What is Praise Dancing?

By Chevelle Simms

Getting dressed was very exciting and fun, but as we stood in front of a full crowd, I could feel my hands and knees shake. I had danced numerous times before, but this time was different; more people were watching. Before the music started to play, I saw everyone pulling out their phones, ready to video and take pictures. That made me more nervous. “What if I mess up,” I thought to myself.  When the music started, I tried to remember what moves comes after the next. After a couple moves, I got excited and I could feel the adrenaline pumping. I could hear people saying “Amen” and “Hallelujah” as the other two girls and I danced. As I danced I could feel my face expressions changing, corresponding with the words of the song. This was a very powerful song. When the song came to an end, the church members were clapping and shouting. In this moment, I felt so good. Praise dancing is more than just entertaining an audience at a church event; it’s about using your body to tell a story and teaching people about the gospel.

Not everyone is aware of what praise dancing is, and the ones that are aware might have misconceptions about it. Praise dancing is using our body to express the word and spirit of the Lord while praising him. To my knowledge, it is practiced mostly in Christian churches. According to the “What is Praise Dancing” article, although dancing was used to express joy and thankfulness to the Lord in ancient times, it was forced out by the Christian churches by the reformation, but was re-entered in the 20^th century. Some people may think that it is just people jumping and acting wild, but it is an actual dance with routines and Christian songs.

Praise dancing shouldn’t just be performed; it should leave both the dancer and the audience feeling a certain way. When performing a praise dance, the dancer needs to be passionate about it. Praise dancers must emphasize the dance moves so the audience can feel it. Facial expressions are also very important. If the song is a happy song, the facial expressions need to be cheerful. If the song is emotional, then the expressions need to portray that. During a praise dance, the audience should learn something from the dance. They should either be in the spirit or feel some type of emotion. If a praise dance is performed without enthusiasm and passion, then the audience is left feeling the same way they did when they walked into the church.

When creating the moves for a praise dance, it is important to listen to the words of the song being danced to. The words in a song are the most powerful, and that’s what the audience hears that makes them emotional. Creating the routines can be easy or difficult depending on the song. If the song includes action or describing words, then it’s easier to come up with the moves. For example, if the song says “I’m praying for you”, the moves might include clasping your hands to portray that your praying and then pointing to the audience, showing who you are praying for. When the song doesn’t have much action or describing words, we incorporate some type of lyrical or ballet moves to make the dance run smoothly.

Praise dancing has different types of movements, so it requires certain types of clothing. When dancing, dancers need to be comfortable and be able to move around. Therefore, the clothing needs to be loose so the dancer can breathe easily. A usual praise dance costume includes a leotard, long tights, long loose fitting dress or skirt, and a shirt that covers both the stomach and the cleavage area. The outfit also needs to be flowing, so when the dancers move it’s soft and neat. In no type of way should the outfits be revealing. Depending on the dancers, white gloves can also be worn.

There are so many ways to praise God and praise dancing is one of them. In some ways, it requires technique, but for the most part it’s about feeling the words of a song and translating it into a story. Praise dancing should teach both the dancer and the audience more about God. It’s also about having fun but letting the spirit take over. As the scripture says “let them praise his name in the dance” (The Bible, Psalm 149:3). Even though some churches might not believe in it, there is nothing wrong with dancing for the Lord. 

Works Cited 

“What is Praise Dancing.” Iloveindia, 2016, lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/what-is-praise-dancing-9534.html. 

The Bible. King James version, Rod Parsley, 2000.