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!
Reader Question: Children in Ministry Protocols
January 4, 2010 by Lakita
Filed under From the Mailroom
A reader asked:
Hey Kita, I wanted to ask you - I am the servant leader of the liturgical dance ministry of the youth. Our rehersals are 1 hour. We recently received a younger praise dancer (she is 4 yrs old), the mom has been been taking me for a baby sitter. Do you have a format that you use for children and youth in your ministry? -V.
V,
Yes I have protocol established, but what is more important than what the protocol may say is that it is supported by your Pastor and communicated to those in the ministry (when dealing with children that includes the parents). While not a necessity, I prefer written guidelines. These can be objectively referred to without the appearance of bias. When you say the mother is taking you for a baby-sitter….what does that mean? She is picking the child up late? Does the child want to participate? Behavioral problems? All of these are contingencies that can be addressed in a ministry guideline.
I have some more information on this in Starting a Dance Ministry part 2 (The Practical) and Starting a Dance Ministry part 3 (The Administrative). I will also include a sample ministry guideline in the Starting a Dance Ministry E-book that I hope to release later this month. If you want to receive more information about that, you can subscribe for the email alert using the button below:
What about you? Have you faced a similiar situation in ministry? Do you have additional advice for V? Leave your comment below!
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!
7 Must Reads for Praise Dance & Mime Ministry in 2010
When helping dance & mime ministries get started, I recommend books that they read as a group to sharpen their knowledge and remain effective in ministry. Here are a few books that should prove helpful to movement ministers:
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Dance Into the Anointing by Dr. Aimee Kovacs – This was the first dance ministry book I read and is the first I recommend the others. | ||
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The Purpose of the Dance by Dr. Ann Higgins is an excellent resource for new ministries. I did a full review on the book which you can read here. | ||
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Mime Ministry by Susan Toomey contains spiritual and practical advice for mime ministries. It covers starting a mime ministry, choreography techniques, group exercise and more. | ||
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The 360 Degree Leader by John Maxwell – OK, so this isn’t a dance book, but it has effective leadership principals that you can apply to any ministry. | ||
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Fasting for a Spiritual Breakthrough by Elmer Towns – Effective ministries pray and fast together. | ||
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Phenomenal Choreography for Worship is an Ebook by Minister Jocelyn Richard that I had a chance to review. It contains group choreography exercises. Side note: Minister Jocelyn is encouraging movement ministries to start the year off with a Biblical Study of Dance teleseminar series. |
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Coming Soon….
Sign up below if you would like to receive information on this project. You’ll receive more information, excerpts, select screening opportunities, early release & pre-launch discounts. This list will close after January 15th or the first 100 subscribers |
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Starting a Dance Ministry: Prepare Now or Repair Later (E-book) by Lakita HumberDisclosure: There are affiliate links in this article. That means that I will be paid a commission on purchases made directly from the links. That being said…these are genuine recommendations. I will only recommend or endorse products that I believe will be valuable to the readers of this site.
Paneh Weekly Roundup #13: Holiday Commercials 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.
Earlier I asked a question on Facebook, what is your favorite "holiday commercial"? There are some commercials, like the Campbell's Soup Snowman commercial that are shown year after year….timeless!
Not many articles in the round-up this week, but the ones that are here are great! Be sure to read them all!
Uuh, Check That Again is a timely reminder from His Hem Ministry to exercise caution and discretion when selecting garments for ministry. If you find yourself in search of appropriate worship attire after reading this article, be sure to check out What to Wear – Garment Resource List
Confessions of a Busy Mom is a featured guest post at Dance Advantage. It is a must read for anyone that works with children either as a ministry leader or studio owner. It is no secret that dealing with parents can be sometimes…um….challenging. This article does not offer excuses for the communication gap that often exists between parent and student, but offers a look from the other side of the fence. By the way, special thanks to all the parents do! Taking their children to rehearsals, fund-raisers, assisting at dance recitals and more! It is appreciated!
Note: The article is originally from DanceStudioOwner.com. If you own a dance studio, membership to this site can be very valuable!
Below are two of my favorite holiday commercials. What's yours?
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…
Paneh Weekly Roundup #9: Writer’s Edition
I’ll let you all in on a little secret. I am working on a few “writing projects”. The first one should be finished before the end of the year! And speaking of writing projects….the deadline for the Phenomenal Choreography for Worship EBook Give Away is quickly approaching. Be sure to enter by leaving a comment after you check out all the awesome links below!
Fun Blog Facts:
There are 77 million users in the U.S. visiting blogs every month
There are 7.4 million active blogs
Statistics from Technorati.com
Teaching Tip: Adult Ballet Class: Working with kids is not the same as working with adults. There are mental differences as well as physical. This article lists practical factors to consider & questions to ask when working with adults.
Do you like to write? Do you have a blog with topics of interest to worship arts? Let me know in the comments!
If you would like to write a guest post here, contact me and let me know that too!
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!
Loading ...Dance Ministry Ethics #4: Competitions
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.
The topic for day 4 is Dance Ministry Competitions
I must admit that this is a topic I have been wanting to discuss and avoid discussing at the same time. I purposely put it near the end of the week because I "ranked" it as a more difficult discussion. The topics for the first three days had a general consensus, even if we all did not agree on the finer details. Typically, praise dance competitions generate a variety of responses that can be narrowed down to two categories:
Praise Dance Competitions are OK
Praise Dance Competitions are NOT OK
Before listing the arguments for each category, let’s define "Praise Dance Competition"
Praise (in the Biblical context) - Expression of approval, extolling or exaltation of our Lord
Dance – To move rhythmically usually to music, using prescribed or improvised steps and gestures.
Praise Dance - A way to praise the Lord through movement
Competition – a contest for some prize, honor, or advantage. A rivalry between two or more persons or groups for an object desired in common, usually resulting in a victor and a loser
Then by definition, a praise dance competition is a contest where the factor determining victory is how well you express approval of our Lord (praise) through dance.
Arguments supporting praise dance competitions
- It keeps the dance ministry motivated with something to strive for
- They are great fund raisers for the competition host (charging entry fee) and cash prize for winning team
- Competition is everywhere! There is nothing wrong with friendly competition
- The level of exposure for entering and winning can be high
- It is a way to fellowship with other dance ministies
- An opportunity to gain constructive criticism regarding choreography
On the other hand…
- How can "praise" be measured in a contest? The entire nature of a competition is to determine who is better by ranking and labeling a victor.
It is in our human nature to want to know who is "the greatest" , here is what Jesus said:
Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.” – Luke 9:46-48
Competitions, by design, have winners and losers. How do the "losers" feel? Inadequate? Insecure?
Can you focus on pleasing God (with your praise) and pleasing man (the judges)?
What does the Bible Say?
Competition can be found in 1 Kings 18:20-40. This is a great story of how Elijah defeats the false prophets. Not only did he shamelessly annihilate them, he boasted in it! The difference in this competition is that it was about bringing glory to God. Elijah realized where his power and authority came from. I do not see a biblical precedence for vessels of God competing against each other using the very same gift that is used to glorify God.
It’s your turn!
Do you believe there is a place for praise dance competitions? Why or why not?
Vote in the poll below!
Share your own stories / testimonies, insights and questions below!
