Thursday, April 27, 2017

Throwback Thursday: Eurythmics

We've reviewed the history of plenty of athletic pursuits in various Throwback Thursday features: archery, baseball, basketball, bowling, equestrian sports, martial arts, and outdoor winter activities. We even looked at the evolution of the Seton Hill mascot.

Today we will introduce many of you to a lesser-known form of exercise called eurythmics/eurhythmics. If you think of "Eurythmics" at all, you may think of the '80s music duo best known for "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)."

Though it's a physical activity, eurythmics was actually developed as a form of musical education in about 1905 (Encyclopedia Britannica). Its creator, Émile Jaques-Dalcroze, didn't think of eurythmics as dance, but it did go on to influence that field.

If the Britannica article and the date on this photo, entitled "eurythmics 1910's outdoors," are to be believed, Seton Hill must have been a trailblazing eurythmics program.










This photo in the old Sullivan Gym is dated 1930 and shows quite a crowd looking on!



To watch video clips of modern Eurythmics being used in the fields of music and dance, you can search YouTube for "dalcroze." 


1 comment:

  1. This was a required class for Music majors back in the 60's when I was in college. I wonder when it fell out of favor.

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