Blending Dalcroze Eurhythmics with Folk Song Literature in the Elementary General Music Classroom

Participants will experience the singing of folk songs while simultaneously implementing meaningful movement to teach musical concepts. Specifically, rhythmic accuracy, steady beat vs. melodic rhythm, phrasing, inner hearing, and expressive singing will be addressed in this session. Dalcroze Eurhythmics techniques enhance and support various music education approaches/philosophies with the goal of reaching the kinesthetic learner.

Dr. Marla Butke 

Otterbein University
Adjunct Music Professor

Marla Butke, Ph.D., directs the Women's Chorale and teaches General Music and Choral Methods at Otterbein University, and teaches Choral Methods at Capital University in Ohio. She holds degrees from Miami University, Wright State University and The Ohio State University. She is a Master Teaching Artist with the American Eurhythmics Society and serves as the President of the board of AES. Dr. Butke regularly presents Dalcroze Eurhythmics workshops throughout the United States and internationally, including recent presentations in Shenzen, China, and at the International Dalcroze Conference in England, the OAKE, AOSA, and ACDA National Conferences, and the NAfME Eastern Division Conference. Dr. Butke has been published in General Music Today, TRIAD, Update, The Orff Echo, and Enrollment Management. Her book, co-authored by Dr. David Frego, Meaningful Movement: A Music Teacher's Guide to Dalcroze Eurhythmics was recently released.

The FMEA Professional Development Conference and All-State Ensembles receive support in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.