ZionFireFriends - Dance Ministry

Behind the ministry of the song - preparation of the heart

Sun, 26 Mar 2017 12:50:00 +0000

I had an opportunity to dance at church today to Loren Daigles' "Once and For All". As I listened through the song list for this Sunday, that song spoke out to me as a message that could be enhanced by interpretive movement, so I went through it a few times to set the blocking and a few moves, but mainly it would be an "in the moment" choreography depending on how the music team interpreted it that day.

If you are not familiar with the song, you can hear it on youtube here:

I know that the Lord will give me choreography for a song if I can sense "life" in it when I'm listening to it. And this song had that. I have come to trust that God will do whatever he wants with the songs he has highlighted for me, so I don't generally try to analyze what is going on from that point. I just trust God and dance.

Little did I know that God had some personal business to do with me before I could offer this particular dance.

As I was experiencing the first part of the service and the praise time, the Lord began to bring back to me all kinds of shameful things I had done all throughout my life. Things I had not thought about in years, and I began repenting as each one surfaced. The sheer number of them shocked me, shamed me, and effectively dealt a death blow to any satisfaction I might be taking in leading a "mostly righteous" life. I know, that even sounds prideful in itself. Well, I repented of that sin too, along with all the other promptings. I should have known I would be called to account because of the starting lyrics of the song:

God I give You all I can today

These scattered ashes that I hid away

I lay them all at Your feet.

From the corners of my deepest shame,

The empty places where I've worn your Name.

Yikes. How could I have danced that without taking care of some accounting business with God beforehand? I couldn't have. At least, not honestly. So since I wasn't conscious enough to initiate the process, the Lord was faithful to do it for me. By the time I presented the dance, I had been fully crushed, leveled and undone by the ugliness of my sins. The dance offering came from a broken vessel, but a redeemed one. I believe that intense cleansing released the anointing to freely flow to God's people through the ministry of the dance.

I'm sharing this to say that as we move along in our ministry, even when we try to be always sensitive to the Spirits leading, we can become complacent, even dull, and fail to adequately prepare our hearts. This was a power reminder to me that I can't just blithely present something that asks others to lay themselves bare without being willing to do it myself first.

Today I also received two separate invitations to offer my ministry, after a long period of none. I very much doubt that is coincidence.

Once and For All - Lyrics

flaglady flagging flags!

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:50:00 +0000

Though you'd like to see me in action!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzqH5hQE-Sk

I bow my knee - a worship choreography

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:29:00 +0000

This past weekend, our dance team did a ministry piece for our Sunday service.

It was I bow my knee, sung by Ron Kenoly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ixVjk51kfo

The song is simple worship chorus with a very slow tempo, but the arrangement and vocals are excellent and it builds throughout the piece, has a great intro and ending....all components that can make for an anointed presentation piece.

As I listened to the song through for the first time, I immediately knew we could use it as vehicle of expressive worship and give a throne room experience to those who saw it.

The choreography used dance, a banner and crown, and celebration streamers. The multi-colored Celebration Streamers represent the favor of the Father over His people, taken from the reference to Joseph's many-colored coat representing the favor of his father.

The piece begins with a solo dancer who is joined by a second for a duet of the 2nd verse. A king's crown is brought in. We used the Redeemer King crown, because we have access to the throne of grace by the redemption bought for us by the blood of the Redeemer, Jesus. Then, as the dance continues, the King Jesus banner is processed and positioned at center front.

At this point the two dancers are joined by the 3rd (who had just posted the crown brought in). The three dancers take the celebration streamers, join the sticks in the center, and form a pinwheel formation with the streamers stretched out overhead. As they rotate, the image is one of the believers walking under the canopy of the Father's favor.

On the final choruses, the dancers move the streamers out to sides and center of the congregation, and then come back in and join for a final pinwheel formation. The piece ends with all dancers facing the banner (which is center front) with streamers stretched overhead and lifting in honor to the King.

We did this with a small team of 4, with one dancer doing double duty as crown bearer before joining the final streamer choreography. More dancers could be easily added into this blocking plan if there was sufficient space and personnel available.

dance - the opportunity to tell a story

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:47:00 +0000

As dancers confronted with a new song to dance, we all face the temptation to interpret only the words of the song, even though we have the opportunity to say so much more. And so, what do I mean by that?

Each song is a piece of poetry that can be taken at face value. The words meaning just what they say and presented as someone translating those words in a literal way to movement for the song writer. This can be an effective way to interpret a song. But in in an interpretation, we always have the choice of using a movement that is literal, which may or may not convey the actual intent of the phrase....or a movement unrelated to the actual word definitions...but something that gives the sense of the overall message the song is trying to communicate. We move from language devices to conveying concept and character.

For example, the phrase "the whole world" could be expressed by drawing a circle in the air in the shape of a globe. That would be very literal. You are asking the viewer to picture a globe. To make a full body circle with arms reaching outward as you turned is a broader message of something going out to all parts of the earth. That is one layer deeper beyond the literal.

But there can be even more. What if the song begins to paint a picture of a story in your mind that is supported by the music and words, but is not connected to them in any supportable logical way? That can be a most compelling way to interpret a piece.

Some examples. Michael W. Smiths Agnus Dei. The song is a repetition of the cry before the throne, "Alleluia, alleluia, Holy Holy are You Lord God Almighty. Worthy is the Lamb. Amen" If we let that music transport us, we can write a story that unfolds as the elegant proclamation is sung. In one interpretation, a dancer representing the Bride celebrates before the throne with her attending maidens all around. In another, the song is the backdrop for the Annunciation--when the angel gives Mary the news that she will birth the coming Messiah..he dances with her and the piece ends with a wild angelic celebration.

Another example: the piece: Come, My Light, by Edye Jackson. An ethereal prayer of St. Dimitri You can listen to this piece and others mentioned in this post in the ZFF Audio Library [You must be a registered member with 2+ posts to access the ZFF Audio Library ]

Come my light, illumine my darkness

Come my light, revive me from death

Come my physician and heal my wounds

Come, come

Come my king, sit upon the throne of my heart

Come my Lord, come and reign there

For you alone are my king and my Lord

Come, come

Come flame, flame of divine love

Burn up the thorns of my sin

Kindling my heart with the flame of

Your love, your love

For you alone are my king and my Lord

My Lord come, reign in me, reign in me

Revive me

For you alone are my king and my Lord

Come

We don't know what St. Dimitri was going through when he wrote this prayer. But we can imagine. As I listened to this beautiful quiet melody, I envisioned something. I'll share with you what it was.

Quote:Sometimes a piece of music gets a hold of you and evokes a whole story in your mind. Edye Jackson's song, Come My Light is one of those for me. It is an exquisite musical setting of a a prayer of St. Dimitri. The haunting quality of the melody and the passion of the words bring to my mind images of the fourth century saints. It was the Dark Ages of the church, a time when the Light was hard to find. It was a time when the Truth was all but lost, and yet, there was a remnant of those who held on to the Truth and the Light with all that was in them.

A documented phenomenon began to occur in some saints termed the stigmata. These were physical wounds that would mysteriously appear on a person in the same places that Jesus was wounded in His passion and crucifixion--the hands, feet, side and the head. It was thought that this was a heavenly gift and a sign of great favor that one could bear the marks of Jesus suffering and so share in it in a physical way. Some saints bore these marks only on occasion, and others for their entire lives.

I imagine that a believer, who could in those Dark Ages of the church, cry out so passionately for the Light, might also be branded with the stigmata. I can imagine that cry coming from a lonely place and the wondering, just as Elijah wondered, if there were any others who had remained true to the faith. And yet, in the cry is also the certainty that the prayer is answered and that the Lord is near. Let us too, cry out for the Light that heals and revives us, and let us too, bear the marks in our lives of the one who suffered and died for us.

And so, this piece became a silent stage play. I made a hooded cape, reminiscent of what one might imagine in a 4th century monastery. I crafted a tunic with a red jeweled square cross on the breast that was revealed as the cape opened. I attached jeweled emblems to the palms of my hands to represent the stigmata. And the dance was done holding a red candle in a way that displayed the stigmata emblems...the candle representing the eternal flame of Christ's life, held close as precious to that believer who felt so alone. And so, from a prayer about something unknown, a compelling story was told in the dance.

These are the sorts of choreographies that are embedded in peoples' spirits and memories and can be forever associated with that piece of music because it just seems that after you have seen it interpreted that way, you can't imagine it being done any other way.

Money again

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 05:45:00 +0000

As you know, I can never work out the best way to handle the money side of dance ministry, and this has come to a head once again.

I've just been asked to provide a group of dancers for a forthcoming Israel conference. The event runs Friday evening through Sunday evening. With the help of my team, I'll need to lead congregational dance throughout, do a few presentations, and teach a workshop for about 90 mins.

I don't have a regular group, so I'll have to gather some colleagues together for maybe four rehearsals, and then we'll all need to give up a weekend for the event. Some may have to take Friday afternoon off work.

The organiser wants to pay our travel expenses, provide accommodation, and give us a gift based on the conference income. Although this isn't an unusual way of doing things, I feel unhappy as I'm worried we'll be bottom of the pile when it comes to sharing out the income. The conference is fairly small (about 100 delegates expected) and there's no guarantee of how much money will come in. I also know one of the musicians has negotiated a set fee, which would be my preferred way of working.

Neither myself nor any of the other dancers are well-off (nor have rich partners), and on balance our dance ministries all cost us far more than what we receive from the bookings we get (which aren't frequent, as the messianic scene over here is very small). We're going to have to invest in some new costumes for this event, and I don't think we can afford to do this without knowing we'll get something to cover the cost.

Whilst it is a privilege and a joy to minister, it also involves a lot of hard work and expenditure. I don't know if my attitude is the problem, but I do sometimes feel exploited by people who want dancing at their events. It's difficult to live off someone else's faith.

So what do people think? Should I be more businesslike or should I just trust God and the conference organiser?

Minor revelation from the Bible

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:45:00 +0000

Can you make a connection between these two verses?

Ps 30:11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy

Psalm 100:2a Worship the Lord with gladness

It was a revelation for me when I discovered it...

How to respond to anti-dance arguments

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:13:00 +0000

Here's something I've been thinking about recently:

How do you respond to someone who feels that worship dance (of any form) in church services is not permissible, based on their reading of the Bible. They accept that the Old Testament contains references to dance and worship, but would say that there is no evidence for it in the New Testament. They also use theological arguments to claim that dance is in the same category as the sacrificial system and is not applicable for believers in Jesus.

I have my own ideas, but would like to know what other people think.

(This is a hypothetical question based on some things I've read, and I'm not in discussion with anyone who actually holds this view.)

What to charge for dance ministry

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 17:57:00 +0000

I've been booked to lead a messianic dance day for a church next month. It turns out I can't make it due to work commitments, and a couple of friends will be doing it for me.

But I'm still involved with the planning, and the dreaded spectre of money has reared its ugly head...

I'd be interested to ask the forum what they consider would be an appropriate amount to charge/expect for an all day event (10:30am to 4:30pm) involving 4.5 hours of teaching/leading time, plus preparation. Travel time is about 1.5 hours each way. Also, what factors do you take into account when working charges out. Assume that the host church is of, say, 200 members, and not struggling financially.

I realise that most people will be in the US, where the currency and cost of living are different to the UK, but I'd still be interested to see what you think.

Dance in South America

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 05:15:00 +0000

Having done a bit of research, I've recently been very encouraged to discover that there appears to be loads of dance happening in churches in the south/latin american countries. The use of tambourines also seems to be very popular. I'd guess that many of these people are poor and don't have easy lives, but still they worship and dance with passion and great joy.

The one thing that has really struck me from this is the relationship between culture, theology, and worship. People in that part of the world are probably naturally far more physically expressive, and that is reflected in the way they worship and what happens in their churches. I very much doubt that dance in the hispanic church is a contentious issue.

I've given a lot of thought recently to the fact that we construct our theology from stuff that we bring to the bible, such as our national, cultural, or even religious backgrounds. The controversy in some circles over the acceptability of worship dance is a prime example of this. People who argue against dance generally do so because they are coming from a culture that does not dance and regards life and faith as primarily cerebral, and this colours their outlook.

Does what I'm saying make sense? Has anyone experienced what I'm talking about? Is the situation similar in spanish-speaking churches in the US?

"Body worship"

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 04:34:00 +0000

I've occasionally come across the term "body worship" used to refer to what most people would call dance, sometimes in more of an interpretive or sign language style.

I was wondering if anyone else has encountered this.

I can also relate it to Helena's post from another thread:

HelenaZF,Oct 30 2007, 06:12 PM Wrote:There is another odd practice in the pentecostal movement in churches that forbids choreographed dance. It is called "living videos". Apparently, it is alright to interpret a song with dance movement as long as you are lip syncing the words at the same time. Mouth not moving? Sorry, you can't dance. I'm not sure why mouthing the words makes the dance acceptable....maybe someone can enlighten me. But from a communication standpoint, it is like speaking at your audience in two languages at once. Also, the dancer's most powerful communication device is his/her face. If the face is busy lip-syncing, the ability to communicate by facial expressions has been silenced.

I'm wondering if the term was invented to avoid having to refer to dance in environments where it is still considered unacceptable. Worshiping God with your body is OK, but dance isn't... ??? !!!

is "dancing in the spirit" a scriptural concept?

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 19:05:00 +0000

We've heard people say, "oh, she was dancing 'in the spirit', wasn't that amazing?" Usually that means that someone is moving around the room in some kind of rapture with their eyes closed. Sometime it is identified as someone engaging in involuntary movements disconnected from any intention of the dancer. Some have referred to it as "dancing with the angels".

Or perhaps you have another definition of "dancing in the spirit"?

The question is: Does it have a scriptural basis? And if so, where is it spoken about in the scriptures? Is it the same as "dancing before the Lord"? And if not, what is the difference?

Can we dance in the service?

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 22:57:00 +0000

Hi, I am Daego from China. We are discussing one topic, can we dance in the service? Most of Chinese Chrisytian will say no. They think the service should be serious.

I wanna know what you think.

Florence Mary Ball

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 18:06:00 +0000

I posted this a few days ago on another group, but thought it might be worth including it here as well.

I am sad to have to inform you that Florence Mary Ball went to be with the Lord on August 3rd.

Florence Mary and her late husband, the bible teacher Dennis Ball, met Bill and Paula Douthett at the Post Green Community (a key group in the early days of the charismatic renewal in England) in about 1975 and together they started the Arts and Christian Teaching Services Trust. Paula was the founder of the Sacred Dance Group of Boulder, Colorado, but subsequently spent much of her time in England.

Florence Mary joined with Bill and Paula and they formed the core of Sacred Dance Ministries International. They attracted other dancers, travelled worldwide and played a pioneering role in the early development of dance ministry. They were dancing for the Lord at a time when dance in the church was virtually unheard of, and I think it's fair to say that they inspired a whole generation of dancers. She continued to work with Bill and Paula until recently.

Her funeral is on August 21st at Blandford Forum Parish Church in Dorset, England, and I'm planning to go. Please remember her friends and family in your prayers.

Hopefully some people reading this will know who she was. If anyone would like more information, do let me know. It's only fitting that we acknowledge her significant contribution to Christian dance. I suspect we'll be publishing an appreciation in the CDFB newsletter and I'm sure that more details about her life will become known.

List Of Books On Dance

Sat, 11 Aug 2007 07:59:00 +0000

A long time ago, I promised to do a list of books on dance within christian or messianic contexts (christian dance, liturgical dance, praise dance, worship dance, davidic dance, call it what you like!).

So here it is, ordered by title.

I collect books on this subject, and I have included pretty much everything that I am aware of (I own most of them). It's important to note that the authors come from varying backgrounds and this will be reflected in their writings. Some I would not regard as theologically sound.

I'll try to keep the list updated as time goes by. A notable omission in the first version is books published by The Sharing Company. These will follow at a later date. If you know of any others, let me know and I'll add them to the list.

I have done a post on book sourcing, which you can find in the marketplace forum. If you need more information about a book (publisher, date, ISBN, etc) or are having trouble finding it, send me a PM and I'll do my best to help.

dance dress tips and ideas

Fri, 25 May 2007 22:14:00 +0000

Many of us involved in dance ministry find ourselves designing and making our own garments. I thought it would be interesting and possibly helpful to make a topic where we could list things we've learned, shortcuts and tips...and maybe even design ideas. So here are a couple of mine....

You know how difficult it is to get an even hem on a volumnous dance skirt? I learned this tip from Kim Beveridge, a dance leader and exquisite seamstress from Ohio. Once your have made your dress, pin it to a hanger so that the shoulder seams are aligned at the top. Then hang the dress in front of a door, place a yardstick against the fabric and just cut the bottom off until it is straight. You'll get a beautifully straight hem every time. I can't tell you how much aggravation this has saved me!

Many teams use a circle skirt, but I find that a single circle skirt will just fly up and become the rings of Saturn around your waist. A double circle is much better for modesty, and can also be lifted and used as "wings" in choreographies.

A triple circle skirt gives a wonderful "corkscrew" effect when twirling...but be careful to use only the lightest weight fabrics or you'll wear your dancers out from the weight of them.

OK...your turn.