How to Start a Praise Dance

Praise dancing can be an important part of worship services, combining music with interpretive dance to create powerful images that leave a lasting impression on members of the congregation. If your congregation does not yet have regular praise dancing, starting the tradition can add to your worship experience. With the right group of people, your congregational experience will be greatly enriched, and another avenue for communication with and praise of God will be opened.

Instructions

1. Organize a praise dancing team. Have one of the members of your congregation with former experience in dance start a sign-up sheet and encourage others to join the praise dancing team. The leader should preferably have experience in choreographing and participating in praise dance.

2. Choose a song for the first praise dance the team practices. Choose something that tells a story. Songs with a story are more easily choreographed.

3. Choreograph the song so that each dancer in the praise dance team has a specific role to play. Sometimes all dancers will do the same thing, other times dancers will do different things along a theme, and still other times one dancer will have a solo dance. Think about the story the song tells and choreograph the performance so that the dancing matches the story and mood of the song.

4. Design praise dancing costumes for the team. Usually, a simple black costume works well because it does not distract from the performance and can be used for future praise dances.

5. Plan when the praise dance will be performed during the church service. Many churches choose to do praise dance during the offering. If the dance compliments the sermon message, you might also choose to perform the praise dance directly before or after the sermon.

6. Execute a dress rehearsal, where all dancers show up in costume and practice in the sanctuary. This will give everyone the chance to become comfortable in the performance space.

7. Perform your praise dance during your church service. With all of the preparation that has gone into beginning your praise dance, it should be easy to inspire people with your performance. Once you have begun the tradition of praise dancing, it is much easier to continue the tradition in future church services.

References

• Religious Dance