Even if you haven’t trained in ballet, modern dance, jazz, or tap, watching performances in all of these styles has probably helped you understand them. But liturgical dance is one style that is relatively unknown to people who don’t practice it.

Defining Liturgical Dance

Liturgical dance is often considered a sub-category of modern dance. But in practice, liturgical dance may also contain elements of ballet, jazz, and even hip-hop.

Many religions use dance as a form of worship, and “liturgy,” in its most basic definition, means simply “a rite or body of rites prescribed for public worship.” However, the term “liturgical dance” usually refers to dance that’s used for public worship within the Christian religion.

Liturgical Dance -versus- Praise Dance

Some Christians use the term “liturgical dance,” while others use “praise dance” or “worship dance.” It’s hard to give formal definitions that distinguish between these terms, and usually an individual congregation or company will decide which title will be used.

Liturgical Dance “Performances”

Liturgical dance is sometimes performed during a church service or mass. In this setting, the dance should usually enhance or support the sermon or mass.

A liturgical dance should not take the congregation’s attention away from the priest, minister, pastor, or other speaker or official, and so liturgical dances are sometimes performed during a special break in the service, before the service, or after the service.

Because liturgical dance is intended as a form of worship, liturgical dancers often call their work “ministering” instead of “performing.” The dancers want the congregation or the audience to worship along with them. Liturgical dancers aren’t trying to attract praise for themselves.

Liturgical Dance throughout History

Throughout Christian history, dance has been treated with different levels of acceptance. The Bible’s Old Testament and records of Judaic worship contain several references to the use of dance, and ancient Christians used liturgical dance more readily than many modern Christians. Records of early Christian services even mention the use of structured liturgical dances.

Dance began to fade from Christian worship during the fourth and fifth centuries CE/AD. Throughout the Roman Empire, dancing was used in rituals that Christians considered pagan or sinful. Because they disapproved of the non-Christian rituals that included dancing, Christian leaders began discouraging the use of dance among Christians. “Dance,” for many Christians, became a metaphor for spiritual joy, rather than the actual physical movements that could express joy.

In the Middle Ages, some Christian leaders allowed very structured forms of liturgical dance. But in general, the Christian church disapproved of dance throughout this period. This disapproval carried into the early Protestant churches as well (Coleman).

Return of Liturgical Dance

Today, Christians are slowly beginning to accept liturgical dance once again. Part of the reason for this turnaround is that the average person now has greater access to, and appreciation for, the arts. More Christians are finding that in dance, there is potential for the expression of praise and worshipful ideas.

Liturgical Dance Festivals and Companies

Liturgical dance exists outside of the church as well as inside of the church. Throughout the world, Christians hold festivals for liturgical dance and praise dance.

One festival, the Word in Motion Urban Dance Festival was held this year in June in Woodland Hills, California, and it included four days of worship-based hip-hop dance. Choreographers Tymme and Aury Reitz—who have worked with artists like Madonna, Will Smith, Missy Elliott, and Dru Hill—founded the Word in Motion Dance Company.

The purpose of Word in Motion is to train dancers to use hip-hop in Christian ministry. Tymme and Aury also founded The Arts Prophetically Speaking Dance Ministry (TAPS) in 2001. And today, the pair leads In His Presence Underground, a hip-hop based, multi-media worship service.

Another successful liturgical dance company, the Raise Him Up Praise Dance School & Ministry in Manhattan, New York, was founded by Wendy Heagy in 1997. This group, featured in the New York Times in 2007, operates a school that trains students for dance ministry. Raise Him Up plans to open a Christian Dance Ministry School with rehearsals and administrative facilities in a dedicated space. Raise Him Up performs not only for Christian organizations, but also at concerts, conferences, and even at prisons.

In Massachusetts, the Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble is a well-established company that bases its practices on “The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola.” Reverend Robert VerEecke formed the company in 1980. At the time, he wanted to continue the work that he had started two years earlier in his position as Jesuit Artist in Residence at Boston College.

The Houston Black Dance Festival 2008, which just concluded, featured praise dance groups Exodus Dance Theatre, A Community of Faith, and Wheeler Ave Praise Dance Ministry. This diverse dance festival also included performances in African dance, modern dance, jazz, hip-hop, and contemporary ballet that were not presented by praise dance or liturgical dance groups.

Liturgical Dance Wear

Many liturgical dancers purchase special dancewear that lets them maintain a level of modesty that fits with Christian moral views.

One traditional piece of liturgical dancewear is the collar, cape, or pullover that covers the top portion of a female dancer’s body with a sheer, loose-fitting layer. It’s often worn over a leotard or unitard. Skirts and pants for liturgical dance are usually long and loose-fitting, and culottes may be worn under a skirt.

Liturgical dancewear is designed with flowing, relaxed material so that audience members don’t focus on the dancers’ bodies. If the dancers’ bodies attract attention, the audience members focus less on the message. And in liturgical dance, the message of worship is the most important element of each presentation.

As with other forms of dance, each presentation requires different costuming. Some companies, such as Word in Motion, simply encourage dancers to wear clothing that is appropriate for a Christian setting.

Props and Colors in Liturgical Dance

Kingdom Daughters liturgical dance

Liturgical dancers often rely on a set of traditional props, which include flags, streamers, sashes, and headbands. Streamers, for instance, can be used to create an atmosphere of celebration in a performance. Liturgical dancers or an artistic director may learn the appropriate use of props by attending workshops and conferences.

The colors of liturgical props and dancewear often have symbolic meaning that comes from scripture verses. Orange, for example, often symbolizes “praise.” White, as in many other settings, represents “purity.” Silver can stand for “redemption.” There are many variations on the use of color in liturgical dance, and dancers must learn the importance of each color.

Liturgical Dance Controversy

Although liturgical dance is well-received by many individual congregations and religious institutions across multiple denominations, not all Christians think that it’s appropriate to use dance in worship.

One common objection to liturgical dance is that it’s not appropriate for dancers to interrupt a mass or sermon. Christians who raise this objection may believe that the mass’ structure provides the best form for worship, and that interruption by dancers would be sacrilegious.

A second objection to liturgical dance and praise dance supposes that liturgical dancers perform out of personal pride rather than a desire to worship. Such pride, according to Christian morality, would not be appropriate.

Some Christians who criticize liturgical dance consider all forms of dance to be immoral. Those who hold this belief feel that dance cannot be used in a worshipful way.

Challenges in Liturgical Dance

The criticism from Christians who don’t believe that dance is an appropriate Christian activity is one of the greatest challenges facing liturgical dancers and artistic directors. To support their work, liturgical dancers cite scripture verses that mention the use of dance. Still, no denomination has full agreement from its congregations on whether liturgical dance is appropriate.

A second challenge to liturgical dancers and directors is that many liturgical dancers are not trained in dance. Trained and untrained dancers often work together, and a choreographer must account for multiple skill levels. Some companies and churches do require auditions for liturgical dancers. But in smaller churches, participation is often open to anyone who is interested and committed.

Future of Liturgical Dance

Increasingly, professional dancers with strong Christian convictions are using their talents to establish liturgical dance groups and companies. And although the term “liturgical dance” usually refers to dance within Christian groups, there are groups like Chicago’s Sacred Dance Guild that support worship-based dance for all religions.

Liturgical dance and praise dance may be difficult to experience if you are not familiar with the religious culture behind the art. If you’d like to learn more about liturgical dance or find groups and companies near you, visit some of the links below. And, tell us about your experiences with liturgical dance or praise dance. Are you involved with any groups? Are you trying to begin a group? Let us know!

Additional sources:
• Word in Motion Urban Dance Festival
• Raise Him Up Praise Dance School & Ministry
• Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble
• The Apostolic-Prophetic Connection (TAPC): An organization that seeks to connect ministry with the arts.
• “On Liturgical Dance”
• “Worship God in Dance” a history of Christian liturgical dance by Lucinda Coleman
• “Dance as a Language of Faith” by Kathleen Kline-Chesson
• Chara Christian Dance Company
• His Word N Motion Dance
• “Vessels of Worship” Dance Ministry
• “Amazing Grace” liturgical dance example
• Chicago Sacred Dance Guild

Photos From:

• “Spirit of the Moment - Eye on the Sparrow”
  
• Believe dance company
• Amazing Grace dance company
• Kingdom Daughters
• Boston Liturgical Dance