FAQs
Please click on a question to view the answer.
- What is Stepping into Music?
- Who runs Stepping into Music?
- What is Dalcroze Eurhythmics?
- Why is this approach suitable for babies and young children?
- What training options does Stepping into Music offer?
- I'm a musician / dancer and am interested in training as a Stepping into Music practitioner. How do I go about this?
- My Children’s Centre / Nursery / Playgroup / other early years organisation is interested in getting involved with Stepping into Music. How do we do this?
- Who is the accreditation body for the Stepping into Music training course?
- Do I need to be a professional musician to complete Stepping into Music training?
- I'm a parent and would like my child to take part in Stepping into Music sessions. Is this possible?
- I'm interested in finding out more about the use of Dalcroze Eurhythmics in other settings / for other age groups. How do I do this?
- Q: What is Stepping into Music?
A: Stepping into Music is a flexible Early Years workshop and accredited training programme, delivered by the Dalcroze Society in partnership with local authorities and arts agencies. It seeks to provide under-fives from all sections of society with access to the proven developmental benefits of integrated music and movement sessions. By equipping Early Years, music and dance practitioners with the skills to develop their own practice, Stepping into Music will provide a legacy of embedded activity, responsive to local need, which places music and movement at the heart of the Early Years agenda. - Back to top
- Q: Who runs Stepping into Music?
A: Stepping into Music is devised and delivered by the Dalcroze Society UK in partnership with local authorities and arts agencies. It is managed by a Delivery Team made up of the Programme Manager, the Chair of the Dalcroze Society UK and the SiM Creative Directors, Margareta Burrell and Anita Strevens, who are respected Dalcroze practitioners with a wealth of experience in delivery to this age group. - Back to top
- Q: What is Dalcroze Eurhythmics?
A: Dalcroze Eurhythmics is a unique approach to music education based on the ideas and principles of music educator, Emile Jaques Dalcroze. It focuses on learning and experiencing all musical concepts through whole body movement and has been proven to significantly enhance musical development and musicianship across all ages, particular auditory memory, co-ordination skills, listening skills, communication, expression and creativity. There is also evidence that the approach enhances concentration, increases confidence and supports many other aspects of learning and educational development.
A number of books offer a perspective on Dalcroze Eurhythmics. Books, such as Comparing Dalcroze, Orff & Kodàly by Gilles Comeau, offer a succinct overview of the subject, while Dalcroze Today by Maire-Laure Bachmann offers a more comprehensive guide to the work. - Back to top
- Q: Why is this approach suitable for babies and young children?
A: In recent years the benefits of Dalcroze approaches, particularly with young children, have become increasingly acknowledged by national music education organisations.Studies have also shown significant developmental benefits. The integrated use of music and whole body movement has been shown to be particularly beneficial in the musical and physical development of young children, and also in their personal, social and broader educational development. Enjoyable, physical and fun, sessions inspire enthusiasm, concentration, communication skills, expression and creativity amongst participating children. - Back to top
- Q: What training options does Stepping into Music offer?
A: Stepping into Music has provided a number of training options for musicians, dancers and early years practitioners, in the 2008-2011 phase. They included:- An accredited training programme which includes workshops delivered in early years settings to under-5s and their parents/carers.
- Development days – professional development opportunities including practical sessions.
- Short courses and taster sessions.
- INSET training for the early years workforce.
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- Q: I’m a musician / dancer and am interested in training as a Stepping into Music practitioner. How do I go about this?
A: Stepping into Music hopes to be able to offer training to individuals in the future. Events will be publicised on various websites and details will be emailed to our email marketing list. If you would like to be added to the list please see the 'contact us' section. - Back to top
- Q: My Children’s Centre / Nursery / Playgroup / other early years organisation is interested in getting involved with Stepping into Music. How do we do this?
A: Stepping into Music can provide a range of training options which will mean that your organisation can experience the benefits of music and movement activity and build activity into your programming. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss options using the details in the 'contact us' section. - Back to top
- Q: Who is the accreditation body for the Stepping into Music training course?
A: Canterbury Christ Church University was the accrediting body for the 2009 to 2011 Accredited Training Programme. - Back to top
- Q: Do I need to be a professional musician to complete Stepping into Music training?
A: No you don’t. All Stepping into Music training options are tailored to suit the learning needs of musicians AND non-musicians. In fact, one of the most exciting things about the training is the opportunity for musicians and early years practitioners to share ideas and skills about working with this age group. - Back to top
- Q: I’m a parent and would like my child to take part in Stepping into Music sessions. Is this possible?
A: Stepping into Music provides training to musicians, dancers and early years practitioners so that they can deliver music and movement activity to under-5s. At the moment, it doesn’t offer a direct programme of workshops onto which you can register your child. Those who complete the course will however go onto deliver this work in locations across the country and opportunities will be advertised via the Stepping into Music website. You can also let the nursery/playgroup/children’s centre your child attends know about Stepping into Music and refer them to this website. - Back to top
- Q: I’m interested in finding out more about the use of Dalcroze Eurhythmics in other settings / for other age groups. How do I do this?
A: Please refer to the Dalcroze Society website for more information - www.dalcroze.org.uk - Back to top
