Dance and Corporate Worship
Over the course of this past summer, I spent a week at California Baptist University for a summer residency for the Masters of Arts in Worship Arts program. It was my first time being in California for a significant length of time, and it was also my first time meeting the other students who would be in my cohort. At the beginning of the week, we were divided into several groups to work on various group assignments. That is when I met Cyd. Cyd was a professionally trained dancer studying in the Masters Program to have a better understanding of worship. Dance was her primary artistic medium.
Cyd’s passion for worship and desire to express worship in the way that came naturally for her challenged my thinking of what all should be encompassed within the idea of worship leadership. Most churches have worship pastors who are either vocalists or instrumentalists, but Cyd did not fit into either one of those categories. My experience working with her was going to change forever my perspective of the necessity of integrating arts into worship, especially with the medium of dance.
Upon meeting and discussing our various skill sets, our cohort knew that we needed to incorporate Cyd’s ability to dance into our group project. During a brainstorming meeting, Cyd mentioned that she really felt like during the bridge of one song, she could very easily express the meaning of the lyrics effectively. We moved forward into rehearsal mode, and the cohort all benefitted from our time together as we worked through the logistics of how to safely and effectively incorporate dance into our worship set. When the time came to present the project, I clearly remember how moved I was to witness this physical display of worship. As I looked around the room, it was clear that I was not the only one affected. Cyd’s worship moved the room.
The general acceptance of dance in the church is minimal, and it has been that way for many years. This is both because there is not a clear understanding of how dance can properly be expressed in worship and because training in this area does not usually occur. It is the responsibility of worship pastors and leaders to advocate on behalf of different art forms that are not natively integrated into corporate worship settings.
Throughout scripture, we see many examples of how dance is used to express worship (Exodus 15, 2 Samuel 6, Psalm 149:3, Psalm 150:4, Ecclesiastes 3:1). The first recorded song in the Bible includes Miriam leading all the women in dance with a tambourine. To remove dance as a form of worship expression is to limit how we can express our love for Him.
So how can dance be incorporated into corporate worship? The first step is to be intentional. A well-presented dance during the chorus of a song by one skilled dancer will create a better impression than a haphazard attempt made by a group of amateurs for an entire worship service. Next, find someone who is an expert at dance and ask questions. If you are unfamiliar with this art form, it is crucial to find someone proficient at it. They will help guide you to best practices on incorporation. Finally, once you have determined an intentional first step and found your expert, then take small steps to add dance into corporate worship. Initially, there may be some backlash, which is why small steps are essential. With intentionality, expertise, and small incorporations of dance, people will begin to become accustomed to the idea of dance in worship.
Below I have listed several links and examples of how dance can be integrated into worship, ranging from a soloist to a group presentation. My challenge for you is to make an effort in trying to incorporate dance into worship. Many parts of the Body of Christ do not fully understand their fit. As Worship Pastors and Leaders, it is our job to help believers find their place and to help give them another means of responding to God.
Do It Again — Elevation Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9ZGIGkYrLc
The Blessing: A Worship Dance Experience — Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes
Who You Say I Am — Hillsong Worship
