Do you want to be more flexible?
Do you want to improve your dancing?
Do you want to prevent injuries?
Do you want to worship while you do this?
The Stretch and Adoration DVD by Pastor Lynn Hayden will help you do all of these. It’s a wonderful tool for the praise dancer. I’m using this DVD twice weekly as part of my studies in the Dancing for Him teacher certification class. I love it.
Read my review below to learn more and enjoy this short stretching tutorial in which I demonstrate one of my many favorite stretching segments from the DVD: In the Stretch and Adoration DVD, Pastor Lynn takes the dancer through a series of stretching exercises. Illustrating the need for stretching, Pastor Lynn says, “You are as young as your spine is flexible,” also reminding us that keeping flexible helps us in our dancing and prevents injury. The stretching exercises are strenuous, so Pastor Lynn gives modifications along the way, encouraging us to go only to our own degree, to the point where we get a gentle stretch without straining muscles.
At the end of the exercises, she leads us through a relaxation exercise that culminates in a prayer of worship.
Finally, Pastor Lynn finishes with a short choreographed dance of adoration for a group. The dance is worshipful, simple enough to teach a new group of dancers, and contains elements of choreography such as group shapes, unity of movement, and complementary and contrasting movements, so that it captures the viewers interest and in order to effectively minister.
I love the stretching exercises on this DVD. They were challenging enough to stretch my ability and leave me mildly sore the next day (not so sore as to indicate that I overdid it), and also contained beautiful movements that gave me ideas for choreography to show adoration.
I love the title, “Stretch and Adoration” because many of the stretching movements are also postures of adoration – bending low, reaching, and allowing arms to wave gracefully.
In a dance or exercise class, I have always loved the stretching time, especially when it comes at the end of the class. Stretching leaves my body feeling relaxed and my emotions and spirit very open. So, it feels perfect, in this video, that after stretching, we enter into a final relaxation exercise in which we are directed to adore the Lord and to pray a prayer of worship, inviting His presence.
If you enjoyed the video tutorial, you’ll want to purchase the entire DVD and allow Pastor Lynn to lead you through a complete stretching routine.