Covenant News

Liturgical Dance Part of Worship Experience

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (January 9, 2001) - When churches consider the idea of alternative forms of worship, many congregations dance around the subject, preferring to keep things the way they are.

When Debbie Masten mentioned the concept of liturgical dance to her pastor Dan Johnson, however, she received a positive response and Hope Covenant Church of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been blessed as a result. Masten and the Footsteps of Hope have become a regular part of morning worship at the church, providing a visual opportunity for the congregation to meet God in a new way.

An interior decorator who taught dance at a local studio for eight years, Masten started the program as a small-group ministry. Since then, Footsteps of Hope members have used their talents as part of women's retreats, outside church worship services and Christmas programs. The group has also been teaching a younger group of girls liturgical dance at the church.

"About eight years ago, a friend whom I had taken classes with asked me to do a piece with her and another gal at her church," said Masten. "Then I went with them to Florida and danced for their denomination's annual meeting. When I told my pastor, Dan Johnson, about what I had done, he said we should do it at our church.

"I was a little bit leery at first, but I found it to be beautiful and even stunning," Johnson continued. "There have been several occasions where it has made me weep, and it takes something to make me weep. The choreography is so thoughtfully designed to match the words of the text or whatever is being performed. But, we don't say performing because what they're doing is leading worship."

The idea of worshipping God via dance has a biblical basis, Masten says, with numerous scriptural references to the use of dance as a form of joyous celebration and reverent worship. It is commended in Psalm 149:3 and Psalm 150:4. Still, only a small percentage of churches use liturgical dance as a consistent worship tool. Masten and Johnson understand how important it is for groups like Footsteps of Hope to be involved in helping break down barriers in some congregations. The group takes that role seriously.

The dance group usually is part of worship service about once every six weeks, Masten said. Often the group serves as a prompter in a call to worship or as a visual reflective tool during communion. Dance has also been used as an object lesson preceding a sermon.

"This might not be for everyone, so we have to do this well," she said. "I remember when we first started, one of the people came up to our pastor and said, 'I loved to watch them dance, but I didn't get it.' "But we're conscious of listening to the words (of songs they use in performing) and using sign language or movements to go with the words. It's very vivid to see that acted out and it can be emotional for us to act it out, probably more so for us than those who are watching."

"It is a visual presentation and it has made words of classic hymns come alive," said Johnson. "There's a price to pay - we had a couple leave the church because of it. But, my philosophy of worship today is 'all God's gifts,' and whatever gift someone brings, we're open to it. I think the congregation has trust in me and Debbie (as worship leaders) that we're not going to do something that is trivial."

Seven dancers are "regulars," according to Masten. Vania VanKirk (one of the choreographers) and Stefanie Cord previously taught with Masten, and Jennifer Tepke is a dance major at nearby Butler University. Karen Groot was a former collegiate gymnast and Kari Stemaplos, a performer in community theater productions, has utilized her singing talents for certain numbers. Another dancer, Karen Crawford, attends a nearby Methodist church. Footsteps of Hope has choreographed worship there as well, collaborating with a "Singing Hands" choir that ministers to the deaf for Methodist congregation via sign language.

Printable version of this page.