Here is a description of how the course has worked this year. This article appeared in essence in the Newsheet of the Eurythmy Association.

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It’s a great privilege to write about a project – the Irish Eurythmy initiative – which has turned out so well. When we, as the group of Eurythmists working on the island of Ireland, approached Jonathan Reid and later Tomie Ando- Boardman the response was positive and enthusiastic. Around this nucleus we were able to gather a gifted musician, John Clarke, and the Speech artist Daniel Grevic. Equally importantly there was a strong body of warmth to offer all the practical supports of accommodation, finance, and administration, particularly in the Kilkenny area. Interestingly we have found a supportive home in the birth place of Edmund Rice, in the Christian Brothers centre in Callan

The flame of Eurythmy was kept alive by many of us in Ireland but in the last few years it had burned very low indeed as fewer and fewer of us have been able to be active. One inspiration for us in the South has been the regular visits of Eva Maria Rascher (Founder of the Botton Ringwood eurythmy school) and Bonnie Cohen.

I think there are a number of lessons to be learned for similar projects trying to ignite elsewhere. Like in many parts of Europe the number of teachers active in schools in Ireland is critically low, and succession is a major issue. This was certainly one of the motivations in getting this course going which was simply described as a “ Foundation Course to deepen your relationship to Eurythmy”. Our Course teachers are in conversation with the Performing Arts Section and the proposal has been mooted of a Certificate course for Trained Waldorf teachers to teach Eurythmy as a second subject.

Before describing how this might go forward I should tell a little about the demographic of the 16 people who will complete this Foundation Year in June. Apart from two students in their 40s, they are all in their 50s and 60s. That is very different from the usual profile of Eurythmy students. Having said that ,they are all people who have had a lifelong wish to study Eurythmy and for the first time this is possible. One can say that this age group has formed the bedrock of the course and most of them will carry on to the proposed 2^nd year. When we look towards the second year we are now attracting a younger group who would fall into the more typical profile. The second year will only be viable because of the enthusiasm of the older cohort. This is an interesting phenomenon I think you will agree.

The second year is not without its challenges. If it is to qualify for the proposed certification the number of hours of private practice, group practice, and other learning has probably trebled. Its unlikely that the course, private practice, and weekly class attendance is going to be enough. Add to this that, for those doing the Course the weekly classes probably wont be challenging enough. I am reminded of the lay performance group that thrived in Wynstones school in the 80s with involvement in festivals and performance programmes. This would certainly be one way of, on the one hand, of making up the deficit of hours and on the other, of enriching the Cultural life of the locality. All this is still to be creatively worked on.

All the activity and publicity around getting the course going has raised the profile of Eurythmy in Ireland. Our soundings about sources of funding, in order to reduce the fees and potentially offer bursaries seems to be bearing fruit, particularly as the Foundation year has been so successful.