Dance Team
Psalm 149:3 “Let them praise His name with dancing.”
Who are we?
The FOC dance team is a group of worshipers committed to loving, serving, and glorifying the Lord. Dance and movement are some of our favorite tools He has given us to employ. Our team consists of adults, teens (Mighty Magnifiers of Truth), pre-teens (Joyful Jumpers), and children (Heavenly Hoppers). We are all Dancer's of The Upper Room! If you have a desire to move before the Lord in worship and an interest in more information for one of the groups above, contact Pam Yarborough at pyarborough@fellowshipofchrist.org.
Why do we dance in our worship services?
The purpose of a dance team is to love the Lord with all our heart and to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ before the people. Ours is to bring the drama of worship to life in visual signs, gestures, and movements. Helping truth to stay in our minds longer and sink deeper into our beings. Like the early church we remember the Great Acts of God in our dance and celebrate who He is - The Great I Am. Honor and humility rest on each dancer as he or she processes the symbols which represent our Father. We become ushers of majesty. Like a wedding director, a dance leader is filled with the sense of directing one long rehearsal to prepare for the marriage of Christ to His church. God is giving us lots of practice for an eternity of worshiping Him.
Contained in the ministry of the dancer is the call to intercession. Matt. 16:9 says, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Adding gestures and movements to prayers helps us to stay focused and come into agreement with the person speaking the prayer. Through the movement we begin to build with the Spirit and participate in the warfare of heavenly things. God has given us a spirit of power not of fear. We go a step further when billowing a dancing silk cloth or waving a flag. The material we use represents a covering over the people. While the different colors represent different characteristics of God. For example: red for the blood of Jesus, or white for righteousness, purity, and holiness. The billowing of the dancing silks is a place of invitation to come and worship while those billowing pray for you. When we cross these dancing silks over each other, we invite you to come be intimate with your heavenly Father!
What will you see at FOC?
*We do not worship symbols but we use them to remind us of the characteristics of God.
Processionals: Various symbols are used to represent God and His character. For example: a crown for His royalty and kingship, a scepter for authority, the cross for Jesus and sacrifice, ...
Choreographed and improvisational dances: we use many different styles of movement as well as signs and gestures in our dances. Dramatic representation is included as well.
Dancers moving, waving cloth, and praying along the back of the sanctuary: we stand ready, prepared to move at God's prompting in any way He calls us. Remaining in worship and prayer covering we are watchful.
Flags: we use flags to celebrate our King! The stick representing the staff of the Lord and the colors having a variety of meanings. See the list below for some specific meanings to the colors.
Dancing silks: Using cloth of various lengths (5 ft. to 10 yrds.) we worship, billowing and moving in different patterns. Coming under the cloth to be intimate with the Father is a favorite at FOC.
Meanings of the Colors used in worship
Red: Blood of Jesus, Covenant of grace, cleansing justification, sin, atonement, war, the wrath of God, judgement, death, love, life, the earth, redemption, sacrifice, consuming fire, the person of Jesus, the cross
Green: praise, eternal life, vigor, prosperity, mercy, restoration, health, healing, new beginning, freshness, God's holy seed, harvest, sowing and reaping
Blue: Revealed God, grace, divinity, the Priesthood, authority, seated with the Lord in heavenly places, the Holy Spirit, heaven, overcomer, revelation knowledge, the Truth, the Word of God, washing
Purple: Royalty, kingship, kingliness, power, majesty, Mediator, wealth, penitence, the Name of God, kingdom authority, dominion, sonship, the promises of God, inheritance
Gold: Eternal Diety, the Godhead, Glory, purification, majesty, righteousness, Divine Light, kingliness, trial by fire, mercy
Silver: The Word of God, redemption, divinity, righteousness, strengthened, faith, wisdom, purity
Rose Pink: Messiah, Glory, Rose of Sharon, the Father's heavenly care over the lilies of the Field -His Children, Jesus loves me -this I know!
Amber: The Glory of God, the Father's heavenly care, fiery passion, flaming throne of God, the temple of God, wisdom
Fuchsia: Joy, right relationships, compassion, heart of flesh, passion for Jesus, the Bridegroom's heart, koinonea
White: The Bride, purity, surrender, holiness, salvation, righteousness, light, joy, festive rejoicing, angels, saints, peace, triumph, victory, glory
Black: Darkness, evil, sin, death, famine, affliction, reconciling Mediator, humility, humiliation, mourning, evil omens, curses
Turquoise: River of God, sanctification, healing, life-giving flow of the Holy Spirit, the New Jerusalem
Iridescent Crystal: Cleansing work of the Holy Spirit, blessings of God, sanctification, the Bride of Christ, Truth
Bronze: Judgement upon sin, fires of testing
Wine: New wine, the cup of the new covenant, blessings, rejoicing, blood of Jesus, Bride of Christ, surrender, the fellowship of Christ's suffering
Orange: Passion, power, fire, harvest season, fruitfulness, joy
Yellow: Light, joy, celebration, glory revealed
