Today I’m celebrating a huge milestone and want to share the joy with you. I also want to give you a window into an incredible training experience for worship dancers that is available to you no matter where you live: The Dancing for Him Online Training School.
This week, I completed my final assignment for Level 2 of Dancing for Him’s Online Training School. Yippee!!! Hooray!!! Thank you, Lord!! Happy dance!
This completed two years of study, creativity, fellowship and transformation for me. I am so grateful that the Lord enabled me to take this course, and I’m leaving it with a Worship Dance Teacher’s Certificate and a Dance Minister’s Certificate of License.
I’m really excited to be able to travel to South Carolina in November to attend Dancing for Him’s Streams and Streamers Conference and I hope I can meet many of you there.
I’ve been to several of Lynn’s conferences, and each time I go away full of the joy of worshiping through dance, having my toolbox full of new ideas, and having received ministry that frees my spirit.
Here’s some questions to answer to determine whether this conference is right for you:
Would you love to learn many aspects and concepts of worship/expressive dance?
Would you love to learn some fresh movement and choreography ideas?
Would you love to be in a professional video production?
Would you love to learn many creative ideas and dance composition with streamers?
Would you love to receive ministry through and be activated in prophetic dance?
Photos from the Dancing for Him Conference I attended in Santa Maria this past March
If you register in time (before September 15), you’ll receive a tunic and streamer with your registration. It’s also a graduation conference. In fact, I’m graduating from Level II of Lynn’s online dance ministry school. I anticipate a strong anointing for ministry, not just for the graduates, but for all who attend.
Read Lynn Hayden’s description of the conference here:
Be set free to dance before Him with full and total abandon while learning techniques to help your dances minister most effectively. Come experience the intoxicating, overpowering flowing streams of His presence and go home with not only fresh ideas, but changed!
In January, 2014, we had the original Streams and Streamers conference and it was amazing! Though we covered a HUGE amount of material and creative ideas, there is just so much more!! This time we are going to focus much more on the creative activations! You will go home with a plethora of new, fresh and creative ideas!!
If this sounds good to you, come join us.
I will not be teaching at this conference, nor am I hosting it. I’ll be attending and receiving my Dance Ministry Leadership Certificate and my License from Dancing for Him. I would love to share this experience with you. I know you’ll be blessed by Pastor Lynn’s teaching and the fellowship with other worship dancers.
Again, the deadline to register and receive a tunic and streamer is September 15. Please let me know if you register. I really look forward to seeing you there.
Through prayerful movements, we pull down strongholds.
Strongholds are anything that hinders the will of God in our lives. They can be long standing patterns of behavior or thought, even things that seem to be woven into the fabric of our personalities that keep us from doing God’s will or abiding in Him.
There are strongholds in families, strongholds over cities, institutions, and nations. They manifest in relational conflicts, in addiction, in injustice, crime, illness, and more. The outward symptoms are physical and material, but the root of the problem is in the spiritual realm.
The apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 that God has given us authority in Christ to pull down these strongholds:
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Our greatest weapon in pulling down these strongholds is prayer, and when we pray according to His will, we know He answers. As dancers, we intercede not just with our words, but with our movements.
In this 4 minutes video, I share movements you can use in your prayer and devotion to break down strongholds in your life, in the lives of your loved ones, and in your community.
This teaching comes from the DVD Weapons of Warfare/Movements of Breakthrough. The Weapons of Warfare/Movements of Breakthrough DVD contains four basic sections. In the first section, Pastor Lynn teaches out of the Dance, Dance, Dance! book on the Hebrew words associated with power movements.
In the second section, we learn how doing movements like circling, marching in procession, whirling, and shaking can bring deliverance by pulling down strongholds.
In the third section, Pastor Lynn gives four scriptures that describe the Lord bringing victory and deliverance through praise, and she gives movement ideas for each of these scriptures. She goes on to develop 8 counts of punch-kick movements that you can use in your own workout or to lead a group of dancers.
And, finally, in the fourth section, she demonstrates how to put all this together into a 20-minute time of movements in which a group of dancers can do spiritual warfare while also getting a cardio workout. Each section builds on the previous section, equipping the dancer with movements for intercession.
I love this DVD. One of my primary callings as a dancer is to intercede in my own prayer time and to equip others to intercede through movement. This DVD gives me strong movements for warfare (where my natural bent is towards fluid, gentle movements) and a strong biblical basis for using them.
Whether you purchase this DVD or just incorporate the movements for pulling down strongholds into your devotion (and create more movements of your own), I pray that you are encouraged and equipped by these in your prayer time.
Please share your thoughts in the comments:
Did you find this helpful?
How have you incorporated dance into your time of intercession?
Using billow cloths in a Pentecost ministry dance.
Have you ever seen those beautiful billow cloths and wondered how to use them?
Do you want some creative ideas for their use?
Would you like to learn the mechanics of using them in a step by step fashion?
The Billow Cloths DVD by Lynn Hayden of Dancing for Him ministries will teach you all of these things.
I have used the teaching from this video in dance workshops, in ministry presentations, and in classes I teach to children. Billow cloths add so much in each environment. The beauty of the moving fabric, the sound of the cloth moving the air, and even the feel of the moving air all work together to create a worship experience full of power and wonder.
Watch this 5 minute tutorial I teach a segment from the DVD with a partner and with a child and also give you a glimpse into how we used the billows in a powerful way in our ministry dance.
Here’s another must have resource for worship dancers. Written by Lynn Hayden of Dancing for Him Ministries, Dancing for Him (to purchase, click here) is a guide to understand the heart attitude necessary to minister effectively through dance, to understand the scriptural significant of the movements we do and what effect they have in the spiritual realm, and it provides practical wisdom for a dance ministry team leader.
Dancing for Him explains how dance can be used in praise and worship time, for prophetic ministry to an individual or group, and for gospel presentations. It
The part of the book that provoked the most thought for me was in chapter 7, Performance vs. Ministry. pastor Lynn distinguished between several categories of Christian dancers: those who dance because they enjoy dance and like to dance to Christian music; those who want to take back the arts for the Lord; and those who dance solely to minister to the Lord and to minister to people.
I see myself in a combination of the categories. I began dancing in worship with no training and with the sole desire to minister to the Lord and people through dance. Over the past few of years, the Lord has enabled me to gain training so that I am now also I a moderately I skilled dancer with a desire to take back dance for the Lord. I don’t separate this from ministering to people through dance. I teach worship dance to children whose parents are so grateful to have a Christ centered environment for their children to dance in. I see offering dance to them as a ministry. The ministry begins with taking back dance for the Lord. But this is not separate from ministering to the children and teaching them to be ministers. Usually, we end a session of dance class with a ministry a presentation at a nursing home. I teach the children that this is ministry, not performance. We pray for the residents together, and they pray at home. They love dancing before other people. There is joy in the act of dancing. But they know the reason we are there is not to get applause or impress people, but to tell God’s stories and prepare the way for him to move in people’s hearts.
Like the children, I love to dance. Even when I’m not ministering, even when I’m not overtly worshiping (like when I’m taking a class in the studio), I love to dance. It’s a joy to move the body god gave me in a way that is beautiful; however, that does not compare to the joy and meaning I find in worshiping Gd through dance and dancing in ministry. So, I see myself in all three categories. The most important part of dance for me is worshiping the Lord. From there, it is a privilege to grow in skill and to minister to others.
This book will challenge you to ask yourself if you are dancing for “them” or for Him.
It will give you practical wisdom about how to use dance in praise and worship, in gospel presentations, and in prophetic ministry. It will also encourage about the power that God releases as we move before Him in worship and ministry.
It’s a fantastic complement to Pastor Lynn’s other book and DVD, Dance, Dance, Dance! which is available in my store.
What does God think of dance? Does it please Him or offend Him? I read on a blog today that, “dance is a great sin and a very horrible vice because it degrades the common morality and degrades traditional Christian values.” Wow.
I’ve been dancing as worship for many years now and studying have studied what the bible says about it. I know He was pleased when David danced and displeased when Micah judged him for it. I know that Miriam, the first prophetess, danced after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, so I’m confident that dance has a place in the Lord’s heart and will. But I studied, Dance, Dance, Dance! this week, by Lynn Hayden of Dancing for Him and felt like the Lord opened my understanding about dance.
Dance, Dance, Dance! is a great resource for the dancer who wants to know more about dance and movement in the bible, who wants to go beyond the questions, “Is it okay?” to asking, “When and how should we use it? and “What difference can dance make in the Kingdom of God.”
In reading the first section of the book, what struck me was how much a part of Hebrew culture that dance is. The Israelites danced in response to victory in battle, to being restored, and to express joy. They danced to find a spouse and to celebrate a marriage. Dancing was part of life, and often was a community activity. Sometimes, but not always, it was an act of worship. In the cases of David and Miriam, the dance was an expression of praise and the dancers exulted in the presence of God. Other times, dance was more of a community activity, and sometimes it was an act of sin: The daughters of Shiloh came out dancing to attract husbands, and the Israelites danced before the golden calf. So, this says to me that the desire to dance is part of being human. When we dance in response to God’s goodness, He affirms our dance. When we dance as part of our culture, scripture acknowledges it, not necessarily affirming nor condemning it. When our dance is an act of idolatry, as when the Israelites danced around the golden calf, or lust, as when the daughter of Herodias danced before Herod (Mark 6:22), it grieves The Lord. So, what I got from that is that dance, in itself, isn’t good or bad, rather its value comes from the motivation and heart condition of the dancer.
It was the words that connote movement that moved me the most in the book. Dance, Dance, Dance! lists Hebrew and Greek words, their English translation, and then the definition of the words. I was moved to learn the power that is released when we move in the ways scriptures describes. Spinning can be an act of intercession (chul, p. 37) or can be like a battering ram against the enemy (karar, p. 65). Jumping and shaking can shake off bondage (nathar, p. 73). Waving hands or streamers can be a perfume of fire that drives out the enemy (tnuwphah, p. 91). The Lord compasses about us. He surrounds us with His mercy and protection (cabab, Psalm 32:10). Through movement we can break of chains that the enemy has placed on people (p. 129). I’m an intercessor. I think one of my primary callings is intercessory prayer. This book created many strong links for me between movement and intercession, gave me a language for intercessory movement, and increased my movement vocabulary for prayer. I have always loved using expressive sign on my dances because of the clear meaning that the movements communicate. Dance, Dance, Dance! showed me how other dance movements like spinning, walking, waving arms and leaping can be not only beautiful but full of meaning and powerful and effective to bring healing and deliverance.
If you are leading others in dance, you need this book. It will equip you to teach others what the bible says about dance and movement and will teach you to choreograph with greater meaning and power. Also, consider purchasing the Dance, Dance, Dance! DVD, for sale in my store.
I’m loving the “Dance Dance Dance!” DVD and book by Lynn Hayden. I used the lesson from the DVD to teach this lesson in my worship dance class with children last week. You can purchase and/or DVD here.
The DVD has several parts: In it, Pastor Lynn unpacks the meaning of the word dance as it appears in the Old and New Testament. We learn that the bible is full of words that imply dancing, dancing in a circle, moving the body in a beat or rhythm, being stirred in rapid movement, and going around in a circle. Then she goes on to teach about Hebrew words found in the Old Testament and Greek words in the New Testament that imply movement. For each word, we learn how the Hebrew or Greek word is translated into English. These words are called the “locator words,” and they are the words we see in our Bible. Then, Pastor Lynn gives an amplified definition of the word, in which we see how much movement is implied by it. Next, a group of dancers embody scriptures where each of these words can be found. In the last section of the video, Pastor Lynn teaches a dance choreographed to “Psalm 23.”
The DVD is full of biblical and practical tools. It will equip you to teach others that there is so much more to dance in the bible than Miriam’s dance and David dancing before the Lord. When the bible says to “rejoice,” it means more than just “be happy.” The word gull or gil means to spin around under the influence of any violent emotion, to be joyful, to rejoice, to cry out, or to exalt. I have used the exercises in the DVD at dance workshops to get women and children bringing the scriptures to life. I love what different groups of people will choreograph to scripture. Do one word study each week at dance team practice to build a biblical foundation for dance for the team as well as to build their movement vocabulary.
Are you called to dance ministry? How do you know if you are called? What if you aren’t called? In this 6 minute video, I teach from Lynn Hayden’s DVD “Called to Dance” (available at www.dancingforhim.com) where Pastor Lynn shares her own testimony of being called to dance, helps worship dancers answer the question, “Am I called to dance?” and answers many other questions that dancers have asked her over the years. In this video, I share teaching from “Called to Dance” as well as my own testimony of being called to dance.
At the heart of this video and of being called to dance is being in relationship with God and being in His presence. If we spend time dancing before the Lord in private, it will show when we dance in front of others.
I’ll be creating weekly 4-6 minute videos with teachings from the Dancing for Him course I am taking this year. If you would like to receive notices about these uploads, getting bite sized teachings on dance technique and dance ministry leadership, subscribe to my YouTube Channel.
Having a strong core is crucial for a dancer. It protects our back, helps with posture, and affects almost every aspect of technique. Watch this 3 minute video I made on how to do the Pilates hundreds exercise to strengthen your abs, and read the essay below, which I wrote on the Pilates – Basic – Preliminary DVD from Dancing for Him Ministries.
Preliminary Pilates: This DVD gives an excellent introduction to Pilates. It contains two sections: The first can be used to run through the entire workout without stopping long for explanations. Throughout this section, Pastor Lynn provides coaching on how to maintain proper form throughout the exercises. The second section, “Form and Modifications,” gives even more detailed teaching on the proper form for Pilates as well as modifications for beginners as well as for ways to increase the difficulty of the exercises.
In Pilates we pay careful attention to form and breathing, the movements are small and controlled, and the focus is on developing the core muscles, which are so important for dancers. In the basic Pilates position, you keep your naval to the spine, feet flat on the floor and knees bent. Several of the exercises begin from this position, including the ab prep, the hundred, the roll up, and the shoulder bridge. There are two basic positions for the pelvis/back: There is the neutral position, in which you keep the natural C-curve of the spine; and there is the imprinted position, in which there is little to no distance between the low back and the floor. The imprinted position provides more support for the low back when doing exercises in which the legs are extended. Several exercises, like the hundred, the spine twist, and the oblique stretch, require you to bring the neck and shoulders off the floor. To keep proper form when doing this, you want to tuck the chin, without jamming it, before lifting the head and shoulders off the ground and also to keep the shoulders elevated but not hunched or rising up.
Doing this DVD made me want more. I can feel the strength required to do the exercises correctly, and felt I could do more. I appreciate the modification for the hundreds and find this one of the most satisfying exercises because it makes me sweat and takes the most perseverance. Since having strong core muscles is so important for dance, and for overall health, I can see how valuable Pilates can be for a dancer.
Today I’m celebrating a huge milestone and want to share the joy with you. I also want to give you a window into an incredible training experience for worship dancers that is available to you no matter where you live: The Dancing for Him Online Training School.
