Dance & Embodied Prayer

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #253 — Heart of Courage

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Our last post of 2015!

 

Let me leave you with this message of courage as you walk the path God has placed before you for the year ahead.

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
    which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother marveled at what Simeon said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” ~ Lk 2:29-35

Imagine hearing this blessing over your child and then those very last words. Just as Simeon is pouring out this wonderful worship of the infant Christ, he ends with this warning to Mary. Women of Ancient Israel longed to give birth to the promised Messiah, the One who would bring hope, healing and restoration to their nation. Yet few would understand the cost of this “gift.”

What gift has God entrusted to you? How will you work with God to bring it to fulfillment in your life? Will you press forward even when the road ahead gets tough? Even when your soul is pierced? Will you still say yes? Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #251 — Nativity Shadow Dance

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Screen Shot 2015-12-05 at 11.44.45 PMWe are nearing the end of our Create-A-Day 2015 posts. As we wind down, I want to leave you with a shadow dance to “O Magnum Mysterium” sung live for CHRISTmas Eve 2013 at Northland Church in Longwood, Florida. Such BEaUty!!

“O Magnum Mysterium” written & arranged by Morten Lauridsen

Original Text:
O magnum mysterium,
et admirabile sacramentum,
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,
jacentem in praesepio!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera
meruerunt portare
Dominum Christum. Alleluia. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #239 — Powerful Drummer Boy Dance

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So, I can’t even begin to tell you how much I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this CHRISTmas dance to The Little Drummer Boy! First, Mickye Castillo’s Freedom in the Dance (FITD) Ministry is a powerful and anointed dance ministry out of Dallas, so that alone tells you this will be good!! But then…. they added a drum corps to the dance!!

Snare-Drum-And-Stick-Wallpaper-Computer Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #227 — Benediction Dance

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As we have focused on Advent resources, let us keep our eyes fixed on Christ

Matt Durbin (c) 2010

Matt Durbin (c) 2010

If any of you want to walk My path, you’re going to have to deny yourself. You’ll have to take up your cross every day and follow Me. If you try to avoid danger and risk, then you’ll lose everything. If you let go of your life and risk all for My sake, then your life will be rescued, healed, made whole and full. Listen, what good does it do you if you gain everything—if the whole world is in your pocket—but then your own life slips through your fingers and is lost to you? Luke 9:23-25 The Voice

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #222 — Dance of the Trinity

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Won’t you join me on the dance floor today? This is going to take some artistic license and creative choreography, but I hope you will join me with open mind, heart and eyes.

When I first watched this dance to Luminus on So You Think You Can Dance (2015), I was immediately taken with what I saw as the image of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Three dancers dancing and creating together in unity and beauty. Let me describe what I see in this dance. You can follow along with the times throughout the video indicated.

To set the stage, Derek Piquette (left) represents God the Father, Gaby Diaz (middle) dances the Holy Spirit, and Moises Parra (floor) represents Christ. SYTYCD 2015 2From the very beginning of the dance, we see three persons from one God. The smoke creates an ethereal mist and the stars an image of space and time being created. Just as the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the earth so too do they (0:33) as the three work together to create all of earth and mankind. Then God steps forward as the Great I AM (0:35+), Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Next the Holy Spirit steps forward (0:42+) bringing artistry to the Tabernacle through the Spirit-filled artist Bezalel, the gifts of the Israelite people, and the worship of the Levites, revealing the beauty of God (0:49). Then as they dance in unison, we see them working together to demonstrate God’s faithfulness and sovereignty throughout the history of his people. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #215 — Down to the River Dance

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Keone & Mari Madrid

Enjoy this remarkable piece by Keone & Mari Madrid, a husband and wife duo that loves to tell stories through dance and choreography. This piece is called Water.


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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #191 — Books for Worship Dance

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jodythomae.comContinuing our focus on books for creatives, artists and worshipers, I want to look at a variety of books today all geared towards those in worship dance ministry or who use dance as a personal way of worship. There are many, many books for dance so I want to consolidate some of them here.

First, Lynn Hayden of Dancing for Him Ministries has a full variety of books and instructional DVDs. I featured her awhile back, and you can refer back to that post here.

Here is a list of several more books I recommend: Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #190 — Breath for the Bones

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National Book MonthOctober is National Book Month so from now to the end of October we’ll be focusing on books for artists, creatives and worshipers!

Breath for the BonesIn Breath for the Bones (Art, Imagination and Spirit:
A Reflection of Creativity and Faith) author Luci Shaw “challenges all of us to re-think how faith informs art and art can animate faith. Here is a fresh breath of encouragement to imaginative minds. . . . A clear guide to the theological framework of creativity and the call for active participation in God’s own creative life.”

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #177 — Artist of the Earth

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Andres Amador “paints” incredible designs on an interesting “canvas”—a canvas that disappears with the tide! Working with garden rakes, he creates beautiful geometric designs on beaches at low tide. I love watching the ease with which he works and hearing his heart of creativity!

Andres Amador

You can watch him in action here:

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #174 — Bring Your Praise Dance

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FBIt’s another Facebook Friday!!

Today’s group is Bring Your Praise Dance, administered by Prissy Cosme.

Here’s the group description:

We have created this group so we can all come together and share our best praise dances. Feel free to post any praise dance video groups. Please share any tips that will benefit for groups that are starting out. Those tips will be saved on this page for future reference.

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #162 — Dancing In Your Calling

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I love this inspiring story from the Dance Theatre of Harlem. It reminds me of the story of Gideon. While he was hiding from Israel’s enemies, threshing wheat on a winepress, the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Gideon responds, “Pardon me, my lord, but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about . . . But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #158 — BodyPsalms

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jodythomae.comOur bodies often cry out to be heard, recognized, nourished. Yet sadly we ignore their cries and live disembodied lives bound by ill-health, dis-ease, and unhealthy desires!!

On BODYPSALMS, Dr. Celeste Snowber shares poetry with a distinctly body-oriented (and body-listening) spin! According to Celeste on her site:

“Bodypsalms are openings for us to deeply listen to words that hold the intention of our own depths, and call us back to living in our own skin.  I write these in the tradition of the psalms, which extend from lament to ecstatic living, but are both an asking and listening at the same time. I have written them or they have written me out of the particularities of my own life, but I firmly believe that we live storied lives and we find each other in our collective stories.”

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #154 — 4ever Praise Dance Network

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FBFacebook Friday once again!!

Today’s group is 4ever Praise Dance Network…True Worshipers. Administered by worshiper, teacher & dancer Roxi Arthur, the group description reads: Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #147 — Imaginare Performing Arts Ministry

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Imaginare Performing Arts Ministry is a creative arts ministry based out of Puerto Rico and Florida that uses a combination of dance, acrobatics, aerial dance, and physical theater to portray the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Imaginare Arts 2“Anointed to impact this generation,” their performances are powerful and prophetic!

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #142 — Artists in Christian Testimony

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actinternational.org

actinternational.org

A.C.T. International (Arts in Christian Testimony Intl) is a remarkable organization helping artists take their witness to the world. Founded in 1973 by Byron Spradlin, the organization has artistic ministries in over 15 countries. According to their website: Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #134 — Christian Dance Facebook Groups

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FBIt’s another Facebook Friday! Let’s network together and make His praise glorious!

International Christian Dance Fellowship is an organization of Christian movers and dancers that exists to mobilize the movement arts in ministry and mission. It is an international networking and resource for people involved or interested in dance and movement expressing faith. Find out more at http://www.icdf.com/. They have two groups on Facebook:

International Christian Dance Fellowship (ICDF) – public

International Christian Dance Fellowship (ICDF) – private

ICDF

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #123 — Illustrate a Sermon Through Dance

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Mary & MarthaThis is a great example of an illustrated sermon. The story of Mary and Martha is told through dance. And dance alone. No lyrics, no words, no dialogue. Yet it beautifully illustrates the scripture passage found in Luke 10. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #118 — Disturb Us Lord

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Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #115 — Praise Dancers for God

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It’s another Facebook Friday!

Praise Dancers for God is a great place to network with other dancers and see what other folks are doing in the worship arts. People post links to workshops and seminars happening in the arts and dance! Another great place to network with like-minded worshipers!

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #108 — Soaring like Eagles

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Dr. Pamela Hardy created the Eagles International Training Institute to mentor and train leaders of worship art ministries around the world. Below is Pamela ministering through dance with Yvonne Peters to Grace Flows Down. You’ll notice about 4:13 in, the music switches from the recording to live music by the event’s worship team. It’s obvious that the Holy Spirit’s healing power and anointing was flowing and the participants did NOT want to leave the beauty of the moment: Continue reading