Guide to Choosing a Song for Worship and Praise Dance

Choosing a song is one of the most important aspects of making sure you will minister effectively. The wrong choice of song can cause your performance to have a low rate of effectiveness and be detrimental to the reputation of your dance ministry. There are four main things to think about when choosing a song. As a dance director and choreographer, many songs were recommended to me which unfortunately I had to reject due to the lack of some important components to choose the right piece of music.

First, you need to ask yourself, “What kind of event am I dancing for?” The theme of the music should match the purpose of the event. For example, if you’re dancing on Easter Sunday, you’ll want to choose a song where you and your team can represent the importance of blood, the cross, or the power of death losing its sting. Although you can make a song’s theme fit the message, you want to find the “best fit.” Do not settle for anything, strive to be a ministry of excellence. You should review a variety of songs.

Second, the selection chant must have a climax. The word ‘climax’ refers to a part of the song where there is a high peak or rise of the voice, instruments, and sometimes the tempo. This climax of the music is important because the composer is telling a story and there is a ‘turning point’ of the song that can be captured through dramatic movement. The song should be a progression and at the peak there is intensity. Just as a movie or story has a plot, a climax and an ending, the same goes for the chosen song. On rare occasions, there are peakless songs that may be appropriate for specific events.

Third, does the song minister personally? A song should minister first to the dancer and then to the people. When this happens, the song becomes more valuable to you as the mime/dance minister and you will be more dedicated to making sure the song’s message is communicated clearly and more effectively.

Fourth, is the song appropriate? The song should be clear about “Who” you mean. Songs where people let themselves figure out who you’re talking about are best left unused. Psalms 149:3 says, “Praise his name in the dance.” If the song does not address Jesus Christ as Lord, God, or any other name that belongs to our Heavenly Father, then that song needs to be revised. Without the recognition of God in the ministry of dance, it is no longer ministry, just dance.