Soul to Sole Choreography presents a visual picture of the immortal, invisible God. Scripture says that “we can know the truth and the truth can set us free.” And we need a clear picture of the truth in a subjective culture that distorts transcendent truth. How does Soul to Sole Choreography fit into the communication of the gospel?
Soul to Sole Choreography is
—artistic–it is a creative, visual, experiential, sensory art form; it accesses the imagination and often causes others to think, to feel, to reflect Jesus with the wonder of a child.
—holistic. It is God’s desire that we know him holistically. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” That is, we need to know him with all parts of us–not just opening our eyes for an hour on Sunday but widening the lens of faith to include all of who we are. Prayer in motion is a beautiful expression of the full integration of faith into life. That was the original intent of Paul when he wrote his letters in the New Testament. Paul used the Greek word pistis to describe this; it means to live a lifestyle of faith with full commitment to Jesus. Using Paul’s definition of faith, Prayer in motion can be seen as a metaphor for full commitment to Christ through the words and actions or movement that symbolize lifestyle faith.
—a non-verbal language; it involves using the body as the instrument of communication– personal and intimate. Like faith in Jesus. It should also communicate with clear choreographic intent.
Christian dance ministry doesn’t occur simply because we are Christian dancers-using technique and/or feelings. Christian dance ministry doesn’t occur simply because a Christian song is playing when we dance. Christian dance ministry occurs when dance communicates transcendent truth from soul to sole. Targeted conceptual, biblical choreography shows us a visual glimpse of what the bible teaches in its own movement language.
Prayer in motion can be used to show worship as a response to our great God; it can show beauty as a reflection of God’s character [which has a healing by-product]; further, dance can teach us biblical concepts, and through dance, we can celebrate our faith as we lift up the name of Jesus in praise.
Actions don’t lie. Choreography that communicates with biblical intent doesn’t lie. And that is one of the many strengths of the visual arts. We hear the truth and we see the truth. And God uses the Spirit to change us organically to live our faith from the inside out.
