This week’s installment of The Merry Mystic features me dancing. No, really.
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Have you ever seen liturgical dance that touched your heart? Is physical movement a part of your spiritual practice? Please scroll down and leave a comment.
Best blessings,
Adam
Hi Adam,
I was taken by surprise once by a “liturgical dancer” here in Lexington, VA. She was African American. I was on the campus of Washington and Lee University attending a school-sponsored concert of African-American gospel music. For the concert, I was expecting lots of rousing music that would make me want to dance and, at the very least, tap my feet, and I wasn’t disappointed. But at some point there was a break in the choral concert. The chorus left the stage and an African-American co-ed (a member of the university’s dance ensemble) was introduced to us. We were told that she was going to perform what was known as a “liturgical dance.” I don’t remember much about the music that was playing as she danced, other than it was instrumental and rousing in a more quietly soulful way. She was most definitely a graceful dancer, but it wasn’t her physical grace that touched my heart that evening. It was the fact that she truly seemed to be in a state of authentic heart-felt prayer as she moved about on the stage. I felt like I was watching an individual in conversation with The Divine. Just remembering the experience brings tears to my eyes. That day, as I watched her display of “liturgical dance,” I kept feeling chills running up my spine and down each arm.
At the end of her performance, before the chorus returned, I suddenly remembered a short televised dance performance that had been featured on a PBS Bill Moyer’s program. Can’t remember the name of the African-American male dancer whom Bill was interviewing during the show (some well known choreographer, I think). Anyway, towards the end of the program, the man began to dance the “story of his life.” He considered it to be a story told with body movements instead of words and I could tell, watching his dance, that his life had been filled with moments of deep, deep grief. Over and over again, he had been knocked down by the experiences of his life, but he refused to be kept down. His short dance performance, even though I was watching it on the screen of a small T.V., also sent chills up my spine, and by its end I remembering thinking, “What a strong and beautiful being of Light this man is.”
Our hearts are powerful, powerful transmitters (and receivers) of awe-inspiring energy. Thank you for prompting these long-ago memories to bubble up to the surface my mind, Adam! I feel like my heart is smiling.
-Shelley B.