Worshipping God can be done in many ways, but two Baker University students have chosen dancing as their means of worship.
Junior Di-Tu Dissassa and freshman Alyse Cook have brought liturgical dancing to Thursday chapel services on campus.
“Liturgical dancing is a worship-associated dance,” Cook said. “It’s the type of dance you do in a church and not the regular dance, like modern dance or jazz or anything like that. It’s liturgical because it’s worship.”
Both Dissassa and Cook got involved with liturgical dancing through their local churches at home. Dissassa started when she was nine, while Cook started doing liturgical dancing at the age of 12.
“I got started in liturgical dancing by watching other people,” Dissassa said. “I saw people do it and decided to make up one on my own; so that’s how I got started, and I’ve just kept doing it ever since.”
Cook said she learned liturgical dancing by applying principles of basic ballet to a Christian song, while Dissassa said she learned by simply watching others.
Liturgical dancing has been a part of Baker’s chapel services for several years, Minister to the University Ira DeSpain said.
“Every year there seems to be somebody or a group of students who have done that in local churches and want to share that gift at chapel on Thursdays,” he said.
DeSpain said he enjoys bringing various ways of worship to chapel and liturgical dancing is a good way to do that.
“For me, there are all kinds of ways to express your religions, faith and conviction; and the bible is clear that it’s possible to worship God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength,” he said. “Liturgical dancing gives a different expression to some very deep spiritual matters.”
Cook said she enjoys liturgical dancing because when people are worshipping God, other people pull from them and what they’re really feeling. She also said it shows a person’s true character.
Dissassa said she likes liturgical dancing because it’s another way to worship God and administer that worship — and it shows.
Dissassa and Cook will join dancing styles next semester during a Martin Luther King Day celebration. DeSpain came to the pair with the idea.
“I am excited to see what we do because we kind of have two different styles,” Dissassa said. “It’ll be exciting to bring them together and see what we can put together.”