Blog #12--Dance--Jessica Moore

Some research and reading that I did for my research paper talked about the tradition of passing information and history down orally, and how dance made it easier for this to happen. Dance acted as a reminder to the people or even a way to praise their Gods or ancestors. It reminded me of when I was younger at my church at home. Me and a couple other girls were a part of this liturgical dance group at our church. We had a "coach", who was a member of an older womans dance group teach us dances for us to perform at the Sunday services. The dances were basically like sign language. We moved to the music in a way that honored the message of the song and brought it all together for the congregation. There was one dance that I remember specifically and that was the dance that we performed at the Christmas Eve service to The Lord's Prayer, that was being sung. The music was beautiful and our movements were so peaceful and delicate and meaningful to the words of the song. The atmosphere was so spiritual and looking back I realize now how powerful the action of dancing can be in a spiritual, religious, and honoring sense. I can't tell you how many people came up to us after the service was over to tell us how moving our was.