"I just had to keep nagging her to make sure she did it."

"It" is teaching the faithful and those interested in physical artistic expression about praise dancing, a trend that is growing due to its increasing acceptance by the Christian community as a means of worship. After three years of cajoling, pleading and some badgering, Ly-Ben Christian Dance Studio of Columbia has recently opened an Orangeburg location.

Gail G. Faust, owner of the studio that celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, said the first classes at the new studio on St. Matthews Road were held Sept. 22. She said local supporters have been clamoring for an Orangeburg studio for at least three years, although Ly-Ben has held workshops in the area.

Quewanda Middleton, an Orangeburg native who works at the Boys & Girls Club of the Midlands and dances with Faust's 4Trinity Evangelistic Dance Ministry, will teach hip-hop and jazz dancing at the Orangeburg studio. The liturgical ballet aficionado says she has doggedly pursued Faust in an attempt to convince her such a facility is needed in the Garden City.

"I told (Faust) she needed to come down to Orangeburg and open up a Christian dance theater after I had danced at her Columbia studio for two years," Middleton said. "(Faust) had told me that others have also been after her to come here for some time now."

Although Christian praise dancing incorporates all forms of dance, Faust says the distinction is subtle but significant.

"My goal is to give the Orangeburg community a presence for dance ministry and to train people to be more excellent in their movement," said Faust, who has danced with the Columbia City Ballet and the Dance Theatre of Harlem, N.Y., among other companies. "That means they need technique, they need scriptural study about the importance of dance in ministry and be an example for other people. I'll teach them how to dress properly for dance ministry and how to evangelize. It's not about the numbers. It's about having a place where the people can come and learn more about dancing for the Lord."

"I teach technique," Faust continued. "So when you come, you're going to get ballet, you're gonna get hip-hop, you're gonna get jazz. The difference is I'll teach you how to use those techniques to praise the Lord and how to have the right movement to offer up as worship before God."

Faust says the worship arts have exploded in the church because people want to express themselves more to the Lord through dance and music and drama, which accounts for the steady growth of praise dancing.

"As Christians, we want to use our talents to glorify God," Faust said. "The challenge comes in that a lot of us are not properly trained to use our talents. So that's why I've been asked by so many people, 'Come to Orangeburg, come to Orangeburg, because we want to be excellent before the Lord.'"

Faust said that she feels praise dancing is an important adjunct to other forms of ministry because it allows Christians to physically express what they are feeling on the inside. She noted that praise dancing is simply another way to reach people in a fashion that appeals to them.

"I love to tell the story about the young lady who God told to do cartwheels in church," Faust said. "So, she did them while everyone was dancing.

"Afterward, a man came up to the pastor and said he told God that if he ever saw cartwheels in church, he was going to get saved!"

One of Faust's first classes was a youth group, which incorporated dancers ages 3 to 12. During the instruction, Randi Cade-Jackson of Orangeburg talked about the importance of praise dancing as she watched her 3-year-old daughter, Brielle, and her goddaughter, 5-year-old Kalah Williams.

"It's important because kids need to have some kind of Christian values," Cade-Jackson said. "(The studio) has Bible study and everything like the churches, but it's nice to have a company that has trained people in the area to show them how to really dance and what that brings to the community."

Faust said the initial support has been encouraging.

"We'll be having about 10 to 15 students per class, so I'll have about 50 total students to start with," Faust said. "That's a real good start because the first time I opened up in New Jersey, I only had 20 students. We'll be having classes on Tuesday and Thursday nights right now. ... There will be four classes on Thursday and about two to three classes on Tuesday, depending on enrollment. I will also have open houses and exhibitions with my dancers out in the community, showing folks what Christian dance ministry and praise dancing is all about."

Although there is a cost associated with the classes, Faust says she will also be inviting the community to free classes so anyone with an interest in dance can check out the studio.

"The cost ... lets people know that there must be a sacrifice involved when you want to learn how to worship God in a different way," Faust said. "The Word says, 'A workman is worthy of his hire.'"

Faust said teaching Christian praise dancing is more than just an occupation -- it's a holy calling.

"I danced secularly for a number of years, but there just seemed like there was something missing, and I love dance!" Faust said. "One day, I was sitting in church, and I just felt like dancing. So, I got up and danced, and the Lord said, 'This is what I want you to do.'"

For more information about Ly-Ben Christian Dance Studio, call 803-772-1462 or visit www.lybenchristiandance.com.

T&D Staff Writer Phil Sarata can be reached by e-mail at psarata@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5540. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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