• SILVINA
• EUTONY
• METHOD

THE HISTORY BEHIND EUTONY

Gerda Alexander was born in Wuppertal (Germany) in 1908. The origin and evolution of her work are connected with the events in her life. Her love of music, dance and the theater was developed and fostered within her family. Her frail health did not prevent her from being a dancer. At age 16, after repeated rheumatic fever attacks, she developed a heart condition (endocarditis).

This situation, rather than keep her away from artistic expression, motivated her to develop a way of moving using as little energy as possible, without exhausting herself, based upon observation of spontaneous actions from people playing and moving naturally.

This research was based on enhancing awareness and led to deepening her self-discovery. It was Gerda Alexander’s wish to help human beings to build a greater awareness of their own body and spirit as a whole.

Even though doctors advised her not to perform any kind of activity, she was able to graduate as a teacher of the Dalcroze method in Germany and to work teaching movement and music. In 1933, she moved to Copenhagen (Denmark), where she resided until her death in 1994.