The Time Space Continuum…for Dancers
January 5, 2010 by Lakita
Filed under Choreography
photo credit: Haags Uitburo
During the 31 Days of Choreography Tips for Dance Minister’s challenge, I mentioned that you need to be conscious of your spacing.
Space
He stretches out the north over empty space – Job 26:7
When ministering through dance as a soloist or group, you want to take advantage of your space. Whenever possible, rehearse in the space you will be dancing so you can see how to use it effectively. A group of dancers can be strategically positioned to cover range and depth, while a solo dancer must rely on the movement in the choreography to utilize space.
Soloists will be the main focus during the duration of the dance. The congregation should not feel like they are watching a tennis match so discretion must be used with the amount of movement. Keep all movement relevant!
Moving forward is strong, authoritative & direct, while moving backwards can be used to show emotions like fear, doubt, or guilt. Circular motions can be used to represent the eternal nature of our God, and expansive moves and be used to show how grand He is.
And Time
Then the LORD appointed a set time – Exodus 9:5
Another important aspect of choreography is the use of time. Some selections are too short to effectively minister, and others are too long! A congregation may lose interest if the song is long and repetitive. Also, your ministry may not be well received if you are expected to stay within certain time constraints. It is always better to ask than to assume!
Typically short songs can be appended with another song, or if possible a live psalmists and musicians can augment the selection. This should be coordinated ahead of time and with a worship team that is in tune with the way the Lord wants to move the service. I love We Need the Glory from the Songbook of Micah Stampley album, but I wish it didn’t end so abruptly. Asking singers and musicians to continue allows the spirit of worship to saturate the atmosphere.
Perhaps more common…songs are too long. I recommend newer groups keep the choreography between 5-7 minutes. However many songs are well over 10 minutes. There are 3 solutions:
1. Choose another song (probably not your best option)
2. Work with a sound technician to fade out the song at a certain point (easiest option)
3. Use audio editing software (ex. Audacity) to edit the song done to size yourself
There is no “one size fits all” rule to using time & space. However, if you are conscious of these very important elements and the options available, you’ll be able to make informed decisions during preparation regarding your choreography.
My the Holy Spirit lead and guide you as you dance in HIS presence!
2009 Year in Review
In April 2009 this website was transformed into the blog you are reading today. It is still a work in progress, but the new format has allowed me to share more content with you all. In the past 9 months we have posted 112 articles and logged over 200 of your comments!
In case you missed some of the content, here is Paneh’s website year in review! There is a lot here, so I suggest you bookmark it and refer back to it from time to time.
Top Posts of All Time
1. The Starting a Dance Ministry Series continues to be the most popular page on this site. There are 3 parts: Part 1: The Spiritual, Part 2: The Practical, and Part 3: The Administrative. I am also working on my first E-book, Starting a Dance Ministry: Prepare Now or Repair Later. This guide will go into even more detail and include a high level flow chart to assist in the decisions that must be made from the very beginning. If you would like to receive more information about the E-book when it becomes available…you can sign up here:
2. What to “Wear”: Praise Garment Resource List quickly rose to the top of the list. I compiled this list later in the year and the number of views skyrocketed!
3. 3 Tips & Resources for New Dance & Mime Ministries was also very popular among those seeking information
4. I was surprised at the interest in A Spiritual Leader’s View of Dance Ministry. But this observatory report that started as an academic project by my pastor’s wife, Lady Joyce A. Wells has helped leaders and dancers see things from the other’s point of view.
Most Community Involvement
As much as I enjoy writing articles, I enjoy interacting with you all even more. These posts had the most community involvement
1. The Dance Ministry Ethics Series was something we did at the end of October. Each day a topic was launched for discussion, some were considered breach of protocol, while others were unanimously unethical. Read over each discussion and the comments. By the way, even though the “week” is over, comments are still open and you are welcome to leave yours!
Day 1: Invited Guests Leaving After Ministering
Day 2: Contracts Required for Ministry
Day 3: Self Promotion or Creative Marketing
Day 4: Praise Dance Competitions
Day 5: Inspiration or Imitation?
2. The 31 Dance Minister’s Choreography Tip Challenge is something I did for fun on Twitter & Facebook. I asked my friends to submit choreography tip in 120 CHARACTERS OR LESS. These were posted on Facebook & Twitter (1 per day) for the entire month of November. At the end of the month, they were all compiled into one post. This could not have been done without you all!
3. The 2009 Equipping the Saints Conference Recap was one of my personal favorites to write as it gave me an opportunity to reflect on such an awesome event! It’s not awesome because of anything I did…but because the Lord himself manifested HIS presence. Writing the recap is a way for me to reflect on the event, thank you for sharing your miraculous testimonies. To God be ALL the Glory!
My Personal Favorites
These are the ones I enjoyed writing the most. I hope you enjoy reading them as well!
The Dance Minister’s Choreography Devotion Series. This was done in two parts. Each part ran Monday – Friday with a new dance choreography technique was explained how to execute properly as well as how we, as ministers, can reflect on the awesome God we serve while moving for His glory! Part 1 cover the five ballet positions, while part two will beginner / intermediate ballet techniques:
g. Releve'
h. Piroutte
i. Jete
j. Chasse'
2. As I mentioned earlier, I love event hosting and planning so writing How to Plan Events and The Truth About Hotel Room Blocks was a pleasure. If you’re planning an event at a hotel in 2010 and you’re unfamiliar with hotel contracts, rules and the lingo, you should read those articles.
3. My other passion is personal finance. I am working on a project on that very topic that I hope to release at the end of 2010. In the interim, check out D.A.N.C.E. Out of Debt and read about the DUMBEST (Financial) Move I’ve Ever Made.
Worth a Second Look
These articles were either written early on or during a down time. For some reason or another they didn’t get many views. So in case you missed them, here they are again:
1. Miriam: Praise Dancer, Prophetess, Leader and More
3. The Spiritual Side to Technique series: Balance & Alignment
4. Tips for Ministry Excellence Series: Appearance & Communication
5. Tips for Traveling Dance Ministers
6. What Exactly is Liturgical Dance?
This is less than ONE THIRD of the content currently on the site and the goal is to constantly add more! If you never want to miss an article, I suggest you sign up for e-mail or RSS subscription. This is different from the monthly newsletter. You’ll receive an email as soon as a new article is published.
Props to the Top Referrers of 2009
Aside from search engines, Facebook, and Twitter traffic. Many readers arrive here from someone else’s website. This is to show some love to Paneh’s top referrer’s. Check out their sites as well:
2. Done Unto the Lord Ministries
I am looking forward to all that lies in store for you and me in 2010. I intend to write more articles and continue to encourage interaction. I'm also plan to continue to blog carnivals and weekly round-ups through out 2010. I also hope to publish more guest posts…so if you have an article or would like to write on a relevant topic…please contact me!
Blessings, Love and a Happy New Year!
31 Dance Ministry Choreography Tips
I challenged my friends on Twitter & Facebook to come up with dance ministry choreography tips in 120 CHARACTERS or Less. These tips were then published everyday during the month of November on Twitter & Facebook using Tweet Later to schedule my posts in advance and the Twitter Facebook Application that pulled my tweets to Facebook. The responses have been very positive, and there have been many requests to have all the tips in one place. Here you go! All 30 (plus 1) dance ministry choreography tips!
If there is a name following the tip, then that is the person that authored that tip. (FB) means the tip was submitted via Facebook. If there is no name, it is a tip that I contributed. A special shout out to the top 2 contributors: Poetry Daughter & Dawn Churchill! Thank you to everybody who contributed!
| Tip 1: Be conscious of your spacing |
| Tip 2: PoetryDaughter (FB) – All movements should be clear and clean! |
| Tip 3: SarondaJackson (FB) – Be conscious of the skill level as a group and individually |
| Tip 4: Cearthur Clavon Moore (FB) – seek your performance/song that ministers to you first |
| Tip 5: Antionette Thompson Turner (FB) – seek ye first the Kingdom of God |
| Tip 6: Antionette Thompson Turner (FB) – Know who you are ministering to |
| Tip 7: Telleha Howard (FB) – Don't rely too heavily on the technical |
| Tip 8: @PraiseDancer -Use simple steps for beginner dancers so they are not required to master more than they can handle. |
| Tip 9: Poetry Daughter (FB) – Better to do simple movements well than complex ones poorly. |
| Tip 10: Poetry Daughter (FB) – make sure that everyone knows the movement and is doing it the same way. |
| Tip 11: Desiree Griffin-Berry (FB) – With every movement, give HIM reverence. |
| Tip 12: Poetry Daughter (FB) – Encourage those who are not confident, don't put them down! |
| Tip 13: Dawn Churchill (FB) -ALWAYS find scripture(s) that correlates to your chosen song" |
| Tip 14: Amanda S. (FB) -Utilize the nuances in the music / don't focus on movement for every word being sung. |
| Tip 15: @DancingMinister -Choreography is not about teaching technique. Include flags, banners and other tools. |
| Tip 16: Poetry Daughter (FB) -avoid straight line across..use windows, diagonals, circles, triangles, and levels! |
| Tip 17: @PraiseDancer – Break the choreography into sections. Begining, chorus, ending etc. |
| Tip 18: @PraiseDancer Choreograph a strong ending, so your dance is memorable leaving a lasting mental impression of worship. |
| Tip 19: @Vioree: Spoting is very important… |
| Tip 20: Poetry Daughter (FB) Generally, anytime your foot leaves the floor, it is either pointed, or flexed |
| Tip 21: Sukky (FB) Factor the garment in. Overly long and superfluous garments can trip you. |
| Tip 22: Sukky (FB) Make sure space is large enough to accommodate dancers, and tall enough to accommodate flags. |
| Tip 23: Sukky (FB) Don't choreograph around one person in group presentation. |
| Tip 24: Don’t worship the dance…worship HIM that created the dance |
| Tip 25: Remember, you do not need a move for every word |
| Tip 26: Use all 8 directions (front, back, left, right and angles) |
| Tip 27: Don’t look at the floor when you dance unless that is part of the choreography |
| Tip 28: Dawn C (FB) Make certain to research the WORD for scriptures that correlate to your chosen song. |
| Tip 29: Dawn C (FB) ALWAYS choreograph instrumental parts of music. |
| Tip 30: Dawn C (FB) ALWAYS choreograph your entrance and exit. ALWAYS dance as soon as the music begins |
| Tip 31: Krishondra G (FB) You don't need words to dance. Dance to The Word that's in your heart. |
This was challenging to do in 120 words or less!
I'd love to hear from you! Do you have a dance ministry choreography tip that was not mentioned? Do you have a comment or suggestion on a tip mentioned above? Let us know in the comments!
I'm thinking about a part 2 of this "project" for January 2010….stay tuned…
Book Review: Phenomenal Choreography for Worship
November 2, 2009 by Lakita
Filed under Book Reviews
I was honored when fellow dance minister Jocelyn Richard asked me to review her book PHENOMENAL CHOREOGRAPHY FOR WORSHIP. I finished the book last weekend and this has been my first chance to publish the review. Jocelyn’s formal dance training started at a young age. She studied at the Joffrey Ballet School and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater school. Combine this with her desire to serve the Lord and His people through dance and she is more than equipped to discuss Phenomenal Choreography.
The book contains scriptural foundations for dance as well as a summary of various dance genres incorporated in worship (ballet, modern, folk etc). Jocelyn explains all aspects of choreography, then leaves the reader with choreography action steps. The book is more than a “How To” guide or list of definitions because it will cause you to think for yourself and enable you to think creatively. Various elements are explained such as: abstract vs. literal movement, levels, directions, musical selections and many more.
This book would be a great addition to dance ministries desiring to increase their “dance vocabulary” and widen their range of motion. Dance ministry leaders could implement the choreography action steps into rehearsal exercises; otherwise, some of the material may be difficult for new dance ministers.
Who should purchase this book?
- Dance ministry leaders & their groups for training
- Individuals that want to increase their dance vocabulary
- Anyone who wants to spark or improve their own creativity
- Groups or individuals who find themselves getting “stuck” when choreographing a ministry selection
Who should NOT purchase this book?
If you are looking for outlined choreographed steps for a dance ministry piece, this is not the book for you! This book will give you the tools needed to create effective choreography, but it does not create it for you.
My Final Thoughts / Suggestions:
Great job Minister Jocelyn!
If a picture is worth a 1,000 words, how much is a video worth?! I don’t know if it is possible, but a video blog series to accompany Phenomenal Choreography would be a welcomed addition!
Get your copy of Phenomenal Choreography for Worship Here
Connect with Jocelyn Richard on The Praise Dance Life, Facebook, and Twitter
Dance Ministry Ethics #5: Inspiration or Imitation
October 26 – 30, 2009 is Dance Ministry Ethics Week here on Paneh’s site. Each day a new topic will be featured for discussion. The scenarios presented are based on real events however no actual names will be used.
This is the last day in the series. I want to thank everyone who has participated up to this point. You’ve all brought out some great points and I’ve enjoyed reading the different thoughts on all topics covered. The topic for day 5 is Inspiration or Imitation.
There seems to be a trend of movement artists being inspired by choreography they see presented by other ministries, or on video channels such as YouTube. Some or all of this choreography is then injected into their ministry piece. The amount of changes that have been made vary as well as rather permission was granted or credit given. All three of those will probably factor into rather or not this behavior is deemed ethically acceptable.
When dance ministry is witnessed, it leaves a lasting impression with those who were able to receive it. There is a direct link between our senses and our memory. With dance ministry we see and hear so our brain subconsciously stores that information. If you’ve ever seen a praise dance to a particular song, then everytime you hear that song in the future you may remember the dance witnessed because your brain has created a correlation between what was heard and what was seen.
Consequently, when creating choreography based off of a song seen ministered before, often times it is difficult to separate what was previously witnessed from the new.
Sometimes dancers are so moved by the power of God through a particular ministry that they desire to recreate the atmosphere so others may experience the type of breakthrough they may have experienced. They were inspired (or influenced) by what they experienced and desire for others to experience the same.
I’ve discussed this before on Facebook and the responses usually fit into the categories below
- Using someone else’s choreography is NOT OK
- Using someone else’s choreography is OK with permission
- Using someone else’s choreography is OK as long as I give credit
- Using someone else’s choreography is OK as long as it’s modified
- Using someone else’s choreography is OK…God is the originator and creator of all things. We are mandated to share the gospel
This does not just apply to choreography, but other forms of intellectual property as well. A few years ago, the entire mission & vision statement for Paneh Praise Dance & Mime Ministry was copied word for word to another dance ministry site. I contacted the individual and it turns out is was a teenager excited about launching his own ministry. I was able to assist him to create his own vision with the help of his parents and ministry leader. This also happens among those that would be categorized as seasoned ministers.
Should this be a concern? All ideas and inspiration are ultimately from God
Is choreography "intellectual property"?
God is the originator…so do we "own" choreography? In other words, do we have a right to say if someone else can present it or not?
I’ll share more of my personal thoughts on the topic in the comments. But for now…
It’s your turn!
Do you believe it is OK to use someone else’s choreography?
Would you be concerned if choreography the Lord allowed you to create was presented by someone else?
Vote in the poll below! NOTE: With this poll, you can choose more than one answer
Share your own stories / testimonies, insights and questions below!
Paneh Weekly Roundup #5: Cell Phone Edition
Every Thursday, I will post a link round-up of articles I’ve found while researching the Internet. While all may not be directly related to dance ministry or worship arts, I hope it will be of benefit to the dance ministers, mime ministers and worship artists that frequent this site.
There were some great dance ministry related articles posted around the Internet this week. Check out a few of my favorites:
Idol Eyes I love Minister Rekesha’s creative ability with words. "Idol Eyes" is a warning for those in ministry that are idolizing someone and the subject of such attention.
Cell Phone Evolution
Paneh Weekly Roundup #4: Carnival Edition
Dancing for Joy – When people think of troops in Iraq, there first thought of what they are doing is probably not praise dance. Soldiers from the 13th Sustainment Command CAMP TAJI, Iraq formed the Anointed Praise Dance Team to minister during worship services while deployed.
Why YOU need an Email Service Provider - Defines the need for using email marketing services as opposed to your personal email.
The Pupose of the Dance Book Review
September 28, 2009 by Lakita
Filed under Book Reviews
I recently read The Purpose of the Dance by Dr. Ann Higgins. This book would be a great addition to any dance ministers library, but would be especially useful to ministry leaders and those new to ministry. It covers items such as garments, taking authority with our hands and feet, movement, and types of dance to name a few.
Paneh Weekly Round-up: Zero Balance Edition
Every Thursday, I will post a link round-up of articles I’ve found while researching the Internet. While all may not be directly related to dance ministry or worship arts, I hope it will be of benefit to the dance ministers, mime ministers and worship artists that frequent this site.
the borrower is servant to the lender
- Proverbs 22:7
Carnival of Praise Dance #2: Equipping the Saints Edition
It is my honor & privilege to present Carnival of Praise Dance #2: The "Equipping the Saints Edition! While a "carnival of praise dance" may be new to some of you, the concept of blog carnivals has been around for a while. Like a real carnival, a blog carnival puts a lot of interesting "stuff" in one place. Eventually, this carnival will travel to other sites as it gains momentum. Read this article for more information on blog carnivals and how to participate or host future carnivals of praise dance.
If you’re a new visitor to Paneh Praise Dance & Mime Ministry, I’d like to welcome you! You can stay connected by subscribing to our RSS feed (What is RSS?), Twitter, and/or Facebook
Below you’ll find the submissions to this month’s carnival. Since I just finished hosting the Equipping the Saints Dance & Worship Arts conference, I thought it would be fun to call this the "Equipping the Saints" edition. Between the articles are a few of my favorite pictures* from the conference, when you’re done here, check out the Equipping the Saints Conference Recap.
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
Exodus 3:14
Rekesha Pittman, author of Dance Ministry Talk writes "Copy, Right?" A candid discussion about intellectual property as it relates to creative arts ministry.
Jocelyn Richard, author of The Praise Dance Life submits Praise & Worship Dance, Mercy Seat. Sometimes we must minister in dance in the mist of a personal trial.
And he that sat was to look upon like jasper and a sardine stone: and [there was] a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
Revelation 4:3
Dawn Churchill submits Dancing With Prophetic Purpose. Practical advice to consider when selecting a song for ministry.
Valisha McFarlane, author of Everyday Purpose submits Giving God Glory. What is your worship EGO? Are you guilty of edging God out of some of your situations? Let this article shed some light on a few ways you can purpose everyday to exalt God only and give Him the glory He so rightfully deserves.
Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.
Psalms 99:5
Pastor Lynn Hayden, author of Dancing For Him Blog submits His Eye is on the Sparrow The message of this article is how deeply God cares for us.
Since the carnival is posted here, there really isn’t a need for me to include a submission. But I don’t want to miss out on all the fun! I’m submitting an article that is the first of a 2-part series entitled Tips for Ministry Excellence – Part 1 - Excellence in Communication. The article defines the spirit of excellence and lists practical advice to improve communication in ministry.
We’d love to hear from you! Leave your comments below and on the sites of those that submitted an article. Would you like to participate in the next carnival of praise dance? Check for the latest schedule information here or on BlogCarnival.com
Past Praise Dance Blog Carnivals:
#1: September 2009 – Animal Kingdom Edition
*Photos courtesy of Charles Heard Photography if you would like to order any of the conference pictures, please contact him directly.
