Focusing on Marie Steiner-von Sivers’ distinctive collaboration with Rudolf Steiner, From the History of the Dornach Hill... offers an engaging, lively narrative of the early decades of the anthroposophical movement. Utilizing eye-witness accounts and primary sources, Angela Locher creates vivid images of the developing arts at the Goetheanum – in particular eurythmy, speech formation and the dramatic arts – but also describes many fascinating aspects of general anthroposophical history. The latter include the period of cooperation with the Theosophical Society; the design and building of the first and second Goetheanums; travels, tours and visits overseas with Rudolf Steiner; the pivotal Christmas Conference of 1923/4; stage performances including the Mystery Dramas; and Rudolf Steiner’s unexpected death and its aftermath. Locher structures her absorbing study around the life of Marie Steiner – from her birth in 1867 and childhood in Russia to her eventual passing in Switzerland in 1948.

‘I have written this book especially for subsequent generations of eurythmists, actors and speakers who could not experience what had been achieved in the previous century… the vital processes of the development of eurythmy and the dramatic arts. These created the foundation on which we stand today, and from which we can carry on into the future.’ – Angela Locher

This work by Angela Locher can be greeted with enthusiasm… In view of the difficult challenges of our time, more people than ever are beginning to experience that the arts are not merely a beautiful addition to life but are profoundly connected to our humanity. – Virginia Sease

ANGELA LOCHER was born in Switzerland in 1930 and attended the Rudolf Steiner School in Zurich, where she excelled as a flutist. She served an apprenticeship as a bookbinder before studying eurythmy under Marianne Ruof and later Helene Reisinger. In 1955 she joined the eurythmy stage group at the Goetheanum under the direction of Marie Savitch. In 1973, she directed post-graduate studies for eurythmists, and from 1981 to 1990 she was leader of eurythmy work at the Goetheanum. From 1991 to 2004 she worked with the eurythmy training in Berlin. She has created numerous choreography forms for music and recitation, and has authored a biography of the eurythmist Helene Reisinger, who worked with Marie Steiner. Angela devoted her attention to creating this book in her 87th year, whilst living in close vicinity to the Goetheanum.