Dance Ministry
Brenda Ameli
I had the opportunity recently to attend two different dance concerts. One was a professional modern dance company and was held at Zellerbach Hall on the UC Berkeley campus. This performance featured a full orchestra, professional lighting, gorgeous costuming, and a sold-out house even though tickets were $50-$75 each. The dance technique was wonderful, and it was an excellent show. My husband attended with me, and, well, at least he enjoyed the music! We talked about the music for a few minutes on the ride home, then turned our attention to talking about other things.
The other event I attended was held at a dance theater somewhere in the Mission District of San Fransisco. We passed by it a couple of times before deciding just to park, get out and walk to find it. We walked into the darkened auditorium where the dancers were performing on a floor with no stage. When my eyes became adjusted to the dark, I could see that the majority of seats were empty---the tickets for this show were $15. My husband again attended with me (I know, I know--- give him a medal!), as did two of our close friends. The concert was presented by Ixalt, a local Christian dance company.
They had humble surroundings and simple dance costumes; the wonderful musical accompaniment was comprised of a small group of musicians.
They danced the stories of every Christian. Every dance brought to us a sense of recognition within ourselves---a dance about the struggle between our calling and desire to serve others and our tendency to let our own egos get in our way. There was a young male dancer who told us of his past and how Jesus transformed him, both with his words and dance. We were enthralled, and we were ministered to through dance.
The four of us left the concert feeling that we had been in the presence of God. We could not stop talking about what we had seen, heard, felt, and learned.
When our CCC Dance Troupe meets to practice weekly, we always talk and pray about the intent and purpose of each dance. Our desire is to minister to people through dance; to provide a visual memory that will help people experience God’s Word on a nonverbal level. Sometimes we dance to release joy and express the music in a physical way; sometimes we tell a story through dance or express some aspect of the message being spoken that Sunday at church.
Wednesday dance classes are still open and ongoing through December 14th. 4pm to 4:30 is for ages 4 to 7, and 4:45 to 5:45 is for ages 8 through high school. Both classes are free, held at the CCC church offices in downtown Clayton, and open to the community. No registration required---just drop in!
I hope to be able to give you details about my “Spirit Moves” dance and Pilates class for adult women in the next Anchor, so keep reading and watching for it!
Brenda Ameli