Alan Doerksen
BURLINGTON, Ont. Belma Vardy sees worship dance as an expression of her love to God. Through her ministry Celebration of Dance, Vardy is sharing this vision with Christians around the world. Vardy is a versatile, creative person who teaches and performs worship dance, and who writes and produces videos about it. But Vardy didn't start performing worship dance as a career. For her, it was a way to worship God privately, after she became a committed Christian in 1983.
"I never planned on having a ministry," she tells Christian Courier. But in 1986, she was asked to go to a conference in New Orleans, where she performed worship dance. "That's not dance, that's my loving expression to Jesus," she had explained at that time. Since then, Vardy has received many invitations to lead workshops and perform at churches and conferences in North America, Germany, France, England and South Africa. She feels that this ministry is a calling from God.

Not all churches ready for dance

Not all Christians or churches are comfortable with worship dance, Vardy observes. "A congregation may not believe in dance at all – they think it's from the Devil." But Vardy works with congregations to see what they're comfortable with regarding worship dance. "One of the things God has given me is insight into what congregations need in this area," she says. Vardy visits many Christian Reformed churches across North American, and observes, "Not all CRC's are ready for this. The ones that call me are ready to embrace it." For Vardy, worship dance is "an expression of love to the Father in heaven, using your body….it's a love song. It can also be a dance of grief, where we release that. You're able to worship him with a true heart…. I call it worship dance because people are afraid of the word 'dance.' Because Satan has taken dance and corrupted it, the church shrinks from it….Sometimes I call it creative movement." But Vardy has not met anyone who has been very critical of worship dance. "I only get calls from churches and organizations that want to know about it," she says.

Spiritual Worship

For Vardy, a key verse from the Bible which ties into her ministry is Romans 12:1 (NIV): "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – which is you spiritual worship." Vardy draws her spiritual strength from God.

"The most important thing with me is spending time alone with God every day," she explains. Her home church, Community Christian Reformed Church of Meadowvale, ON, is also very important to her – like a family. "The church is just an amazing support to me spiritually and financially," she says, adding, "I have lots of volunteers from my church." Vardy is the dance leader on her church's Celebration Team. Vardy's ministry is "hard financially," she admits. "You don't get rich doing ministry. This is my full-time job." .Vardy's ministry is linked to her congregation, and also with IMAGO – a charitable agency committed to the arts which helps provide her with charitable donations receipts. In 1988, Vardy began a worship dance ministry in her home church, teaching young children. This work grew into conferences for children and expanded into international workshops and video productions.

Worship Dance Videos

"I started in 1993 producing worship dance videos," says Vardy. "I have six videos now."
Producing each video is a major effort for her, taking about five months of work. She needs to hire as many as 25 people to help out, along with volunteers from her church. Vardy's latest video is 2000's "Breakout: Freedom in the Streets", which was filmed in Germany. It featured a cast of about 45 German youth worshiping in streets and marketplaces. "We filmed one song where Hitler held his rallies," explains Vardy. "Hitler wanted people to call him 'master'. But the video focuses on God as being our Master. Out of the six videos, this is her personal favorite. An earlier video, 1998's "Dance into Battle", portrayed the passion of intercessory prayer through choreographed and spontaneous worship dance. "As executive producer of …six videos, I selected music and cast, wrote all the scripts, designed costumes and taught all choreography, facilitated in finding site locations, hired all production staff…oversaw editing and production of video and cover design, financed the project and kept all bookkeeping." Vardy also produced a CD using her own lyrics and music as a basis for her first video, 1993's "The Biblical Basis for the Celebration of Dance." That video featured a cast of 77 children from eight churches presenting the biblical basis for dance through music, speaking and movement.
According to a press release, "powerful images engage the warrior into spiritual

battle on behalf of the lost and hurting. Swords flash and flags wave as an army of worshipers beckons the believer into a prophetic expression of the heart of God."

Participants experience God

Vardy often leads worship dance workshops, on devotional dance and congregational dance. In the first, she gives instructions on how to interpret scriptural themes through physical expression. Vardy teaches congregational dance to help churches experience unity by praising God together. She teaches participants to synchronize dance moves and express corporately their love for God. Vardy observes, "In the worships, I noticed people were being touched…they break down and cry. They give testimonies." Vardy believes God is working through her when she leads these workshops, an she counts it a privilege. "I'm so honoured to watch all this happen." She recalls that at one worship in France, she met a woman who had suffered sexual abuse. But after taking part in the dance workshop, "her intimacy with God was completely restored." Other participants tell her: "This has brought me closer to God." Vardy also leads workshops on "Dance from a broken heart," "Dance as Prayer," and "Purposes of banners and flags in praise and worship." Vardy teaches workshop participants who God is, and says, "I teach them to talk to God with their mouth, and release to God with movements – doing movement out of relationship with the Lord…."
"I speak at conferences – all denominations…about the biblical basis for dance."
She has taken part in CRC Coffee Break conferences, "America Arise" and Canada Arise," as well as the International Dance Conference in France. Vardy also dances at weddings, and even at funerals. Although she often works with Christian conferences, Vardy notes, "I will go into secular dance schools and teach them about God and their relationship with him…I teach professional dancers how to put heart into their dance."Vardy does not advertise her agency much, but says she has never had to call anyone to find opportunities to share her dance ministry with others. Word of mouth advertising works well, she says. Her videos have also been helpful in promoting her ministry. Belma has made several appearances on the Christian children's TV show Circle Square's 'Discovery', produced by Crossroads Christian Communications (100 Huntley Street), and has hosted Christian radio and TV programs. She is also actively involved on the ministry team of the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship, home of the "Toronto Blessing."