dal-
using
eStudents Da'croze torehearse
techniques choral atWest
music Potomac School
High (Fairfax
County,
Virginia).
crozeStudiesInstitute.
Movement
through
Eurhythmics and shape.Teacherswho studyeurhyth-
Monica DaleJohnson andlicensed
is a certified Movement Technique.The study of mics also gain skill in the execution of
Virginia. eurhythmicsgivesteachersa good foun-
inAlexandria,
specialist
Jaques-Dalcroze movement, including strength,flexibili-
Sheis anactiveclinician andfoundingfaculty dation in the theory and practice of ty, coordination, alignment, balance,
member forJaques-Dalcroze
oftheInstitute Educa- movement. Eurhythmics teaches the articulation,and the dynamicsof energy
Mason
tionatGeorge University Virginia. conceptsof space,time, direction,level,
inFairfax, or effort. Developing and refiningspa-

42 MUSIC EDUCATORS JOURNAL

tial and kinetic vocabularyenables the
teacherto similarlyexpand and clarify
students' movement in the classroom.
The teacherbecomesable to observethe
students'movement more clearly,iden-
tify any need for correctionor develop-
ment, and provideeffective,appropriate
physicalsolutions.
Movement Improvisation. While
many methods use songs with predeter-
mined movement accompaniment,
Jaques-Dalcroze education allows the
teacherto expandon such material.The
range of vocabulary developed by the
teacher and students allows for a cre-
ative, flexible, improvisational use of
kinesthetic and musical elements. The
teacher can extend beyond the basic
suggestionsfound in books on the sub-
ject to guide, focus, develop, and syn-
thesize students'improvisationalmove-
ment towarda musicalpurpose.
Movementas Music.The relationship
between movement and music is a cru-
cial part of the Jaques-Dalcrozemethod
and is studied continuously.The physi-
cal experiencein Jaques-Dalcroze educa-
tion goes beyond the role of song or
chant accompaniment-it becomes a
vehicle for music concept development.
Becausethe movementis not limited to
fixedchoreographyand remainsopen to
variation,manipulation,and alternation
of ideas, the teachercan use movement
as a flexible tool toward various goals.
The movement in a eurhythmicsclass
representsthe students' solutions to a
dynamic and infinite arrayof musical
puzzles posed by the teacher-puzzles
designed to educe musical skills and
insights.
For example, Dalcrozianquick-reac-
tion exercisesdemonstrateone way that
movementis employedpedagogicallyin
the eurhythmics class. These exercises
requirethe classto respondto a musical
or verbal signal with an immediate
change of activity.On a physicallevel,
such challenges develop control and
facilitatecoordinationof the ear,mind,
and body. Most important, however,
these kinetic exerciseslink music con-
cepts with physical sensation to clarify
relationshipsbetween musical ideas-
such as various tempos, durations,
pitches, rhythms, and tonalities-and
providestudents with their own work-
ing knowledgeand vocabularyof these
ideas. Jaques-Dalcrozetechniques that
APRIL 1993
SummerPrograms
The following Jaques-Dalcrozeteacher-trainingprogramsare for the
summer of 1993.
* InstituteforJaques-DalcrozeEducation,Departmentof MusicEducation,
GeorgeMason University,4400 UniversityDrive, Fairfax,VA 22030; Con-
tact:Monica Dale Johnson,703-768-7661; June 28-July 16.
* SummerDalcrozeProgram,LongySchool of Music,#1 FollenStreet,Cam-
bridge,MA 01213; Contact:LisaParker,617-489-3010; June 28-July 16.
* Office of Continuing Education, Box 132, TeachersCollege, Columbia
University,New York,NY 10027; Contact: RobertAbramson,212-678-
3000; July 18-August 6.
* The Universityof Washington,3871 45th Avenue N.E., Seattle, WA
98105; Contact:Julia Schnebly-Black,206-527-7034; June 28-July 16.
* DalcrozeTrainingCenter, Music Department, Carnegie-MellonUniversi-
ty, Pittsburgh,PA 15213; Contact: MartaSanchez,412-268-2391; June
21-July 9.
* DalcrozeSchool of New York,161 East 73rd Street,New York,NY
10021; Contact: Hilda Schuster,212-879-0316; July 5-August 4.
use movementto teach music providea song (specificrhythm patternsor pitch
flexible means of guiding students intervals,for example).
sequentiallytowardthe perception,per- Listeningand Ear Training.Study of
formance,and understandingof music. the Jaques-Dalcroze method helps
teacherstrain the ears of their students
Singing and Ear Training by encouragingactive, analyticallisten-
CreatingSongs. Rather than limiting ing. In this method, the listening
music materials to specific songs, requirements-and the skills devel-
Jaques-Dalcroze education gives teach- oped-go well beyond those of rote
ers skills to use any music material, methods. Every aspect of Jaques-Dal-
adaptingit as needed. Moreover,teach- crozestudy has analyticallisteningas its
ers develop skills to invent new songs, central, basic requirement,whether in
even on the spur of the moment. This moving, singing, playing instruments,
trainingalso providesteachingstrategies reading,or writing.This is true even in
to enablestudentsto createmelodies in silence, as students are called upon to
singing,for example,by improvisingon use innerhearing.SinceJaques-Dalcroze
rhythmpatternsstudiedin movement. teachersensurethat music is alwayspre-
Songs with Movement. The clear sent in the classroom,listeningis always
understanding of the music-movement essentialon the partof theirstudents.
connection allows teachersthe freedom TheScale.While some methodslimit
to use song materials in new ways, the pitches used in beginning exercises,
linked with physicalexperiencesappro- the Jaques-Dalcrozeapproachprovides
priate to the goals of the lesson. The the option to introduce the entire dia-
teachermay devise,or help childrencre- tonic scale at once. This widens the
ate, movement that links directlywith range of songs in the classroom and
the concepts of the lesson found in the givesstudentsa realisticpictureof tonal-
43
 articulate various improvised sounds
accordingto musicalinstinct.Forteach-
ers who do employ specific rhythmic
syllables, Jaques-Dalcroze skills and
principles will enrich rather than pre-
vent the use of such syllablesin move-
ment, singing,and notation.
Pitch Literacy.In keeping with the
method's premise that theory follows
practice,guided experiencein singing is
easilyfollowedwith notationalrepresen-
tation. The intervalapproachof Jaques-
Dalcroze solfege is a valuable tool for
I teaching pitch relationships and note
C)
nameson the stavesin a logicalprogres-
I
i,
:s sion, eliminating the need for tedious
CD
Cr drilland mnemonic devices.

o
U
(Z2
Jaques-Dalcroze
Improvisation
.o
,
Improvisationis a crucialelement of
Jaques-Dalcroze education and an
StudentsusingDalcroze
techniques
torehearse
choral
musicatWestPotomac
HighSchool(Fairfax Virginia) invaluable resource for all teachers.
County,
Many of the pedagogical skills of the
ity. Intervalsarestudiedwithin the con- rhythmby identifyingfive essentialpat- Jaques-Dalcroze method are founded
text of the scale throughsinging, a fur- terns derived from the ancient Greek upon musical abilities.This is particu-
ther boon to both ear training and rhythmic modes. Use of these modes larlytrue in Jaques-Dalcrozeimprovisa-
music reading. does not precludeworkingwith rhythm tion-a musical skill and a powerful
by other methods, but ratherenhances pedagogicaltool.
MusicReading andWriting those methods by providing a way to Piano Improvisation. Through
TheoryFollowsPractice.Training in group note values together.By perceiv- Jaques-Dalcrozestudies, teacherslearn
the Jaques-Dalcroze method helps ing patternsratherthan counting indi- to invent music on the spur of the
teachers approach music concepts vidualnote values,studentscan concep- moment and to develop spontaneous
through experience, rather than by tualizetheir movementexperiencemore musicianship in the students. At the
teaching the terms of music alone. clearly and transferthat experience to piano, teachers become able to create
Becausethe musicalexperienceis a con- music readingand writing. music for any situation or requirement
ceptually focused sequence of activity (perhaps in response to a student's
rather than a general aesthetic experi- remark).The piano may be used as a
ence, thereis certainto be a correspond- pedagogical resource to create new
ing representationin notation for each approachesin responseto the needs of
sequenceof activity.This makes it easy studentshavingdifficultyin masteringa
for teachersto follow classactivitywith skill or understanding an idea. Even
readingand writing. The abstractsym- teachers without previous experience
bols represent real physical and aural TheJaques-Dalcroze can often gain skillsin piano improvisa-
experiences,so notation makes sense to tion to heighten their effectiveness in
the studentimmediately.
CreativeReinforcement. In the appli-
approach...is always the classroom.
Student Improvisation.When stu-
cation of the musical,pedagogical,and alive,fresh,and dents improvise,they are manipulating
improvisationalskills from Jaques-Dal-
croze education,teacherscan be inven- adaptablein response music concepts creatively,enhancing as
well as demonstratingtheir understand-
tive in reinforcing learning. Various to anyclass. ing. For the teacher,student improvisa-
games and activities can be created to tion is a valuabletool both to increase
refineand reinforcereadingand writing learningand to evaluateit. Jaques-Dal-
skillswhile consistentlymaintainingthe crozeeducationincludesstudentimpro-
link with auralmusic. This ability is a visationin all modes of learning:move-
valuablecomplementto any method. ment, singing, and instrumentalimpro-
RhythmicPatterns.Beyond the bene- visation.
fit of eurhythmic activity, the Jaques- RhythmicSyllables.The Jaques-Dal- The Jaques-Dalcroze approach to
Dalcrozemethod facilitatesthe percep- croze approachdoes not mandatefixed instrumental improvisation gives the
tion, performance, and notation of rhythmicsyllables;it allows studentsto teachera means of allowingstudentsto

44 MUSIC EDUCATORS JOURNAL

playmusicthat is moreeducationalthan
ostinatopatterns.Studentswork impro-
visationally to explore various music
parameters(intervals, meter, rhythm,
phrasing,chords, and so on), returning
to concepts already studied through
movement and singing. (Moreover,
because common problems such as
keepinga steadytempo find a remedyin
musically focused movement exercises,
the teacheris relievedof trying to solve
these problems at the instrument.)
Improvisationis anotherway of allow-
ing students to manipulate musical
material and ideas to gain their own
workingknowledgeof music concepts.
PedagogicalImprovisation. Above all,
Jaques-Dalcroze studies develop the
pedagogical and musical skills to apply
improvisation to all areas-movement,
singing, instrumentalstudy, and nota-
tion. Ratherthan rigidlyapplyingfixed
plans, songs, and activitiesto all classes
regardlessof the students'requirements
or responses,the teachergains the flexi-
bility to elaboratespontaneouslyupon
lessonplansas needed.
Finally,the musical and pedagogical
skills acquiredthroughJaques-Dalcroze
educationenablethe teacherto be flexi-
ble and creative in working with stu-
dents in a two-sided communication,
promoting a process of give and take
importantto any method.
Jaques-Dalcroze
teachers
traininggives
a working of
knowledge
a soundeducational
philosophy.
Philosophy
Above all, Jaques-Dalcrozetraining
gives teachersa workingknowledgeof a
sound educational philosophy coordi-
nating all of the skills and strategies
described.In the Swisstraditionof Jean-
JacquesRousseauand Johann Heinrich
Pestalozzi,this philosophy emphasizes
the natural development of the child,
adaptation of the curriculum to the
individual, a sequential progressionof
instruction, and a learning process
involvingdirectsensorialexperience.
Especiallywhen musicalexperienceis
multifaceted-involving movement,
singing, improvisation,reading,writing,
and playinginstruments-a centralphi-
losophy is essential.A clearrationalefor
each activity focuses day-to-day class-
work and results in an effective long-
termprogramof instruction.
It takes time and effort to develop
the musical and pedagogical skills of
Jaques-Dalcrozeeducation and to use
them effectively.Teacher-traininginsti-
tutes in the method require intensive
study over a period of weeks or even
years. Teachers are not merely given
exercises to apply quickly; they gain
their own experience first, and then
learnwhy,when, and how to implement
varioustechniqueseffectivelyand flexi-
bly.Therein lies the beautyand valueof
the Jaques-Dalcroze approach: it is
always alive, fresh, and adaptable in
responseto any class.?

Students
usingDalcroze torehearse
techniques choral
music HighSchool(Fairfax
atWestPotomac County,
Virginia).

APRIL 1993 45