"Liturgical Dance? Really?"

[Brian Stoffregen]

King David wore a linen ephod as he danced before
the Lord with all his might.   Michal's mention of his
disrobing is a reference to David having worn only
a linen ephod rather than his royal robe.

But if you keep reading, 2 Samuel 6:20 has Michal criticizing David for '"exposing himself in plain view of the female servants of his subjects like any indecent person would" (CEB).

[DCharlton]

Same is probably true in Ohio where the upper crust ask the eternal question, "Do you want fries with that?"

That's cause they don't know how to cook grits in Ohio.

"Snobbery?  But it's only a form of despair." _{Joseph Brodsky}

Grits are the most humble thing in the world.  On the other hand, the folks I know from Ohio are among the most humble people I know.  Although I'd say that sauer kraut is the Ohio version of grits, rather than french fries, at least among my family members.

[Brian Stoffregen]

And then there is what to wear. This is not a minor consideration. For a dancer in motion, the tighter and more skin-clinging the fabric is, the better, as it lessens the danger of being tripped by one's costume and having a nasty fall.

Like wearing a long alb and trying to climb the stairs into the pulpit. I don't know about other men, but I'm not used to lifting up clothing to climb stairs. More than once I've stepped on the vestment and nearly tumbled. Maybe that's why I have so much padding around my body.

[James_Gale]

Same is probably true in Ohio where the upper crust ask the eternal question, "Do you want fries with that?"

That's cause they don't know how to cook grits in Ohio.

"Snobbery?  But it's only a form of despair." _{Joseph Brodsky}

Grits are the most humble thing in the world.  On the other hand, the folks I know from Ohio are among the most humble people I know.  Although I'd say that sauer kraut is the Ohio version of grits, rather than french fries, at least among my family members.

I'll grant you this. Ohio folk have much about which to be humble!

[BrotherBoris]

Same is probably true in Ohio where the upper crust ask the eternal question, "Do you want fries with that?"

That's cause they don't know how to cook grits in Ohio.

"Snobbery?  But it's only a form of despair." _{Joseph Brodsky}

Grits are the most humble thing in the world.  On the other hand, the folks I know from Ohio are among the most humble people I know.  Although I'd say that sauer kraut is the Ohio version of grits, rather than french fries, at least among my family members.

That has been my experience as well and one of the things I really like about Ohio.  All the Ohio people I have known have been humble and down-to-earth folks. 

[J. Thomas Shelley]

I'm glad to see SOMEONE caught on to the fact that I was being facetious!   


Zoe the Orthodox Belly Dancer from Damascus? Perhaps a new form of outreach for the Antiochian Archdiocese.   

My Bishop has said, on several occasions, that he has needed to admonish parishes against such lasciviousness at their Middle Eastern Food Festivals.   When he asks the question:  "Would you have your wife, your daughter, be the dancer?" that ends the discussion.

[Richard Johnson]

While that Christmas Eve processional dancer was bringing in the incense, the rest of us were singing. And there were organ interludes between the verses.

I think that service was televised. It was one of the few instances I've seen of liturgical dance done well.

[Charles Austin]

Yes. And the tv people, I learned later, were wary about getting the shot too close to the backlit dancer.
BTW my children, then elementary school age, were with us. But they had seen ballet before.

[Dan Fienen]

Pr. Wolf makes a number of very good points.  It seems reasonable that a single photo may not have been enough to judge the liturgical dance in that instance.

The points against that particular instance do point out a number of ways that liturgical dance could go wrong (although there was not enough evidence to indict this one) and provide points to be kept in mind by dancers and worship planners when arranging liturgical dance.

[Jim_Krauser]

For all those who got the vapors over what the dancer wore at the MNYS assembly, it was pretty much what you would see any young man wearing while doing a gymnastics floor exercise, though no flips or tumbles were involved.  Anyone scandalized during the Olympics?

[SomeoneWrites]

Pr. Wolf makes a number of very good points.  It seems reasonable that a single photo may not have been enough to judge the liturgical dance in that instance.

The points against that particular instance do point out a number of ways that liturgical dance could go wrong (although there was not enough evidence to indict this one) and provide points to be kept in mind by dancers and worship planners when arranging liturgical dance.

I could not agree with you more.  Unless the outfit they went with was specific to any of the narrative of the dance, I probably would have suggested a white body suit underneath what he went with. 

[scott8]

For all those who got the vapors over what the dancer wore at the MNYS assembly, it was pretty much what you would see any young man wearing while doing a gymnastics floor exercise, though no flips or tumbles were involved.  Anyone scandalized during the Olympics?

Was there a worship service at the Olympics that I missed?

FWIW, I would also say that the female gymnastics outfit isn't appropriate for a worship service.

Do you agree?

[SomeoneWrites]

For all those who got the vapors over what the dancer wore at the MNYS assembly, it was pretty much what you would see any young man wearing while doing a gymnastics floor exercise, though no flips or tumbles were involved.  Anyone scandalized during the Olympics?

Agreed as well.

Oddly enough I actually am of the opinion that the olympics should be cut down to about 10 basic events (A couple races, long jump, freestyle swimming, lifting, and decathlon) and should be done nude like they did in ancient times.

[SomeoneWrites]

For all those who got the vapors over what the dancer wore at the MNYS assembly, it was pretty much what you would see any young man wearing while doing a gymnastics floor exercise, though no flips or tumbles were involved.  Anyone scandalized during the Olympics?

Was there a worship service at the Olympics that I missed?

FWIW, I would also say that the female gymnastics outfit isn't appropriate for a worship service.

Do you agree?

A dancers outfit for a dance?  Depends on the dance.  Ballet? Sure. 

[DCharlton]

For all those who got the vapors over what the dancer wore at the MNYS assembly, it was pretty much what you would see any young man wearing while doing a gymnastics floor exercise, though no flips or tumbles were involved.  Anyone scandalized during the Olympics?

If he was dressed like a male gymnast, he was wearing quite a bit more than the average female track athlete.