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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Let's Hit the Books

I was blessed with this months On-Line Class...you may recall that I enrolled in the National Liturgical Dance Network's on line (tele-conference call) class.
Our last month (Dec 2009) reading assignment was
The Levitical Calling by Candace Long. We were also asked to pick 1 more book of our choice. Good books on liturgical dance are not easy to come by and they don't remain in print forever so many people opted to get all three. Those books are the following:
The Theology of Dance by Linda Conrey
The Priesthood of the Dance by Kina Nichols
Order My Steps by Gail Glover Faust
We had the great opportunity to listen to and also interact on the phone with the author
Candace Long for our December 27, 2009 class. Looking back on my notes this is one of the things she mentioned...There is a temperament that a dancer has. How should I walk as a creative? We are like a spiritual thermometer (the liturgical dancer), we have like a spiritual antenna built into us. The dancer has a crucial ability to receive spiritual data. The enemy's strategy is to pollute and defile the Levite. Be careful that the door is not open. The dancer has to be particularly careful because we are so sensitive.
If you want to know more of what was said...you have to buy the book or join the class. Please contact Eagle Carmen Curry or Rev. Eyesha Marable of the National Liturgical Dance Network for more information.
For those who have gone through the Eagles Training Institute with Dr. Pamela Hardy or have been in dance ministry much longer than I, have exhaustive libraries. From teaching at Nyack College and my own personal study, here are the books I have specifically geared towards liturgical dance. Some books are really old but bridge the gap that many liturgical dancers are not knowledgeable about...the dance history between the end of the New Testament and the 1960s.
Dancing into the Anointing (see Nyack College syllabus) by Aimee Verduzco Kovacs, Ph.D
The Liturgy as Dance and the Liturgical Dancer by Carolyn Deitering
Introducing Dance in Christian Worship Ronald Gagne, Thomas Kane, Robert VerEecke1984 & 1999 edition
Rejoice: A Biblical Study of the Dance by Debbie Roberts
Dancing in the Spirit by Karen M. Curry
My Body Is the Temple (see Nyack College Syllabus & used as a study at Primitive Christian Church Dance Ministry) by Stephanie Butler
Breathe, Balance and Stretch by Stephanie Butler
Dance![God's Holy Purpose] by Dr. Ann Stevenson haven't read this yet
Rivers of Praise: Worship Through Movement by Rachel L. Moore haven't read this yet either
Happy Reading and let's hit the books and learn all we can to use our gifts for His glory with excellence!!!! And don't forget to mark your calendars for the next Worship and the Word Conference PURIFY! at the Greater Allen Cathedral, Jamaica NY Wed July 28 - Sunday August 1st go to Facebook (National Liturgical Dance Network (and/or) Worship Conference 2010) and get up to date information and get to meet alot of other NLDN members. Get connected dancer!!!!!