Dance, Movement, And Posture In Worship
Movement is the essence of life. From the moment of conception until the moment of death, human beings are in a constant state of movement. We breathe by moving; we grow by moving; we learn by moving; we love by moving. We move toward God on our journey of faith, slowly discovering the nature of that Spirit who moved over the face of the deep. Dance emerges from the repetitive movements and patterns of life that become stylized and are given significance. Folk dances, improvised movement, fully choreographed works, or ballroom dances are organized patterns of meaning and purpose set in specific contexts. They explore the nature of relationships: their joy, pain, tension, love. Often dance fleetingly reveals something of the mysterious power of bodies, spirits, and souls meeting in a common rhythm or caught up in a common pattern. Through dance we explore strong feelings that elude the power of words to capture. For good reason, dance has been a significant metaphor for understanding th…
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Chapters & Articles in Dance, Movement, And Posture In Worship (9)
Christian dance has persisted throughout the history of the church, despite many official decrees against it. Chris…
The church's uneasiness about including dance in worship stems, in part, from the dualism that equates the body wit…
This article offers a rationale for incorporating dance in worship as well as guidance for understanding the purpos…
Since movement is a normal part of life it has to be a part of worship forever. However, highlighting or emphasizin…
In addition to formal dance, the postures taken for the various acts of worship are an important aspect of movement…
Folk dances express the ethos of a culture in much the same way that music and poetry do. Shared cultural sentiment…
This article gives practical guidance for introducing movement into congregational worship for the first time. Co…
The seasons and feasts of the church year offer numerous possibilities for congregational movement and choreographe…
Below are five different types of supportive dance that can be used in worship. They are not to be seen as performa…