Dalcroze Eurhythmics classes for age 4-7
An introduction to the basics of music including note values, time signatures, dynamics, and more. Imagination and play based learning is key in these classes as we move like bears, foxes, skunks, dragons, trees, snowflakes and more! Our imagination takes us many places as we learn how the different musical elements feel as we move them, using our body as an instrument. This feeling is translated into descriptions and words as we describe how the music sounded and how it made us want to move. These descriptions are named as musical terms that are the building blocks of music. Learning first through the body and movement enables long-term retention and understanding of music concepts.
Eurhythmics Goals and Objectives
- Rhythmic, metric, and expression knowledge: moving, listening, singing, analyzing, writing, improvising, and deep understanding of the following musical concepts in both literal and symbolic notation.
- Note values: quarter notes, eighths, half notes, dotted half notes, whole notes
- Simple meters of 2, 3, and 4
- Distinguish the feeling and identify simple meter vs compound meter
- Phrases, musical gesture, slurs, form
- Musical texture (polyphony versus melody)
- Expression symbols and their musical meanings: for example: forte, piano, and accents
- Pitch matching and identification: developing the ear for accurate intonation and healthy singing.
- Students will learn to sing and identify scale degrees 1-5 in major and play them on a xylophone.
- Basic echo canons and folk songs.
- Corporal embodiment of pitches in physical space.
- Identification of major and minor tonal landscapes.
- Musical use of materials: hoops, bean bags, ropes, scarves, ribbons, batons, balloons, balls of various sizes (kicking, tossing, bouncing, rolling), etc.
- Musical use of different instruments: claves, drums, maracas, xylophones, etc.
- Solo work: working or performing solo develops confidence, assurance, and independence.
- Cooperative learning and beginning ensemble skills invite students to learn flexibility, adaptability, and compliance in addition to coordination, intention, balance, and control):
- Moving, dancing, clapping, sharing, improvising, singing with a partner or small group.
- Exact mirroring of gestures provided by the teacher or other students in the class.
- Imagination: gestures, images, story-telling, and programmatic music (music that tells a story) helps to encourage, stimulate, and develop the child's imagination.
- Appropriate knowledge and use of body parts and joints (head, trunk, hips, limbs etc.):
- How different parts of our bodies move, their range of motion, and their dynamic qualities
- Basic independence of the limbs (move one limb while the others are stationary)
- Basic large and small motor skills
- Spatial awareness: both physical space and musical space.
- Spatial and Movement Qualities: above and below, over and under, side to side, up and down, closed and open, curvy and straight, forward and backward, right and left, near and far, center and periphery, around and through, away and toward, beginning and end, front and back, jagged and smooth, heavy and light, thick and thin, opposites, contrary motion, crossing the midline, etc.
- Basic shapes with the body: lines, circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, ovals, etc.
- Various types of locomotor skills:
- Movement across the floor on one's feet, back, stomach, side, knees, hands and knees (crawling), hands and feet (bear walk, crab walk), etc.
- Creative Movement: Rolling, crawling, sliding, creeping, growing, collapsing, sneaking, walking, marching, trotting, jogging, gliding, running, tip-toe walking/running, stomping, lunging, leaping, jumping, hopping, galloping, chassé, skipping, swinging, swaying, spinning, turning, shaking, wiggling, etc.
- Emotional and Musical Impact from moving in these different way
