A Case For Dance In Worship

The church's uneasiness about including dance in worship stems, in part, from the dualism that equates the body with evil and the spirit with good. Worship demands physical and spiritual involvement that can transcend this dualism. In the beginning there was dance. Before Israel, there was dance. Before Jesus' birth there was dance. Before the writing of the Scriptures there was dance. Before words there was dance. "Dance" has been described and performed in many different ways from one worshiping community to another throughout history. Here I will examine dance historically, practically, and theologically by addressing some common questions, concerns, and opinions about this most ancient form of worship. Why Should Dance Be Part of Christian Worship? Many people fear the idea of dance in worship because their visions of "dance" include the awkward stumbling of children's dance classes, memories of dance forced upon them by overzealous physical education teachers, or even the exp…