Foundation Stone Performance - April 5

The eurythmists of Northern Star Eurythmy are honoured to announce a visit by Patricia Smith, of Vancouver, for the weekend of 3-5 April 2009, for a performance and working rehearsals of the Foundation Stone Meditation.

The schedule for the weekend will be:
Friday 3 April, 7:30 – High School Performance
Saturday 4 April, 9:00 – 6:00 – rehearsals
Sunday 5 April, 9:00 – 11:30 – rehearsals
Sunday 5 April, 2:00 p.m. -Performance of the Foundation Stone Meditation

All events are at the Toronto Waldorf School.

Speaker: Patricia Smith (Vancouver)
Lights: Brian Searson (Richmond Hill) and Gioia Helms (Richmond Hill)
Eurythmists: Michael Chapitis (Toronto)
Maria Walker-Ebersole (East Aurora)
Mark Ebersole (East Aurora)
Angelika Warner (Richmond Hill)
Tatiana Lungu (Barrie)
Maria Helms (Richmond Hill)

Donations are very much appreciated, as is spreading the word that this performance is now brought to Canada.

Texas Eurythmy

Here is an inspiring story from Texas. They started from scratch 10 years ago, and now look what's happening! (Click here for more details.)

In November 2006, the Austin Eurythmy Ensemble celebrated its 10th Anniversary as a professional eurythmy troupe. This is a milestone which the members mark with awe and delight for a past filled with incredibly satisfying performance work, whirlwind tours, amazing professional collaboration, important alliances and relationships, and, most of all, enormous gratitude for their many, many supporters.
For those who have been fortunate enough to travel some of this 10-year journey with the ensemble, this is a milestone in which you can take particular pleasure. Over the course of those years, the ensemble has grown by incredible leaps and bounds on many different levels. From their beginnings as a 4-member troupe with little or no budget and no local peer support (moving from Spring Valley, New York, rife with eurythmy, to Austin, Texas, theretofore void of eurythmy!), they have indeed grown into a mature troupe of professional artists complete with a devoted Circle of Friends and deeply satisfying professional relationships. The supporters of the Austin Eurythmy Ensemble, and in fact of eurythmy in general, can take delight in these accomplishments.
There are, indeed, many important accomplishments to be celebrated. Having been granted the unique position of artists-in-residence upon their arrival in Austin, Markus and Andrea Weder and Jolanda Frischknecht have been able to continue their work as professional eurythmists while at the same time enjoying the immensely satisfying work of teaching eurythmy at the Austin Waldorf School. Providing the school with consistent, high quality eurythmy instruction has not only benefited the school, resulting in programs such as the Austin Youth Eurythmy Troupe, an extra-curricular high school troupe, and the first ever International High School Eurythmy Festival, it has also fed a particular passion of the eurythmists to work intensely with youth. The reciprocity of this relationship is one that has in no small way lent to the momentum that has fueled the AEE’s work as an ensemble.
And work they have. Since their inception, the group has produced and performed over four different evening programs and numerous children’s programs, traveling across the U.S. and Canada in at least seven performance tours. Much to their delight, audiences have been readily complimentary with praise, commenting on the depth, eloquence, sophistication and precision that the ensemble brings to the stage. But more important than those individual elements of their programs is the quality of cohesion that the ensemble has achieved; indeed, a history of 10 years together has provided the space in which the members have been able to grow into more than the sum of its parts. As Rachel Andrews, former eurythmist at the Summerfield Waldorf School, succinctly stated upon the occasion of attending an AEE performance of Voices of the Hereafter, “A true Ensemble, one can experience [with the AEE] a strong collaboration between the artists not always present in eurythmy performances.” And from Mary Barhydt of the San Francisco Waldorf School upon witnessing the program Among the Ashes, “Of all the aspects of this group which is paramount in my memory, it is the truly ensemble quality of this group’s work.” These reflections are indicative of a high level of maturity and underscore the importance of longevity when considering the quality of performance art.
It is here necessary to point out the relationships the eurythmists have cultivated and enjoyed with their collaborative artists, for the nature of eurythmy to make visible the world of music and speech would make it impossible to practice it without supporting musicians and speech artists. Fellow eurythmists Barbara Bresette-Mills and Annette Heinze, pianist Dr. Anthony Tobin, speech artists Katherine Thivierge and Ellen Burke, violinist Rebecca Browne, and pianist Christina Lunceford are some of the many who deserve recognition here. They have offered their talent and time with generous hearts and their collaborations have helped to shape the ensemble into its present form.
In that present form, the ensemble pursues many opportunities to further develop the presence of eurythmy in the world. Along those lines, one of the most important manifestations of the past 10 years has been the Summer Eurythmy Academy. In these recurring month-long intensives, graduates of Waldorf education can more fully explore the art of eurythmy as it relates not only to performance work but also to self-development. The young adult has an opportunity to further his or her understanding of the soulful quality of eurythmy in the light of anthroposophy, as introductions to that topic are made and discussed. This has been an enormous success story, and the momentum of this work has carried it to the point that opportunities for the students to perform their work with the ensemble in a professional capacity are being explored.
In another effort to bring eurythmy more visibility, the ensemble has branched out into the public sphere with workshops, lecture/demonstrations, and public performances at local venues such as theaters and museums. The future holds more such work, and the ensemble is thrilled to be a part of the movement to bring eurythmy to a larger audience.
As they continue into the next decade, touring and performing across the U. S. and Europe and mentoring youth, the ensemble remains devoted to bringing eurythmy ever more fully into human consciousness. Taking a look back over their shoulders now
they can recognize that its many supporters and advocates are in no small way responsible for their success. The support of the Austin Waldorf School has been instrumental in the ensemble’s ability to pursue their goals, and their gratitude for this relationship is monumental. Many organizations and foundations have been steadily and consistently providing practical, monetary support needed for such work, and they are (in no order), the Eurythmy Association of North America, The Mid-States Shared Gifting Group, the Waldorf Educational Foundation, and the Rudolf Steiner Foundation. And to their dedicated Board of Directors, Circle of Friends, and the many, many others who have offered their support, both financial and otherwise, the ensemble wishes to offer a tremendous Thank You!

Warm Thoughts For Renate Krause

Renate has continued to teach adult eurythmy classes in Thornhill, and she also brings eurythmy into the monthly Branch meetings. In her quiet way, she helps people to get a rich inner experience, and we no longer feel that we are just waving our arms about. In recent years, she has worked extensively with zodiac gestures, and seems to be able to make them meaningful even to novices.

Renate is suffering with illness, and will soon be having surgery. Let us send warm thoughts for her at this time.

A Conversation In Montreal

It was really a pleasure to see Christa Kuehn again. Many of Canada's eurythmists had their first classes with Christa, including veterans such as Renate Krause! Christa has been a very active publicist and performer of eurythmy in Canada, and she inspires (challenges?) the current generation do more eurythmy with the public.

Claudia Maurice and Andree Lanthier were also part of the conversation. They are each working hard, overcoming obstacles and loving their work. We focused on some of the practical aspects relating to a eurythmy career, such as salaries, working/performance spaces, funding sources, and the deceptively simple question - How do I write a poster?

What is the priority, and how can we develop relationships with influential friends who can help?

Helene Besnard greeted us at the beginning of our meeting, and went off to give some last-minute coaching to her students. Later in the afternoon, we were treated to a workshop performance of parts of the Foundation Stone meditation. The audience (members of the Anthroposophical Society in Montreal and from across Canada) formed a circle in the performance space afterwards, and held a conversation in the eurythmy afterglow...

Event this Sunday in Thornhill!

Here is the Invitation to the recent workshop-performance in Thornhill. If you would like to make a donation to Northern Star Eurythmy, please see "Foundation Stone Meditation" on the sidebar.

Northern Star Eurythmy is presenting a workshop and performance around the Foundation Stone Meditation in Thornhill at 2pm on Sunday February 1 at the Toronto Waldorf School. See below for Invitation details.

The group would like to acknowledge the support of the people at the Ita Wegman Foundation and the Camphill Foundation who have been so helpful and encouraging during the launch of the Northern Star Eurythmy project. Thank you!

INVITATION From Northern Star Eurythmy

Eurythmy Performance and Workshop around the Foundation Stone Meditation of the Anthroposophical Society, Sunday, February 1, 2009, 2-3pm, Toronto Waldorf School

Rudolf Steiner dedicated his life to bringing spiritual knowledge into the realm of modern scientific thought, personal meditation and transformative work, with the goal of renewing human beings, society and the earth itself. His last, and many consider his greatest effort to bring this about, was the renewal of the Anthroposophical Society at the Christmas Conference in Dornach, Switzerland, at Christmastime 1923-24. As the heart of this renewal he gave the mighty Foundation Stone Meditation, which, he said, brought together the central knowledge and wisdom of Anthroposophy.
In the months following the conference he gave a eurythmic choreography for this Meditation, which was performed exclusively in Dornach for many decades. In the 1990's then the decision was made to carry this work out into the world. As part of this impulse Dorothea Mier, from Eurythmy Spring Valley, came to Toronto, Canada, in November, ‘05, to work on the Foundation Stone Meditation eurythmically with all who were interested.
Out of this workshop a group, varying in number and participation from meeting to meeting, went on to continue this work for the next two years. Slowly but surely a knowledge of the forms, the gestures, the rhythms and other aspects grew between us. In Spring, 2007, this work group received the invitation to perform the Foundation Stone Meditation at the “Encircling Light, Expectant Silence” Conference of the North, to be held in White Horse, Yukon, Canada, in August, 2009.
Out of this the decision was made to found ourselves as a performing group dedicated to work on the Foundation Stone Meditation, Northern Star Eurythmy. Now, a year later, we are prepared to begin sharing this work. Next Sunday, February 1, we will be conducting a workshop and performance, open to all who are interested, at the Toronto Waldorf School in Thornhill. The whole group will be invited to explore motifs of the movements of the different sections of the piece together, after which we will perform parts of the Meditation on stage, in proper costume.
The workshop may provide deepening to those who have studied the Meditation on their own, and a dynamic introduction to those who are interested in exploring it for the first time. We invite everyone to come and join us!
In addition to sharing our work, we are hoping to raise much needed funds to cover the costs of costumes, lighting, conference fees and flights to the Yukon. We will be asking for a free-will donation–we suggest $20 per person as a guideline. We are a project of the Ita Wegman Foundation, a Canadian charity, and donations are eligible for tax receipts.
For further information, please call Maria Helms (905-883-0323) or Mark McAlister (905-883-3409).

Something A little Different...

Now I know why Lois has not been able to submit her article about eurythmy and destiny...She's been getting ready for an exhibit at the upcoming interior design show. Here's some eurythmy at work in a new way...

"The most startling new furniture design premiered here is a transparent rendering of the rococo writing desk that appeared in an 18th Century Fragonard painting. Lois' design translates iconic decorations into clear recyclable acrylic. The fabrication of its base, that not only curves on two planes but has the strength to support a white marble top, was a year in development.
...Italian gardens of the 1750's have been a prime source of inspiration for my designs. Joining with Ian Morton of Nor-Am to create a glass garden pavilion for IDS09 was a natural pairing. We have been planning and developing this booth for 2 years."

Lois Macaulay draws from icons of art history to shape her furnishing line and design projects. Her store at 98 Avenue Road is open from 10 to 6 Monday to Saturday, with the exception of Tuesday, open by appointment. http://www.loismacaulay.com/

Michael Chapitis - New Directions In Therapeutic Eurythmy

Michael Chapitis currently works with Kindergarten to Grade Eight students as a part time therapeutic/curative eurythmy specialist at the Alan Howard, Halton and Trillium Waldorf Schools in Ontario, Canada.. His work addresses the application of eurythmy in areas of physical and emotional imbalance in learning. Michael received much of his mentoring and further training with renowned educator Marjorie Spock, who witnessed the birthing of eurythmy under Rudolf Steiner in the early 1900s and founded Waldorf Schools in North America. Through this further development, Michael offers annual courses in Switzerland to eurythmists and physicians. Michael takes referrals for adults and children through the anthroposophical physicians of Pegasus Therapeutics, the medical centre in Thornhill, Ontario.