By Michaela Bergmann | Eurythmy Teacher, Middle and High School
Eight WSP students joined me in our WSP van to make the 45-mile trip to the four-day Youth Eurythmy Festival in San Francisco earlier this month.
When we arrived, we were greeted by High School eurythmy troops from four other Waldorf High Schools from San Francisco, Portland, New York, and San Diego. We knew that we would be doing eurythmy together and had also prepared some pieces to share. We also knew that the whole group would have the opportunity to move together.
Each morning, we met and began the day with a morning verse and Eurythmy Verse from Steiner. We then divided all the participants into two groups of 25 each. One group worked with Mrs. Tiersch on a piece by Beethoven and a verse by Novalis.The other group collaborated with Alexandra Spadea from New York, to work on the Melonga Triste by S. Piana and J. McDowel.
In the afternoons, the students took masterclasses from members of the Spring Valley Eurythmy Ensemble and practiced the pieces they brought with them for the sharing on Tuesday evening.
One thing that I found particularly remarkable was the absence of complaints on our daily drive back. Despite spending six hours a day practicing eurythmy, the group’s enthusiasm and positivity remained. When I experienced the students doing eurythmy together, they had an understanding of each other on a deeper level. This experience of moving together brought each one of them an earnest heartfelt striving that had transformative power.
Along with the fun this practice brings and the social health it cultivates, one could feel that it connects to something bigger. The effort of each individual contributes to making the group experience complete. This type of movement invites the participants to experience and become aware of the space around themselves, between each other, and their connection to the world.
The festival culminated in a beautiful finale where each group shared their individual group work with one another, showcasing the fruits of their collaborative efforts.
I am grateful to the students who were willing to take time out of their February break to go with me on this journey. Thank you all, it was a very special experience for me.
View this short film about the festival filmed, edited, and directed by WSP student Julian.
Student Reflections
I had an amazing experience growing close to my friends and making friends with many new people. It was a beautiful experience to learn from different people and see the love for eurythmy be expressed in so many different ways. I would love the opportunity to experience something like this again and I think the organization handled the gathering a lot better than I ever expected.
— Paulette, 11th grade
It was a great experience, it was really fun and I enjoyed meeting new people. It was great to see how other people across the country do eurythmy, and I felt that our performance together went really well.
— Luca, 11th grade
I learned so much and my appreciation for eurythmy has grown immensely. Meeting and spending time with all the other Waldorf students and teachers was an amazing experience. I loved all the time I spent there and I can’t wait to go on another trip soon.
— Daphne, 11th grade
This Eurythmy convention was very fun and eye opening for me. During the convention we worked with many different teachers that all taught me something new about eurythmy. I can tell I’m getting better because my movements feel clearer and more controlled. Eurythmy is a really interesting way to move and connect with music, speech, and gestures. Eurythmy taught me a new way to express myself through movement and rhythm, and this convention helped me out a lot with that, and I will be eternally grateful for that wonderful opportunity.
—Tomás, 10th grade
This eurythmy convention was a unique and special experience. I learned a lot about eurythmy and met students from all over the country.
— Samanyu, 11th grade
I was originally a little apprehensive about going to a eurythmy conference, but I grew to really enjoy my time there with everyone. I made a lot of interesting connections and found people who share my interests. Overall, I had a great time at the eurythmy conference and look forward to more opportunities.
— Arnav, 11th grade
Being able to be with people who grew up so differently yet sharing the same experiences was truly special. I got to bond with many people and really immerse myself into the art of eurythmy which made the trip amazing.
— Samih, 11th grade
