Eurhythmics is a multifaceted education. It is not only an education in music but also education through music. Eurhythmics works toward better awareness and control of the mental and physical faculties (i.e., memory, concentration, coordination, the ability to use bodyweight and energy effectively, to have an accurate sense of time, an acute awareness of space, and a firm understanding of the creative powers). Therefore, eurhythmics is not a means in itself but rather a means-to-an-end.
Emile Jaques-Dalcroze (1865-1950), the Swiss musician and educator and founder of this work, adopted a Greek axiom which states that music and movement are inseparable. Body movement is the predominant experience. Listening is the key to this experience since the individual's sensitivity to sound determines the sensitivity of the physical response. It is the essence of music, which he must respond to, and when he uses time, space, and energy in correct proportions, the movement is accurate.
Creativity in a variety of forms is always fostered, encouraged, and nurtured in a Eurhythmics class. There is respect for the ability of each individual and his or her differences. All students learn to improvise in movement, thereby paving the way for creative expression through other media (e.g., voice, percussion instruments, piano, winds, and strings). The students learn to work together in a variety of ways. There is interplay between and among individuals, which results in group improvisations, all of which provide creative ensemble experience.