School of Dance Studies Promo Video - Featuring My Students

Students dancing "Independence Surrender"
Photo Credit: SODS Staff/Student

I am so excited to share with you the talents of my School of Dance Studies students through this promotional video for their school (below)! The Communications department at YWAM Montana did an amazing job producing this video, and my students worked so hard - I can't believe the qualified people we have here at YWAM Montana desiring to serve God in missions! And this only shows a small excerpt of the talent and work they did during their 6 month lecture phase. 

A couple weeks ago they performed their final dance concerts, one concert with group dances they choreographed and a second concert with staff and guest artist choreography. I even had the opportunity to choreograph a dance for them entitled "Independence Surrender," based on Ecclesiastes 4:10, "If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!" This dance represents how we should not walk with a "spirit of independence" in our lives, but that God is beside us to that we can lean on Him, and He places people in our lives (the Body of Christ) so that we are held up by them. I need not walk alone nor try to accomplish things on my own, but I am made to be in relationship as God the Father demonstrated with His Son and the Spirit. I love that image, and that it is not man-made but is shown to us from the Beginning!

Setting a dance on the students was definitely a challenge for me as I have little choreographing experience! I hit some walls along the way, but somehow knew I should do it (as my wise school leader and frienddid too). In the end, I learned that I have more creativity in me that I thought I did, and I have more vision for making something difficult rather than just settling for making something easy. Sometime I hope to get the video of my students' performances to share with you (or at least portions).

 

 Film Credit: SPRING | Seasons from YWAM Montana | Lakeside on Vimeo

School of Dance Studies Starts!

Dear friends,

Youth With A Mission Montana's School of Dance Studies began Monday! I am excited, nervous, and anticipatory all at the same time, but God has given me a lot of peace for staffing this school. I am getting little glimpses of who the students are and their hunger to learn, and I will get to know them well during the course of this school, as God unravels the layers to who they are to be in Him.

One of my favorite parts of equipping missionaries through Y.W.A.M. schools is hearing their hearts for the nations and the visions they have to bring glory to God! One of our students from India could not come to the School of Dance in 2008-09 because he did not have the funds, but he is here now, blessed with a scholarship. He believes that music and dance are successful ways to today's youth and dreams to open a dance schools in his native land and further in Asia. He sees School of Dance as furthering his training in order to witness for Christ through this area of the Arts.

*If you could remember my students in your prayers, especially for unity, as they are representing many nations, and a eager desire to learn through the hard work. They are from India, Singapore, the U.S.A., Netherlands Antilles, Norway, Germany, Finland, New Zealand, and Rwanda.

Thank you friends for your care and investment in my life. I am truly grateful and couldn't do this without God using you. Bless you.