Pasadena Choreography Workshop Recap

Adding depth and interest to your choreography is simple, but it is not easy. I think each participant at last Saturday’s choreography workshop with Marlita Hill in Pasadena would echo that sentiment.

Going into the workshop, Marlita assured that we would learn how to turn simple movements into creative phrases that fill the space, song, and stage and communicate God’s heart. She also said we would learn how to communicate our choreography to others so that they can easily and effectively follow. We did both of those things.

Marlita walked us through a series of exercises that taught a slice of Laban’s Analysis of Movement in a way that was simpler than anything else I’ve heard before. It made complex choreography teaching accessible. But it was not easy.

We worked hard. Each exercise called us to work harder, dig deeper, and stretch further. The results were very satisfying. Each of us walked away having choreographed a short dance that told a story about who we are.

In addition, one of us had the opportunity to teach her dance to the rest of us. Marlita coached her on how to teach  dancers to turn (Who among us hasn’t asked our students to turn, and then stepped back and watched the turns go in varying directions, losing our unity at that point?), travel, and replicate timing in a way that preserved the integrity of the dance and the team unity.

So, thank you to those who prayed for this workshop. We felt your prayers and they were effective. And thank you to each woman who participated, who took risks, dug deeper, and shared their movements with us.

Watch this 3-minute video recap. Just watching this short clip, you’ll get ideas for how to take your own simple movements and add depth, interest, and power.

 

Recap: When the Spirit Moves Dance Concert

I was blessed to participate in the When the Spirit Moves Dance Concert at Victory Baptist Church this past Sunday. It was an awesome evening and such an honor to be a part of.  Thanks to Valerie Toliver and her team from Highest Praise Dance who organized the evening with excellence, the perfect blend of order that comes from careful planning, and freedom that comes from humbly being open to the Spirit of God. You made space for Him, and He came and blessed all who were there.

I want to share with you four ways where I saw His fingerprints on the event and to share the video of the dance we shared.

For those of you who prayed for this event, thank you so much. Here are some places where we saw His fingerprints on the event. Continue reading “Recap: When the Spirit Moves Dance Concert”

Pasadena Workshop Recap

praise dance workshop pasadenaThe Worship in Motion workshop this past Saturday was very powerful. It was an awesome privilege to teach with Marlita Hill.

It was also very moving to work with a group of women who came wanting to go deeper in choreography and worship and who came with hearts open to share and to learn.

The Lord showed Himself faithful to minister through the teaching and through the group activations.

I’ll share quickly my favorite takeaways:

1. God knew what you have a don’t have in terms of skill, experience, finances, (everything) when He called you, and it’s enough. So, no more apologies!

2. The Word is Living. He speaks. He has a tone. He has a message that He wants to communicate through our dance. So, we must get in touch with Him, we must take time to hear from Him if we are to speak for Him. There is no short changing this step.

3. The context (of scripture, of a song, of the people to whom and place at which you are ministering) must shape how you interpret the word. Pay attention to context. For example, love doesn’t look the same in every context. So, if you are communicating about God’s love, listen for the context in which He is extending it. His love is multidimensional, and so there are a multitude of different ways to embody it through dance.

4. We do not need to be perfect, just wholehearted. So, engage your whole heart and your whole body and trust Him to speak.

There was more, but I’ll let the video recap speak now. Hope you see and hear Him in it.

Did God speak to you through this recap? I hope so. If so, please share how in the comments. It will encourage me and others.

Join us next time!

Praise Him with Dance

Liturgical Dance to Psalm 150I had the complete joy recently to teach a six week dance class to students at Ecclesia Classes in Pasadena.  We danced at Ecclesia’s Christmas party to Psalm 150, produced and sung by the Harrow Family on their album, A New Commandment.

We also had the privilege of inviting the community to worship with us through movement after we danced. After all, this Psalm is a call to worship.

So, I taught the audience gestures to the song, “I Love You Lord,” and invited them to worship to the song with us. It was really moving to watch whole families moving in worship.

Enjoy this dance and let it draw you to praise our Jesus, our creator, redeemer and shepherd.

Please share in the comments about any dances you were able to share during the Christmas season and how they impacted those to whom you ministered.

Pasadena Workshop Praise Report

Worship Dance workshop pasadena

Thank you so much to all who prayed for the Worship in Motion Praise Dance Workshop in Pasadena this past Saturday. Your prayers made a tremendous difference.

The Lord blessed the workshop, blessed me, and blessed those who attended.

Here are 5 ways I saw His hand as well as a 90 second video recap of the afternoon. Continue reading “Pasadena Workshop Praise Report”

Come Worship and Be Equipped

Pasadena dance workshopAn early worship dance mentor said this to a group of worshipers at the first praise dance workshop I ever attended.

Her words have been seared in my mind. I was a worshiper before I was a dancer, and dance has been a way to express my worship. I know the Lord looks at my heart much more intently than he looks at my skill level.

For many years, getting training was not a priority for me. I loved worshiping the Lord in private (no credentials required for that) and taught simple movements to children to express the heart of songs.

But these words stayed with me, and at the right time, the Lord opened the door for me to gain more training so that I could more clearly and creatively say with my body what my spirit wanted to say to the Lord. In fact, I’ve completed the Dancing for Him Level 1 Dance Teacher’s Training course. Continue reading “Come Worship and Be Equipped”