Dancin'

I performed a solo at church last week, in two different services. I was reluctant to do a "litergical dance" piece, especially since they asked me less than a week in advance. That said, they were smart enough to ask me to choreograph an interpretation of the text (a plus in itself), and then I improv'ed a bit to music.

The scripture was one of my favorite passages from Ezekiel--chapter 37, verses 1-14. It's quite rhythmic, and contains some lovely imagery about breath, bones, sinews, armies, desperation, conversations between God and humanity...things I like to dance about. I'm told it was a clear, powerful interpretation, but what's amazing is that I still haven't seen what I did. I have no idea what it looked like, because I choreographed it in my parents' den, and had them look at it before a short rehearsal at the church. It was nice to do that, because I felt like I dropped a lot of inner conflict from the forefront of my thinking, and just let myself be present with the things I have learned. I don't think that kind of spiritual renewal has happened to me for a long time. It felt real.

I tried to be somewhat safe, and a little dramatic (Thank you, Martha Graham) with the movement, but was still nervous about how it would be received. To my knowledge, people loved it, which I find surprising. After the first service, a family friend (whose theology is way more intense than mine) told me she was just imagining movement for that scripture "when [I] came out to dance." she said "it really ministered to me." After I thanked her, I told her something I think it's true: "It was powerful to me, too. Dancing's very spiritual for me, and I had missed it." I've missed church, too.

TZC

Music-"Dry Bones"

More Music.-[also] "Dry Bones"