What’s in a Name?
What is sacred dance anyway?Perhaps sacred dance is the prophetic expression of God’s Word through movement of the human body; an embodiment of God’s Word. Perhaps the sacred dancer is a conduit for the Spirit of God, speaking through movement vocabulary both gestural and technically specific. Perhaps the sacred dancer brings life to God’s Word surrendering his or her body to the Spirit of God.
I am not completely sure, but can say that for me, sacred dance has to be more than just dancing to songs with Christian lyrics sung by “Christian” artists. It even has to be more than just Christians dancing.
“Some art is religious thematically with an intent of religious expression; however, some religious symbols are present in non religious artistic expression” (Author Unknown). Uplifted hands, prostration, spins, leaps and bows are movements that can be found in nonreligious non-sacred dance.
So, what makes sacred dance, sacred? What is the difference between Ailey’s Reflections and your dance ministry’s rendition of Great is Thy Faithfulness? I invite your opinions. What makes your dance sacred?
I think Alvin Ailey’s Revelations is simply a commentary on his experiences as a black man growing up in this country. The company therefore performs or shares his experiences with the audience. Sacred dance is all those things you mentioned in your post because the dancer’s execution of each movement is for the sole purpose of pointing others to Christ, his healing power, his redemptive work, etc., while the Ailey dancer’s purpose is in the movement itself, the beauty of said movement, and the beauty that Alvin Ailey saw in his life. We love Revelations because we are reminded that Ailey had this great gift for telling stories and drawing the audience into the story. This particular story is effective because it resonates deeply within African-American culture and religious practices; but it also resonates in the rich history of the diaspora as a whole. It’s beautiful, but not sacred. I don’t think Ailey’s purpose was to point people to Christ, rather it was to point people to the rich cultural and religious history shared be people in his community, as well as the beauty of his art. I’m not saying that someone can’t meet Jesus at an Ailey concert, but if we consider that Christ looks at the intent of our hearts, then Revelations does not appear to be a sacred piece to me. Now, can “sacred” artists use non-traditional music to share Christ? I think so, because what makes the piece sacred, in my mind, is the heart of the artist who created it, and the message that is being conveyed through it. So though Ailey dancers are very well trained in executing each choreographed movement, I believe the artist whose intent is to point lost souls to the cross is the one who is actually in sacred dance.
Thanks for sharing. You have some valid points and an interesting perspective. I think there will constantly be a debate about what makes Christian art. I have met some Christians who create art, but do not consider their art Christian. Yet there are others who say that although their art may not be overtly Christian, it is Christian by virture of their faith. I did not have a chance to see Ailey at the Kennedy Center this weekend
Maybe next year!