to dance or not to dance...

[hopedancer92]

i'm sort of confused about this one idea i have , lets see if u can help me out:

it was about a month or so i got an idea of something i could do in church....i want to start a dance class.... with a devotional before every class.... on sunday nights at the church. now this cood be complicated especiallybecause its a baptist church...i don't know if they'd allow it... and i'm only 13 ... almost 14. i'd like to do it for about 3 month periods with 2nd -5th graders ... i haven't asked neone yet.... but i don't kno what to do... or who to ask... i f i shood do it at all....

ne comments or suggestions?

[Floatingaxe]

i'm sort of confused about this one idea i have , lets see if u can help me out:

it was about a month or so i got an idea of something i could do in church....i want to start a dance class.... with a devotional before every class.... on sunday nights at the church. now this cood be complicated especiallybecause its a baptist church...i don't know if they'd allow it... and i'm only 13 ... almost 14. i'd like to do it for about 3 month periods with 2nd -5th graders ... i haven't asked neone yet.... but i don't kno what to do... or who to ask... i f i shood do it at all....

ne comments or suggestions?

God bless you! Our church has a dance troupe and they meet weekly or biweekly and have worship together! They are led by one of our female pastors who is gifted in this area. They dance in worship before the Lord and the people on a regular basis, and are such a blessing to Him and us!

I think you just may have received a calling from God about this. I would suggest you continue in prayer and speak to your spiritual authorities in this matter. Seek out a church that is doing this and meet with their leader! God bless you as you seek to serve God with your life!

[tah]

We had a little Jewish dance class going once and it was so fun....

Keep seeking the Lord about it..

If it is His purpose then He will make a way for you ...

I will pray that God will answer You clearly as to what His desire is for you and your church...

[Nero's Fiddle]

What sort of dancing are you talking about here?

If you mean a wordly, sensual type of dance, then I submit that you should study this a bit further.

The example of dance as performance that most clearly shows the dangers is that of Herodius' daughter. She danced before Herod in a learned, practiced style.

Nothing good came of it. He was enticed, and, in a moment of passion, promised her anything she would ask. She asked for the head of John the Baptist (coached by the same conniving mother who allowed her to dance before Herod in the first place).

Conversely, David danced spontaneously, not in a worldly style (or for the sake of being seen by people), out of pure joy in God.

Be very careful here... We are temples of God's HOLY Spirit.

[Guest SheepDog]

If you are talking about a choreographed "ballet" style dance it's one thing. But if you are talking about "Destiny's Child/Beyonce" type of dancing, I'd have to say it's probably not appropriate. With all of the bumping and grinding and sexual movements, I don't feel there is any redeeming value of praise involved with "skakin your booty" for the Lord. Much less getting 2nd to 5th graders involved in provocative dance.

J.M.O.

[Nero's Fiddle]

Amen Sheepdog... that is basically what I was trying to say as well.

Any type of dance that would involve ungodly music, provocative movements, or inappropriate physical contact between males and females should be eschewed.

[nebula]

Hey, hopedancer!

I was a part of the dance team at my former church. We had a mixture of spontaneous praise/worship dancing and choreographed presentations.

Aside from praying and seeking the Lord - obviously -

Consider an upcoming event - like Christmas. Do you have a Christmas service that is not the Sunday morning service - like a Christmas Eve service? I am thinking that appealing to your pastors to lead the children in a dance presentation for a non-Sunday morning service would be more favorable to them than a Sunday morning one.

It is possible you may need to start small. That is let the song you present be a mixture of acting and dance.

Also, assure the pastor/staff that you will teach the children how to avoid sexually explicit moves (for younger children, you don't have to tell them why they shouldn't wiggle their hips like Brittany Spears in those terms, there are ways to be tactful - like "dancing as the world dances") and the wearing of proper attire. (Whenever girls dance, they really ought to be wearing culottes under their skirts.)

I hope this gives you some ideas to work with.

[hopedancer92]

GUYS!!! i wood never show second to 5th graders britney spears moves!!!! i woodn't even try them myself! i was thinkin i would try doing a half hour class of jazz class (not hip hop, jazz)and a half hour of ballet... but they woodn't have to go to both... i've thought about this a lot... but i still haven't quite told anyone... remember i dunno if they wood let me do it... i'm only 13 ( almost 14). i think i wood try putting a devotional in the middle of the 2 classes... that way if they don't wanna stay.... they could leave rite after that... and if they do wanna stay... that gives their bodies a bit of a cool down. as to showing people the dances... i was thinking of first just showing their parents their dances as like a short recital type thing... and the pastor could come, too, to see if it was ok to perform for church.... because our church never had anybody dance in church before. i f u have any more suggestions... or answers... please reply!!! THANKS!

[Floatingaxe]

GUYS!!! i wood never show second to 5th graders britney spears moves!!!! i woodn't even try them myself! i was thinkin i would try doing a half hour class of jazz class (not hip hop, jazz)and a half hour of ballet... but they woodn't have to go to both... i've thought about this a lot... but i still haven't quite told anyone... remember i dunno if they wood let me do it... i'm only 13 ( almost 14). i think i wood try putting a devotional in the middle of the 2 classes... that way if they don't wanna stay.... they could leave rite after that... and if they do wanna stay... that gives their bodies a bit of a cool down. as to showing people the dances... i was thinking of first just showing their parents their dances as like a short recital type thing... and the pastor could come, too, to see if it was ok to perform for church.... because our church never had anybody dance in church before. i f u have any more suggestions... or answers... please reply!!! THANKS!

In my view, if they don't want to stay for a devotional, then they shouldn't be allowed to be part of the ministry. Dance is a part of worship, and is a ministry as well. Only those who know the Saviour, Jesus, and are diligently serving the Lord should be considered for the dance team. Try-outs and interviewing need to take place. In our church, this is what happens--interview and try-outs. If one submits a desire to be in dance and their life doesn't line up with the Word of God revealing devotion to Him, they don't even get a try-out. It is a serious thing to be leading worship before the Lord

[hopedancer92]

GUYS!!! i wood never show second to 5th graders britney spears moves!!!! i woodn't even try them myself! i was thinkin i would try doing a half hour class of jazz class (not hip hop, jazz)and a half hour of ballet... but they woodn't have to go to both... i've thought about this a lot... but i still haven't quite told anyone... remember i dunno if they wood let me do it... i'm only 13 ( almost 14). i think i wood try putting a devotional in the middle of the 2 classes... that way if they don't wanna stay.... they could leave rite after that... and if they do wanna stay... that gives their bodies a bit of a cool down. as to showing people the dances... i was thinking of first just showing their parents their dances as like a short recital type thing... and the pastor could come, too, to see if it was ok to perform for church.... because our church never had anybody dance in church before. i f u have any more suggestions... or answers... please reply!!! THANKS!

In my view, if they don't want to stay for a devotional, then they shouldn't be allowed to be part of the ministry. Dance is a part of worship, and is a ministry as well. Only those who know the Saviour, Jesus, and are diligently serving the Lord should be considered for the dance team. Try-outs and interviewing need to take place. In our church, this is what happens--interview and try-outs. If one submits a desire to be in dance and their life doesn't line up with the Word of God revealing devotion to Him, they don't even get a try-out. It is a serious thing to be leading worship before the Lord

no... that's not what i meant... i meant that they could leave after the devotional... and skip the second class!!! for example.... they don't want to take ballet but they want to take jazz... or vice versa. um... i wouldn't have try outs tho... they're just little... and not many of them would have danced before... my church isn't very big at all! I'll prolly only have like 8-10 kids show up neway!!! soo... yea thats my opinion....