STEPPIN' FOR THE LORD: Workshop focusing on creative ways to praise God set for April 18-20
By CANDACE NEWSON, T&D Features WriterFriday, April 11, 2008In an effort to plant the seed of praise dance in the community, Kingdom Life Ministries will hold a "Let There Be Praise" dance workshop April 18-20.
"The praise workshop is an outreach to kids for a positive way to stay in church," said conference host Desiree Ross. "If we can keep one child off the street, then we've made a positive influence."
The workshop is open to children 7 years of age and older and adults. All experience levels are accepted. Participants will be trained in mime, praise dance, step and Christian hip-hop. Up to 250 registrants are expected to participate.
"Praise dancing ushers in the presence of God before the sermon is brought," said Ross, a native of Holland who was trained in ballroom and Latin dancing. After giving her life to Christ, she began praise-interpretive dancing in the spring of 1995.
Ross has ministered all over the world and is currently a ballroom and Latin dance instructor at Tamalyn's Ballet Centre, a Latin aerobics instructor at South Carolina State University and co-director of Anointed 2 Dance Ministries in Atlanta, Ga.
"Praise dance ushers in the presence of God in a very unique way," Ross said. "It inspires, it convicts, it delivers, it touches, but most of all, it expresses how you feel about God."
Sponsors are needed for up to 20 scholarships, which will be given to children to attend the event. Registration for the three-day event is $30.
The first workshop will be presented at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18. Saturday workshops will begin at 8:30 a.m. and include lunch. A free concert will be open to the public at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 20, at the Cinema. Featured clinicians include Kojo Opoku, mime; Dawn Causey, Christian hip-hop; Jamie Ruffin, praise dance; Erica Taylor, praise dance; and Alan Brooks, step.
For more information or to register for the "Let There Be Praise" conference, call Jones Insurance at 803-531-3959, Devin's Flowers at 803-531-0220, Creative Fashions at 803-539-0738 or visit www.anointed2dance.com or kingdomlifesc.org.
T&D Features Writer Candace Newson can be reached by e-mail at cnewson@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5540. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.
