The Mixture of Dance and Faith is not Sacrilegious
“I had chills the entire time you were performing. I’ve never seen someone worship like that before.” It was a typical Thursday night at Thirst, a weekly student worship gathering, except for one thing: I had just performed a reflection dance, instead of singing the usual reflection song, after giving my testimony. As the combination of green tea, dark chocolate, and post-performance adrenaline coursed through my veins, my buzzing brain attempted to absorb peers’ comments on the unusual spectacle that had just occurred. Another friend approached solemnly and stated, “the second you started dancing I started to cry. You were smiling so much and I could just tell you were in your element.” After I had run a lap around my apartment building and the overwhelming energy I had somewhat subsided, I sat alone in my room to process what had happened. Marveling at the fact that my embodied performance had also caused bodily reactions in other people, such as crying and chills, I wondered which elements of dance account for such a profound worship experience. Then, my mind settled on a bigger question: does faith and dance truly mix?
Though it took most of my life to become comfortable with raising my hands in gestural prayer during worship, I always found myself bouncing to the beat and wishing the pews would disappear so I could truly move to the music. Unbeknownst to me, a lifelong yearning to dance in church was realized last Thursday night. Up until that moment, it had been easy for my introverted self to spiritually sublimate movement in my mind during worship time in church, ignoring scriptural commands like “lift up your hands to the sanctuary and bless the Lord” (Psalms 134:2).Yet being able to express my praise through movement helped me “make [my] inner life visible, empowering [my] ability to see, hear, feel, and to be touched by the presence of God”[1]. An added dimension of human truth is revealed when movements described in scripture, such as raising one’s hands, are expressed by one’s body. As I moved to the contemporary worship song, “Survivor” by Zach Williams, I was reminded of God’s glories and the way he ends one’s suffering by “turning mourning into dancing”[2]. My dance became a celebration of God’s power, and I believed His promises stated in the song lyrics more and more with every step. Rather than just speaking empty words, dance provides us a way to feel and interpret the meaning of spiritual texts. In this process, one is given the opportunity of entering an altered, more spiritual state of being. By engaging the whole person in worship, one can have a similar experience to Ruth St. Denis when she states, “when I am dancing…I am in a more harmonious state of being than at any other time, for the reason that my entire organism is living under and acting from the idea of beauty that governs it in those hours…I move under the will or direction of a higher and different kind of vibration.”[3] As I moved, I felt what St. Denis described. All my suffering in the past year was expelled through my limbs with the flex of each muscle. In that moment, all pain was completely gone from me. I was so at peace that it seemed like a dream in which the spirit moved me. I felt surreally “on my leg,” which is dancer-speak for being on-balance. My body delighted in the flowing, balletic steps such as renversés and drag turns. It seems as though dance is a special means through which one can find peace within oneself and have an intimate interaction with God. This highly personal experience is a unique opportunity for self-expression that only dance can provide.
Additionally, joyful dancing such as this has the added benefit of exercise and raising one’s spirits with the release of endorphins. As stated by Matthias Butschky, a 17th century Polish vicar, “dance could simply be a delight for the soul, and an exercise for the body.”[4] This stress-relieving activity, “a ‘tonic,’ a revitalizer of the spirit, especially needed at times of crisis or hope”[5] serves as a source of comfort and better prepares the dancer to receive God’s message. The above effects of “praising His name with dancing” become even stronger when experienced in a group. This was especially apparent during the dance party that ensued at the end of my piece. As the conga line initiated by me snaked about the room, an energy of pure joy exuded from each person, whether from their raised chest or toothy smiles. One does not have to be religious to enjoy dancing, and the added benefit of the medium is that it does not require speaking. Thus, it can cross language barriers and perhaps allow shyer people to become more confident during worship. Ashwini Ramaswamy, a bharatanatyam dancer who performs with Ragamala Dance Company in Minneapolis, comments on the inclusive nature of her art form, saying, "I like to think of our dancing as an expression of spirituality. You don't have to be Hindu to appreciate or even dance bharatanatyam"[6]. Likewise, one does not have to be a trained dancer or even have a faith life to enjoy the benefits of dancing during worship. The joy that is shared during the dance can bring people from all walks of life together, and perhaps even invite people with no faith to explore the possibilities of adopting one. Surveying the warmly lit, intimate chapel filled with all my friends bobbing in their seats to the music and wearing encouraging grins, I felt so connected to my fellow worshippers even though I was the only one dancing for most of the song.
When dancing in front of a group, however, it is easy to become caught up in the performance aspect of it all. In the words of liturgical dance expert Gloria Weyman, “dance is a prayer; when it ceases to be a prayer and becomes a performance, it defeats its purpose.”[7] Unlike a conventional dance performance, the purpose of liturgical dance is not to earn the attention and applause of the audience. Rather, it is to assist the congregation to pray more fully in spirit and in truth by engaging the mind, body, and spirit simultaneously. Engaging this sentiment throughout the choreographic process was a welcome challenge. Pacing around in an empty studio the night before Thirst, my heart beat faster as I listened to the song repeatedly and tried to piece together a dance that would be appropriate for a small chapel, yet be a strong supplement to the message of my testimony. Anxiety and doubt built as I struggled between impressive tricks with empty meaning and steps, like a simple reach, that were less impressive, yet, when executed with sincerity, allowed me to feel a synergy with God unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It was also tempting to create steps that merely echoed the song lyrics. I had fallen victim to this before in my Choreography course, and was determined to create something with more substance after reading a quote from Mary Baker Eddy, the American discoverer and founder of Christian Science. She said, “it is not the form of worship itself that determines its efficacy but rather the degree to which such forms reflect divine Mind… What counts is the attitude or intent of the performer—that is, her willingness and ability to participate in the divine Mind.”[8] This statement came to mind when a classmate asked if I would like them to film my reflection dance. At first, I desired what was sure to be a pivotal moment in my faith journey to be documented, especially because of how hard I worked on the choreography. In the end, however, I chose to focus on how the dancing felt instead of what I looked like, and to remain in the present and treasure the moment in my memory.
With regards to the question of whether faith and dance are compatible, Eddy also said, “it is not the form of worship itself that determines its efficacy but rather the degree to which such forms reflect divine Mind…it is not the media of dance or theater that are ‘evil’ and ‘immoral’ in themselves—as if material forms had causative power.” [9] The inclusion of dance in church services has been a much-debated topic for centuries and has elicited both positive and negative responses. Dance was first used by the Hebrews as a way of engaging the whole person in prayer, yet soon began to be associated with sensuality, theater, and desacralization as it was secularized by surrounding cultures. This secularization increased under Roman rule, and contributed to both the de-emphasis of the body and the association with dance to barbaric theater spectacles and pagan rites. Famous writers such as Augustine ardently rejected dance in church services, and by the sixth century, it was totally condemned by the church. This condemnation continued into the Middle Ages, when church became less community oriented, more formal, and ultimately quite restrictive. The disappearance of liturgical dance occurred during the Renaissance, during which technological innovations such as the printing press led to greater undervaluation of the body and returned dance to secular society.[10] Yet dance has the potential to reinstate the community among modern-day worshippers that was lost during the Middle Ages. It could also restore the unification of the mind, body, and spirit in prayer used by the Hebrews to become closer to God. When performed properly, dance in church allows people of all ages and abilities to engage in deeper prayer and unity with God in church services, which provides a more profound worship experience.
“It is not the media of dance or theater that are “evil” and “immoral” in themselves—as if material forms had causative power.”
In fact, dance and religion have similar elements of discipline and ritual. A wise Gonzaga Jesuit once said something along the lines of, “whether you regard yourself to be religious or not, everyone holds something sacred.” Dancers, regardless of whether they practice religion, approach their daily routine with reverence, rarely straying from their individualized rituals. A professional dancer moves about their extremely structured day like a monk. Without fail, they warm up before technique class, ice and stretch afterwards, eat healthy meals at highly specific times, and repeat the same tried-and-true makeup routine while saying “merde” to one another in slightly superstitious pre-performance traditions. However, many professional dancers do practice faith despite the common trope of living hard and fast outside company life. Dance Magazine confirms that “for many, faith and dance are intertwined: Faith inspires dance, dance amplifies faith, and both make up the ethos of the performer.” [11] Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo dancer and devout Jew Boysie Dikobe says, "At 21, I gave everything to ballet," he says. "But then I injured my hip and I realized I didn't have any balance in my life—something was missing. Religion has filled that void for me. Now I realize that if ballet were taken away from me, I would still be whole. I can pray. I can be safe without anything external." [12] Similarly, American Ballet Theatre principal and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints member Devon Teuscher says that her religion and its belief in an afterlife has given her much-needed perspective, saying, “I've come to learn that there is more than just ballet." [13]
Despite a rocky history with the church, then, dancing and faith serve as a fruitful pairing in the lives of many. Dancing is sometimes as simple as moving, and it is important that one uses their body, a gift from God, to worship and give back to Him. Not only does the dancer give God the glory, they are able to experience a multitude of benefits themselves. Being able to enter a higher state of mind by engaging the mind, body, and spirit allows one to find inner peace and greater unity with God. This experience is a different avenue through which to express oneself that does not require speaking, and can cross language barriers. And, quite simply, dance provides exercise and can lift one’s spirits, lending a healing aspect to dancing in church. So get moving!
[1] De Sola, Carla. “Liturgical Dance: State of the Art.” Liturgical Ministry 6, (1997): 49-57, 50.
[2] Psalms 30 :11 (AMP).
[3] La Mothe, Kimerer L. "Passionate Madonna: The Christian Turn of American Dancer Ruth St. Denis." Journal of the American Academy of Religion 66, no. 4 (1998): 747-69,753.
[4] Arcangeli, Alessandro. "Dance under Trial: The Moral Debate 1200-1600." Dance Research: The Journal of the Society for Dance Research 12, no. 2 (1994): 127-55,145.
[5] DeSola, Liturgical Dance, 51.
[6] Hilton, Haley. “Observing Shabbat in Drag: Boysie Dikobe.” Dance Magazine. Dance Magazine, October 15, 2019.
[7] Weyman, Gloria, and Lucien Deiss. "Movement and Dance as Prayer." Liturgical Ministry 2, (1993 1993): 70-73, 73.
[8] La Mothe, Passionate Madonna, 753.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Robert Fastiggi “Liturgical Dance.’’ New Catholic Encyclopedia Supplement 2011, no. 2. (2011): 444-447, 446.
[11] Hilton, Observing Shabbat in Drag.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid.
