When you hear the whooshing and see the swirling of colour there’s a smile that comes as you realise someone is worshipping with a ribbon. Something very special breaks in the atmosphere when dancing with worship dance ribbons occurs.
Lizzie dancing with worship dance streamers at a Christian dance workshop.
Worship dance ribbons are another way to bring colour and movement into dancing. Not only do they raise the eye level upwards. But the colour and the way the ribbon moves speak to different people in so many ways.
There’re short ones, fat ones, thin ones, long ones, multilayer ones. It’s only your imagination that can limit the type of worship dance ribbons you can make and use. But just like with flags, there are a few things that you should always remember when choosing to do dancing with worship dance ribbons.
Number One! It’s all about the wrist!
The ebb and flow of the worship dance ribbon is created via the flex, rotation, and flick of the wrist. It’s always best to hold the ribbon wand at the end to allow greatest movement and extension during your dancing. Much like with the flag, the ribbon is an extension of your arm. But unlike a flag, it moves, wraps, knots and twists a lot more easily. Clear precise movements of the wrist and body (!) help to maintain the ribbon in a place of hover and shape in the air. Lending the dancing with worship dance ribbons to create shapes that cause pauses in our worship.
Praying blessing on someone using a worship dance ribbon at a weekend away.
Number Two! The length is important!
As mentioned above, you can have worship dance ribbons in whatever length you want. However, I would say there are some exceptions. Children can operate a ribbon best under 2m. I’d recommend 1m or even shorter (on a curtain ring) for children aged 2 – 5 years. Children will naturally want to move with a ribbon, instinctively they are drawn to it. But, their spatial awareness, movements and concentration can cause the ribbon to get wrapped up, knotted, hit someone and sometimes used a weapon or toy!
For adults starting out I’d recommend starting at around 1.25m or 3m, no longer. You need to build up the strength and movement technique with your wrist before moving onto something longer. Some dancers move with up to 6m of ribbon. But the understanding and movement capabilities of the dancer is much greater. They have much greater awareness of how to use their whole body when they move!
Using height with worship dance ribbons is really important.
Number Three! Dancing with worship dance ribbons uses your whole body!
When dancing with worship dance ribbons you can sometimes get stuck using the same sort of movements. But, you have your whole body available to use, not just your arms! Unlike the flag, this lovely piece of ribbon really can mimic your movements in the shape it creates and the way that it moves.
This first dancing with worship dance ribbons video below demonstrates how worship dance ribbons can be seen up high. But, also how their movements flow and sit well with how the rest of the body naturally moves. The dancers in this dance were from all different backgrounds, some with no dance experience, some with lots. In this instance the ribbons allowed everyone to be on the same level, take part and move together.
2011 Joyful Joyful performance
This second dancing with worship dance ribbons video. Demonstrates how individuals create their ebb and flow of movement when they worship. You will notice that one Christian dancer is using worship dance streamers. These are attached to the same form of stick as worship dance ribbons. The movement actions required to fulfil worship dancing with them are the same. See if you can pick out the 3 tips I mention above.
Dancing with worship dance ribbons can be an excellent tool at drawing those who could be nervous, interested but not tried it, or have different abilities, together, to move and dance as one.
Do you use them?
Do you use worship dance ribbons already? How did you find getting started with them? Were you successful getting the movements from the wrist right and using your whole body with them?
If you’re interested in trying out dancing with worship dance ribbons, then head to our resource area here. Here you’ll find some different colours and lengths to get you going. There are one’s available on curtain rings too, for the little ones. Pop back and let me know how you get on.
Have you ever been asked to do prayer movement? What have you thought about it? How did you respond? Sometimes hearing those two words together can raise an eyebrow, but the reality is everyone who prays already uses prayer movement. Let me take a few moments to explain what I mean by this.
How do you come to pray?
Often when we come to pray there is certain things we always do as we come before God. That might be closing our eyes, opening our Bible, bowing our head, going on our knees, opening our arms out, raising our hands and so much more. They are all things that people do for prayer to come into the presence of God. To draw closer to him and be ready, and they are all movements.
Just take a pause here and think about the last time that you prayed. Think about how you readied yourself. How you took yourself through that moment and how you drew closer to God. Write it all down or remember all the little things that you did. How you did it, what did you respond to the most, what is really important when you pray?
Everyone moves when they pray.
I watch people and they say I’m not a dancer and I’m not a mover and that’s fine I hear you, everyone is different. However, everyone moves when they pray and that’s really evident probably from the things that you have written down. Or through observations as you see others come to pray.
How often do you just pray without ANY change in the state of your body? Or put another way, how often do you talk without any expression? Not often hey! Even as I am writing this (or speaking into a microphone) I’m moving my hands and making facial expressions.
Very rarely can we come before God and pray (or worship!) in a bland way putting no expression, no motion, no movement in it. The reason is because God created us, he created us to live and move and have his being. To respond to him.
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ Acts 17.28
In many places in the Bible it talks about laying hands on people when they pray. Why? Because God moves! As we choose to use movement and prayer together, we are acknowledging that God will move. That the atmosphere will change.
‘At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.’ Luke 4.40
How can I be more conscious about my prayer movement?
As we come before God we use our whole body. Every single bit of us because it takes our focus, because we have an intention about what we are creating. We are creating a conversation, an open door, an opportunity for change.
I talk a lot about intention within dance and intention with prayer movement. At the end of the day if you don’t have any intention with what you were doing it’s not going to reflect your true heart.
Here are 3 things I want you to consider as you go onwards with your prayer movement:
1. What do your hands do when you pray?
2. How is your body when you pray?
3. Where is your focus?
As you become more aware of answers to these questions you can begin to think about what you are wanting to declare through your prayer and what that could look like with movement. For example, if you are praying about someone’s heart and mind. You can place your hands on your head and then hands on your heart. Alternating between them as you feel led whilst you pray.
In conclusion, can prayer movement be defined?
Yes! But how you define it, comes down to you and the impact it has on your life. For me, and UC Grace this is my definition…
Prayer movement is your body’s reaction to drawing closer to God. The external display of an internal feeling and preparation for a conversation. It’s nuances that only you and God know. Fleeting moments when you choose to acknowledge your connection and conversation with God. The reality of moving through life sometimes 100 miles an hour but still always doing the same thing when you choose to pray. To have that conversation and allow intention into the time of response with God.
Going forward…
Will you realise where movement fits into your prayer journey? Keen to explore it in a more informal way? Check out our events and see how you can get involved. You can find out more here.
The following blog posts are also good starting points –
Last week I had a great privilege of spending 4 days worshipping and listening to some amazing talks at the Naturally Supernatural Conference at Soul Survivor, Watford. I can’t actually remember the last time I took that much time out for myself for refreshment, encouragement and time to just be. It has been lovely! I want to take some time to share with you some of what I learnt and effectively pass on that refreshment and encouragement to you! Including the impact of what I discovered for the dance ministry of UC Grace.
Worship is something that encompasses what we do with dance ministry and movement. It is often the start of a worship song that causes the initiation for us to move. Whilst we explore many different aspects of worship and moving, including simply to Scripture, silence and much more. There were two main things that made me pause this week.
1. Worship isn’t the warmup to the main event. It is the main event.
2. We should worship to the point something changes in us.
Let me expand.
How is this connected to church, life and dance ministry?
Often in church, worship is seen as the thing to do before the preach. Something separate and not integrated. Maybe it’s squeezed between notices and the children leaving for their groups, perhaps it always follows the same structure giving no breathing room. Or in dance ministry maybe you see it’s predominant role as a response to what is being discovered. Whatever the format it will be different for each church or dance ministry.
Worship (in whatever form) allows us to come before God with an offering, a sacrifice of praise. It is as we do that, that a change occurs in us.
Without giving over time to allow God to move BEFORE we share, we are not giving God time to inhabit us, for us to receive and our tank to become full before we give out.
Have you filled your tank lately?
Each of us can identify that we cannot give out on an empty tank. This might seem an obvious thing to say and I am sure it is something that we all know. But do we take action to ensure that we act on it?
I know that I haven’t and I’ve spent a lot of the past 2 years giving out with a nearly empty tank. The thing that impacted me as I learnt more about this is how important it is to worship with our whole heart before we do anything. It really is the main event and what comes after springs off of it.
But how can I make worship the main event?
In a church service context this is important because it causes us to engage with the Holy Spirit before the sermon. To choose to come before God with how you are, enter into a dialogue and be ready to go deeper with where he wants you to go. This is particularly relevant if you are ‘giving out’ at church in any way.
In Matthew 26.6 we read about the woman that emptied the alabaster jar of perfume all over Jesus’ head. Disciples called this a ‘waste’. But surely there is nothing better than wasting yourself on Jesus? That is what worship is for. As we waste ourselves and move into a state of change our hearts are ready to give out, share and grow. Worship is the funnel to fill our tanks, if we don’t provide space for that to happen, we will thin ourselves and can’t serve God our best.
Looking at our life in a wider context, taking the measure that everything we do flows out of a state of worship. How do you let worship be the main event in your life?
When worship causes a change in dance ministry
As I move forward from the conference I am aware that I want to change how I engage with worship and how it integrates not only with my personal life but the life of UC Grace and it’s dance ministry. What this means is choosing to take more of an active choice in allowing worship to fill my tank as well as giving space for those that encounter the dance ministry of UC Grace to do the same. A key recognition has been that not only do I need times of refreshment but that I need to allow space in workshops for people to worship and encounter before we go deeper with God’s word.
Worship will look different for each of us. But perhaps consider how in your personal life, ministry or work life worship can become the main event. Not something that’s tagged on when you remember or allotted to a specific moment.
I’m looking forward to shifting some focus with how UC Grace engages with this, I would also love to know how you might engage with this too.
More information about the Naturally Supernatural Conference can be found here. To engage with the dance ministry events UC Grace has head to our events here.
As I’ve been gathering notes for this year’s Christian dance weekend. I started to think about what it was that made people come on a weekend in the first place. Plus, I think it’s always good to remember where our roots are and why we do what we do! Over the decade and more that I have been running UC Grace. Different groups, workshops, training and performances opportunities have evolved. Some not even in my planning, but God has placed them in the pathway of UC Grace.
At every event I marvel at how God brings it together. Who he brings and the impact that the event creates in others. Let me take you a very short journey of the UC Grace Christian dance weekends, how they began, their impact upon myself and others and what they look like now!
Attendees from the first Christian Dance Weekend in 2014. The theme was Treasure and Truth.
How did UC Grace Christian Dance Weekends begin?
The first musings about a dance weekend began in 2013, when I first started to have discussions with other Christian dancers. They were asked whether they’d either value a Christian dance day retreat or a weekend away. Plus what it was that they’d see that time away being. Many of the Christian dance workshop participants at this point had been dancing with me from the beginning. I had watched them grow and develop and were eager for more. However, we all recognised that the odd 90-minute workshop just didn’t cut it and we wanted something more! Going back over some of the responses from an initial survey I sent out. It is awesome to see how God has worked in it all.
With just a handful of resources I took the plunge and stepped out to run my first Christian dance weekend for UC Grace. I didn’t know the true amount of work it would take. The people it would bring or that it was just the beginning of many!
My heart was to provide a space that would enable people to grow in their Christian dance worship movement skills, their relationship with God and build relationships and fellowship with others.
So how have UC Grace Christian Dance Weekends developed?
For that first weekend in 2014, my heart was hopeful that I would get to 15 participants, that didn’t happen. I could have let that disappoint rule how I went forward with my planning. However, God has spoken quite clearly since I began UC Grace that it is about the hearts of those that come to UC Grace events. Not about the numbers.
That first year, I was blown away by how God moved. I changed the whole of my Sunday plan on the Sunday morning as I followed God’s lead. We took dancing out of our room and out into the centre to bless others in the building. We crowned ourselves with Gods crown, and broke down walls that didn’t need to be there.
Feedback from Treasure and Truth 2014 dance weekend
We did this by standing on God’s word and letting scripture and God’s voice lead the sessions. Since then, that’s how the weekends have developed. God always goes first. Even if I’ve spent a long time putting the plan together, because, His plan is the ultimate plan.
Since that first weekend, I always look with delight at the next weekend that will happen. At who God will bring to come and move, and dance and grow. To explore what he lays on my heart. How I can help change people’s perspectives on themselves, their movement and their journey with God as my lead.
What’s the soul of
the weekend?
This picture below, sums up the soul of the weekends
perfectly.
Dance Worship weekend 2018
They say pictures show 1000 words, they demonstrate what can not be said, that is so true. As you look on the outside looking in at this picture. You see a hug, a warm embrace between a group of friends. But what they don’t show you is the journey each of these ladies have been on over the weekend. It doesn’t show the struggles they’ve had to step out in their faith, it doesn’t show when times were tough. It doesn’t show what God has said to them or how they have been taken on a journey.
This picture was taken at the last session of our 2018 dance weekend (you can watch a highlight video here). We had just had a time of praying and dancing (so important that we do both of these things together). Only the ladies in the picture really know what was going on in their journey at that point.
But for me it shows a freeze frame of friendship, support, love, prayer, journey and acceptance that they are letting God lead their journey.
WOW!!
But what’s the layout of a Christian Dance weekend?
If you’re like me, you want to know details about what specifically happens at a UC Grace Christian dance weekend. The details that normally you don’t find out till you’re booked!
Most weekends follow a similar format. We have main sessions Friday evening, Saturday morning and evening and Sunday morning. Sprinkled in between are breakout sessions for you to pick and choose from. These fit with the theme of the weekend, and could be anything from –
Learning a dance
Getting crafty and creative making something
Developing a skill. Such as dancing with flags, material, leading. Responding to the Holy Spirit, prayer dance and movement – there are so many options!
Formal and informal quiet times
Prayer space
Chatting, chilling and eating cake with friends old and new!
In terms of the actual structure of a main session, that is down to the individual leader. However, most sessions follow the format of:
Welcome
Prayer
Scripture focus with talk and discussion
Exploration exercises
Reflection time
Implementation
Time to hear from God
There will be opportunities both to create movement on your own and in groups as well as learn specific movement.
On our Dancing Free Christian dance weekends we ‘build a dance’ throughout the course of the weekend. Something fun to do together, and offers the chance for you to take back to your group or church and re-use if appropriate. Each session we would add a little bit on.
How did the Christian Dance weekend Going Deeper begin?
UC Grace Christian dance weekends have turned into a key fixture in our calendar. Something for everyone to look forward to. When I ran my first one in 2014, I didn’t think people would be interested in a yearly weekend. So, I began to arrange them bi-annually (this has developed into our Dancing Free weekends). It gave me time to develop other ideas and continue to grow other areas of UC Grace.
However, God has been gracious and given me opportunities to grow connections, build friendships and have the privilege to journey with others. I felt UC Grace was at a point where it now needed to offer those dancers and participants. Who had journeyed with it for over 10 years another opportunity that would take them deeper on a more personal level. That’s where the Going Deeper weekends developed.
Going Deeper provides a smaller more intimate group to develop their Christian dance worship skills and personal faith journey. Dancing Free Christian dance weekends allow a larger number to gather in fellowship, experience dancing and learning from others. Whilst exploring the use of arts and creativity alongside prayer and movement. Plus being in a place to build friendships and generate a network that draws people across the country together.
Check out our Dance Weekends page to find out when the next weekend is and I hope to see you there!
Our 2022 Dancing Free Christian Dance weekend is running 1st – 3rd April at Kings Park Conference Centre, Northampton. There are still spaces and we would love to see you there! Head here for more info and booking.
We all have periods in our journey where we feel we’re at a dry point, or unable to do, say, think or feel like we might ‘normally’. Every journey has hills and valleys, no journey is a straight road. Therefore you will need different things at different points of your journey. As a mover and dancer sometimes, we can feel pressure on our Christian dance movement journey to always be moving and responding to life in a way that uses movement. My journey over the past 3 months or so has experienced what dance can look like in a dry season and how you begin to make your way out.
Work with where you are at
I was beginning to hear more and more about people feeling guilty because they weren’t dancing when they were ‘supposed to be’. This struck more of a cord with me than people probably realised.
Despite me teaching and sharing with you all so much I have been in a dry season of my Christian dance movement. That’s meant that I haven’t felt a pull to dance or move in gusto that I might normally have. Often, I simply took one movement as my offering in that moment. Why this season presented itself I don’t fully know. Apart from there being a lot of external issues that we were dealing and processing as a family. Which meant that my capacity to do Christian dance movement or much else has been very small.
I began to struggle with the fact that I wasn’t dancing like I was telling everyone else to, questioning my abilities as teacher, leader and mentor. But as I journeyed with this weight – because it felt like a weight – I realised that each time I just managed a movement. One simple movement. That was the biggest offering that I could give at that time, and often, it always turned to be exactly what I needed at that time.
As this settled and I chatted with God about this more He drew my attention to others that were struggling with the same thing. So, whilst away on the Going Deeper dance weekend the topic came up again and this is what I’d love you to grasp.
We should never feel the pressure to do Christian dance movement just because that might be our language of conversation with God. Don’t dismiss or judge what you may be feeling about not doing it at the time. There will be clear moments when the purpose of using dance and movement will be made clear.
God meets us where we are at. If that’s simply standing or holding our hands out or breathing. That’s our movement to him in that season, and that’s okay!
Turning point
There will be a turning point where things shift. Don’t rush it. Just give it space. For me, the turning point has begun. It begun over the course of the Going Deeper dance weekend. Emma offered up space for us to choose to make room for God.
Whilst I know I’ve made room for Him over the past 3 months or so. I know that the room I’ve given him may not have been the room he wanted! So, the turning point for me was the phrase ‘I will make room for you’. Room for God to breath into my Christian dance movement.
Since then, there have been two main points where there has been ‘room’ for movement. The revival dance at the dance weekend and then during some enforced isolation and dancing in the kitchen – kitchen dancing is always the best!
As I have shared before. Lyrics speak to me so much. This song was one that stirred my heart and I knew I needed to make the choice to dance to it. It sums up so clearly what happens when we move and how there is God’s gentle encouragement as we do so.
Going Forward with your Christian dance movement
As you go forward from here embrace where you are at with Christian dance movement journey. There is no right or wrong way of doing it. Accept the season that you are in and move in response to that. With as much or as little movement as you need to sustain you.
But, choose to give space to God to allow him to breathe where He needs to in order to help you when you need it most.
During August 2021, UC Grace ran a Prayer Movement Challenge. It’s aim was to both show and share how simple it can be to integrate prayer and movement together. Prompting thoughtful reflection and encouraging self exploration. During the challenge each day had a focus and we used Ephesians 6.10-18 as our foundation as we explored simple ways to experience prayer and movement together.
What did each day entail?
Day 1 we focused on Ephesians 6.10-13 and looked at acknowledging how we welcome God into our prayers, start our prayers and create a habit.
Day 2 was touching on Ephesians 6.14-15 and how we identify things that we feel insecure with or struggle with.
Day 3 began to draw things together by considering Ephesians 6.16 and exploring why we struggle with the things we do and how we lean on God to be in the centre of your battle.
Day 4, through Ephesians 6.17 we know that God gives us the things we need to fight with and part of our journey is learning to accept that.
Day 5 considered perseverance. The chance to keep going, pressing in and giving it to God.
Acknowledging where in the journey you are
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6.10-13
One of the things that I have struggled with during my journey as a Christian is connecting to God more, both through his word directly, and in prayer. There can seem to be all these ‘shoulds’ as you go through your Christian walk.
You should read the Bible everyday, you should have a quiet time every day, you should soak in God’s presence, you should be praying morning and evening, you should get up early to do it all. The list goes on. And whilst each one of those things has a place in our walk as Christian, it took me a long time to realise that there are no ‘shoulds’ with God, there are only invitations and opportunities presented. We are after all made unique, that means each of our walks will be unique, there isn’t a one size fits all. Often it’s the smallest change that you make in your walk that creates the biggest impact. A change that is easily manageable day to day. For me this involved adding prayer and movement together and recognising the intention through doing this.
I asked questions such as –
How are we ready? What makes us move? How does God give you strength at the moment? Where are your priorities in your prayer life? How do you get ready to pray? Close your eyes, open your hands out, pause, breathe and drop your shoulders? They are all movements!
At UC Grace it’s not prayer and movement, but instead prayer movement, I define this as the following –
“Prayer movement is your body’s reaction to drawing closer to God. The external display of an internal feeling and preparation for a conversation. It’s nuances that only you and God know. Fleeting moments when you choose to acknowledge your connection and conversation with God. The reality of moving through life sometimes 100 miles an hour but still always doing the same thing when you choose to pray. To have that conversation and allow intention into the time of response with God.“
The first step in moving, (literally and figuratively) forward in our prayer lives is acknowledging where we are really at and recognising how God’s word can help us do that.
Prayer and Movement is an individual journey
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Ephesians 6.14-15
The journey that we take is all different. Some of you will be keen to apply prayer and movement together in your prayers in lots of ways. Others of you want the opportunity to see, explore and do just a little, to knock on the door.
Whichever stage you are at that’s fine. It’s your individual journey. Part of creating a habit is giving yourself space to identify what you struggle with. This isn’t something you do as a one off, it’s an ongoing process.
For me this was something that took me a while to grasp. I used to figure that because I had looked at and identified areas of struggle or insecurity once that that meant I was done and wouldn’t need to do it again.
The reality is, just like we have to continually work at keeping our focus on God. We have to continually pause and recognise what we are struggling with and act on it. God is always there to support and guide us, but if we don’t stop long enough to see that things won’t change. For me part of that process is being honest with God when I am in those insecure places. When I need to know his truths more and have the confidence to stand firm.
Exploring our journey
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Ephesians 6.16
Part of any journey we encounter with our faith is recognising and acknowledging what is part of the journey. There will be many points along the journey where we feel like we are being attacked, don’t know how to get out or just feel really down. God is with us and He will defend us.
The amazing verse is exodus describes this for us. ‘The Lord will fight for You’ you need only to be still’. In the high speed train of life we can often forget the simple actions this verse portrays. In those flight or fight moments you have a choice, to turn and move away or to pause, be still and let God work. Neither are the easy option.
But the biggest difference I have found when I am in this position is activating a pause. A physical pause right there with my body but also a mental pause. A mental pause which allows God to speak, his word to enter my mind, the Holy Spirit to take control of the situation and to receive His peace. Two things have now happened in this moment. You’ve acknowledged that you need God in the situation, and you’ve also given the space for God to be in the situation.
Accepting our journey
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6.17
For me to grow not only in my dance leadership skills but my normal leadership skills I have had to make a choice to grow in other areas of my faith. This has involved an acceptance that I need to action God’s word and look for the impact it can make in my life and others. It’s also stepping out and moving myself to God’s word and not just telling others. The armour of God that this challenge was based on is a springboard to help us to grow, to action God’s word, the scriptures and see the impact. Those moments when we need to fight the flaming arrows, God gives us the things we need – his armour, his word, his spirit. Joining prayer and movement together helps us fight this stronger.
Perseverance in what’s ahead
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6.18
Our Christian walk is full of perseverance, the need to press on and seek God. How that looks for each person. Your act of pushing through giving God a place in all areas of your life whether big or small. Will all be different.
I’ve experienced so many times, thinking that I am track and focusing on God. But when I stopped long enough. I realised that I needed help, a little direction, encouragement and joy in my journey in order to keep persevering.
The opportunity to lift it all up to God, seeing and feeling the joy as God takes control, is a feeling to strive for. It’s like you’re putting a full stop in as you let God peel it all off you. The perseverance you pick, is not to do it in your own strength but in Gods.
Going on from here
The Prayer Movement Challenge was run as a lead up to launching the mentoring programmes of UC Grace. My passion for the mentoring is to provide a safe space for people to grow in whatever area they need. That could be directly related to dance and movement or it could be about their faith, habits and life mindset. Whichever it is. It will be an adventure as they invite God into the centre of that journey. You can read more about mentoring here.
My journey to writing the challenge was a chance for me to really look at when I move, why I move and what helps me as I pray, focus, and build my conversations with God, connecting prayer and movement together. My hope above anything else was to open others eyes to the possibilities of how you can approach your prayers and deepen your faith.
If you’d like to explore this concept more why not join us for our Prayer Dance Trail course. This encourages you to encounter God outside in his creation with prayer and movement together. More info is available here.
I often get asked what I consider the most important things when as a dance ministry leader. That’s a really difficult question to answer. However, I have picked out three things that underpin leadership journey and how I lead UC Grace and what I would recommend you think about as you explore leading a dance ministry.
Don’t feel like you’re a dance ministry leader? Whilst you might feel you’re not ‘leading’ anything specific. What I share can be applied to sharing Jesus with others, leading church groups and helping family members. It’s totally up to you how you choose to apply it.
One – Connecting to the holy spirit
For me, connecting to the Holy Spirit, is the most important things as a dance ministry leader. I want the focus of the session to be about the capabilities of God, not mine. The best way to learn how to connect with the holy spirit as you lead, is to practice. To practice and to trust!
I choose to say some simple words in my head. They generally consist of ‘Father God help me’, or ‘please remind me this is about you and not me’, or even ‘this isn’t working God what should I do’. Most often, the answer is to wait, to pause!
Try it yourself
This week in your conversations or time of leading, choose to pause and put into practice welcoming the Holy Spirit into what you are doing. Does it make a difference? Please do let us know!
Two – Acknowledging your struggles
Part of being a leader is sharing your strengths and your struggles. Choosing sometimes to make yourself vulnerable. You’re just as much a human as the people you maybe sharing with, therefore struggles are normal! I often find that it’s through an experience that I have that I then want to share. It comes from a place of encouragement and allowing others to see how they could move on with something they might be struggling with.
In the spirit of sharing. One thing I have been struggling with recently and working through is comparison. Comparison that what I am doing isn’t good enough or that it’s not a proper job or I’m not qualified to do it. It was during a recent zoom call with a lady in Canada that it reared it’s ugly head again. I knew God said, stop, as soon as my mind went down that rabbit hole. Stop comparing. But on the inside all I felt was unqualified to do the role. As the call went on, God interjected and revealed that the skillset I have is different to the other person. It can’t even be compared to. It is beyond comparison as we are all unique.
That’s what we need to remember as a dance ministry leader. We are all unique. Do not compare your abilities, journey, struggles etc against anyone else. It’s just between you and God.
But the journey we have been on as leader, the stories we have can help shape someone. Therefore don’t be afraid to acknowledge your struggles not only to yourself and God, but also to those that you teach and share with.
Try it yourself
What have you struggled with recently? Is there a struggle that you can share with someone this week, that could encourage them?
Three – Being clear and consistent when a dance ministry leader
In my early days of leading I found that I was quite wishy washy with my delivery. I couldn’t articulate very well what I wanted to happen and would seek assurance from the group that I was teaching through asking them lots of questions.
This tottering or wavering most likely came down to a lack of confidence, knowledge and experience. But as I have journeyed with leadership since, a reoccurring theme is the need to be clear and consistent with the subject that I am leading in.
Many many years on and I have learnt the art and way to deliver clear instructions, demonstrations, stories and communication between attendees and myself.
Consistency allows for a regular pattern to develop where attendees can feel safe in knowing the shape that the session with take. It also means they understand boundaries and I can be accountable for what is delivered.
If I restarted again ‘clear and consistent’ would be a tag line as I planned and delivered from the beginning. This doesn’t mean everything has to be planned to letter. It means that you take the time to understand the make up of the group that you are teaching and the best way to delivery to them.
Try it yourself
How do you feel about being clear and consistent when you lead? Is there one you struggle with more than the other?
What are your key things as a dance ministry leader? God has put inside each of us unique ways for us to lead. Sometimes to understand and grow that can take time. Our Christian Dance Leadership Programme provides a safe space to develop and grow your leadership skills. Head here to find out a bit more about it.
Have you considered the possibility that you are wired by a creative God, to think and be creative?
This might sound strange and uncomfortable, if you would consider yourself as someone who doesn’t have a creative bone in their body. Are you someone who would say “I’m not creative at all”, “I can do a bit of this and that” or “Yes I am creative”?
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1:28
Where do you see a creative God?
I took this picture recently at a UC Grace workshop. The sky, the birds that evening as well as my friends movement to a worship song were so awe inspiring, it caused me to stop what I was doing and take a moment to take it all in.
Our heavenly father made all of this. From darkness he made the world come into being. You and I are made with the very same hands, in this very image. We have a creator God, who made the fish, the sea, the birds and the stunning sunset and so much more. He creates on mass, with an abundant quality, God doesn’t do things by halves. God is the greatest creativity guru of all time and paints a canvas with the sky and the sea and so much more.
How does that make us creative?
So if that’s true, perhaps he has wired you and I to possess something of this life-giving creativity ourselves.
Being fruitful and multiplying means ending up with more than you started with. Perhaps God may have blessed you with an ability to dance, write, cook, be an entrepreneur, design something from scratch, build something out of wood or metal, sing, be a speaker….or perhaps you are yet to discover the gifts God has given you. But I want to say to you today, He will have given you gifts to create something. Gifts that He wants you to enjoy and develop, and also share with others.
How can I respond to knowing we have a creative God?
Consider doing some or all of the follow to help respond and explore this:
What has God has blessed you with creatively? An ability to dance, write, cook, be an entrepreneur, design something from scratch, build something out of wood or metal, sing, be a speaker….or something else?
Write out the blessings that come to mind.
Display them around your home as a reminder and encouragement of what God has given you.
Ask God to reveal a new way to share and bless others with these gifts today.
This has been written my Emma as part of our Scripture Prompt series. Scripture Prompts are weekly emails that share some different and creative ways to engage and go deeper with scripture. To find out more get in touch here
This weeks scripture prompt explores Genesis 1.1-2, looking at how we can apply various aspects to our day to day life. One particular phrase in the verses that stands out to me is ‘the spirit of God was hovering over the waters’. Even as the world began, God’s spirit hovered and was with us.
How has God got my attention?
God works in different way, and, as I have walked through a tough season the past month I have witnessed different ways that God has caught my attention and called me to listen.
The first being the sky and clouds that we walk under each day and the second recognising the presence of God’s spirit.
The outside has always been a special place for me, it’s a place that calms me and focuses my attention on what needs to be focused on.
I have found that in those moments when I am struggling with life and need refreshment, I take a step outside. The depth of my faith comes from interacting with much of the outside world . Even as I write this, I am looking out the window and focusing on the trees behind the house opposite. How the wind is moving them in the breeze. The visible display of an invisible power. The exact way that God’s spirit works, weaving it’s presence in our lives.
Above those trees are the clouds. Fluffy clouds with darkness round the edges, a glimmer of baby blue at the top and bright white and sun poking through. This image that I see is a display of God’s glory and an open invitation to recognise how God moves in my life.
Letting God’s spirit infiltrate
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Genesis 1.1-2
As I’ve been reflecting on Genesis 1.1-2 and my approach to life circumstances I began writing what was on my heart and writing what God was saying. The result of this was a heartfelt poem that I can impact others and encourage them with what they might not see, feel or hear God’s spirit.
Just remember, regardless of how we may feel, God will always be there!
You’re always there – Poem written August 2021 by Anna Gilderson
When the road never seems smooth and the waters never still.
When the wind relentlessly batters every aspect of your being.
He fights.
As your head feels turmoil and your eyes feel heavy.
As the voices speaks louder and the tussle grows stronger.
Sometimes we can feel like we are stuck in a rut with the way we worship dance, sometimes feeling like we are always doing the same thing. God doesn’t think this, He loves all the movement you create. That being said, there is nothing wrong with choosing to explore and push the boundaries of our movement to deepen our conversation with God. Here are 5 simple ways that you can grow your worship dance choreography.
I love association when it comes to teaching. So rather than using boring words I’ve gone for imagery and something to visualise. The Bible and worship are full of imagery anyway so it makes sense to use it to understand and develop your worship dance choreography. So, let’s break these 5 tips down.
Painting your canvas
Painters often only have a 2D canvas to work with, but as dancers our canvas is 3D, 360 degrees, often we can forget this. The easiest way to explain this is, imagine there is a giant glass box, bigger than you and you are put within it. Your ‘performance’ space, or area to dance in, is not just in front of you. It in front, behind, to the side, up above and down below. It is everywhere. Not only are you aware that you have all this space as your canvas, but also any observers that see you will recognise a depth in your movement due to the different facings that you focus on.
Golf ball to beach ball
Size plays a massive influence on the movement that you create. Just like painting your canvas it impacts on the visual eye and the energy of the dance, as well as the story. Minute finger movements to large whole-body movements each tell a story. Think through some of the movements that you have done recently, have they all been the same size or have you varied your approach to a movement?
Sloth to leopard
Speed can be something that we are afraid of as dancers. However, it is something that creates an ebb and flow in our dance, drawing both yourself and observers into what is happening. What speed naturally dominates your movement? A consistent continuous one? Or do you find yourself picking your moments with which to be fast or slow? What your body demonstrates with speed engages the dancer and observer on the journey that you are on. Whether that’s taking the same movement and doing it at different speed, or have different movements at different speeds. Scripture poses a great opportunity use this worship dance choreography.
Cricket to fly
I am sure by now you can work out what cricket to fly might mean!! Both are creatures that move and travel about in different ways (and speeds). You’ve got the cricket that travels ground through jumping and clinging to things. Then you have the fly, who flies (!) about chopping and changing direction. Just like when you paint your canvas you change the focus and facing of your movement. Travelling and moving across your space is important. You create patterns and shapes with the movement across the floor and jumping, twirling, sliding, twisting, running and more provide a way to move across that space. Cricket to fly is a fabulous way to immerse yourself in worship dance choreography.
Monkey
My last tip is about expressions, focus, quirks. The extra bits that help tell the story, express the song or reveal the meaning of God’s word. All these other bits are important in worship dance choreography to cement the journey, exploration and performance. Monkeys are great at showing up in different ways what’s needed, bringing in that extra little bit of flare.
Applying the use of these tips into worship dance choreography
Not sure how you can build out a sequence? Here are 5 applications from the worship dance choreography tips above –
Look at a piece of scripture (e.g. Psalm 36.5-7) identify different levels, changes and focuses within the verse. How can the things you’ve noticed help you to paint your canvas?
Looking at same scripture, identify the words that connect to size. How can they transpose to movement?
Take the movements you created for size and choreograph two variations of it and different speeds. What do you feel the speeds demonstrate?
In what ways can you lengthen and grow the movement sequence that you have at the moment? Go back to the scripture, what other things stand out for you? How can you add them into the sequence to show travel?
Finally, pause! Think about the worship dance choreography tips AND the scripture. What else can you add into your sequence to show what the scripture is saying. Think about the journey you are showing and the story you are creating from the scripture.
Hold on to Me choreography from the Prayer Dance Trail outside 2021. How many worship dance choreography tips can you spot?
I’ve only skimmed the surface with how you can use these 5 worship dance choreography tips. If you want to know more check out the membership and mentoring options with UC Grace here.
