The word eurythmy has Greek roots and means beautiful or harmonious rhythm. The term was used by ancient Greek and Roman architects to refer to the harmonious proportions of a design or building. The English word eurythmy was used from the 17th to 19th century to refer not only to harmonious architectural proportions, but also to “rhythmical order or movement” and “a graceful proportion and carriage of the body”.
In 1912, Dr. Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), philosopher, scientist and initiate, developed this new art of movement, eurythmy. He perceived how speech and music translate into movement and how this affects the human being. Every vowel and every consonant are expressed with a specific gesture, and every tone of music and intervals are expressed with specific movements.
Steiner wanted to introduce a new impulse to dance,, with an emphasis on personal expression. Steiner sought to reconnect dance to its origins as a sacred art form inspired by the Muses. Steiner introduced eurythmy as a creation of an organic movement art suited to the inner and outer needs and character of modern humanity.
Eurythmy brings out through movement the inner feelings of the music and poems and becomes an art of “visible speech” and “visible music”.