Dance

Motion. Expression. Rhythm. Dancing has long been a controversial topic for Christians, yet the Bible’s depiction of dancing is almost always positive.

Ecclesiastes 3:4 tells us there is “a time to mourn, and a time to dance”. King David told God, “You have turned my mourning into dancing” (Ps. 30:11, NRSV). Women sang and danced in celebration of David’s victories (1 Sam. 18:6-7). David himself “danced before the Lord with all his might” (2 Sam. 6:14).

Psalm 150:4 declares that when we worship, we should praise God “with timbrel and dance.” Such worship is described in Exodus 15:20, as the Israelites celebrated crossing the Red Sea. In a description of a restored Israel, God declares that His people “shall go out to dance with the joyful” (Jer. 31:4, NIV). And while the Bible does not specifically mention it, community celebrations, such as the wedding at Cana, which Jesus attended (John 2:1-11), surely included dancing. In Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son, the family celebrates with dancing (Luke 15:25).

The Bible mentions dancing in only two specifically negative contexts: the worship of the golden calf at Sinai (Exod. 32:19), and when Herodias’ daughter dances for Herod before requesting John the Baptist’s execution (Mark 6:21-22). It is easy to imagine a marked contrast between those demeaning, self-centered dances and the celebratory and God-honoring dancing described elsewhere in the Bible. Perhaps because of this negative connotation, the New Testament doesn’t refer to dancing as part of the early Christian liturgy.

Traditional dances are part of most human cultures and are their own art form. They are distinct from erotic (sexually suggestive) and ceremonial dances, which may be part of a non-Christian religious ritual. Today, when people think of dance, they may tend to think of sexualized forms, or dances designed to be performed by couples. People are less likely to think of dance as part of worship or community celebration, as the Bible describes.

In 1 Corinthians 10, after discussing the Israelites’ frenzied worship of the golden calf (v. 7), Paul declares, “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (v. 31). It can take spiritual discernment to recognize the difference between dancing that celebrates life and honors God, and dancing that simply focuses on self and sensuality, leading us to dishonor God and our bodies. As with other issues in our lives, questions of intention, motivation, and environment are important to distinguish between what’s uplifting and what’s degrading.

It can be challenging—and controversial—to rediscover the role God designed dance to play our lives. It may involve complicated choreography or simply learning to express ourselves with our whole beings. Whatever the role of dancing in the Old Testament, one could also argue that, because of the negative connotations so long associated with the practice, as Christians—who are to shun all appearances of evil—erring on the side of caution would, indeed, seem to be the wisest approach to take.