Dressed in iridescent white gowns, six young dancers took to the stage, swaying their hips to the beat of the music as part of a celebration dedicated to Black History Month called “The Way the Spirit Moves You.”
Evanston hosted a show Saturday night bringing members of seven area churches together for the first time to showcase their liturgical dancers at Levy Senior Center, 300 Dodge Ave.
“It’s a new way to celebrate Black History Month,” said Kevin Mills, a speaker at the event and minister at First Church of God Christian Life Center, 1524 Simpson St. “It brings the community together as a whole.”
Almost 500 people packed the auditorium at the senior center, 200 more than expected at the event, said program coordinator Betsy Jenkins.
Festivities began with the singing of the Black National Anthem, followed by speeches from local ministers.
The show continued with a collection of liturgical dances. Mamie Smith, director at Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, 1655 Foster St., said the dancing fosters a visual connection and understanding of God. The program was two years in the making, she said.
“Liturgical dancing has become such a significant way to (attract) young people,” Smith said. “It’s increased participation in the church and become a prominent form of art.”
Smith said the dancing has gained popularity in the past five years.
“It’s more than just dancing,” Smith said. “It brings parental involvement and it becomes a family event.”
The teams of dancers range from four to 45 people, both children and adults. The music was a collection of gospel, hip hop and traditional African rhythms. Wilma Terry, dance director at Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church, 1109 Emerson St., said her dancers’ African number is a tribute to their ancestry. Traditional African drums accompanied the Swahili music in the piece. The colors of dancers’ costumes each had a symbolic meaning, such as white for purity and purple for power, Terry said.
Terry began her group with two other women six years ago. Today the group has 25 members.
“We love to hear the response from the people and knowing that we have given the performance a deeper meaning,” she said.
Eighteen-year-old Latrice Walkime of Bethany Baptist Church, 1225 Elmwood Ave., has participated for several years. In green camouflage costumes and with faces painted, dancers in Walkime’s performance depicted a battle.
“It’s about having the strength to overcome obstacles,” she said.
The large audience welcomed the performers with cheers and applause. Audience members rejoiced and sang along with the dancers.
“To me it’s really something when you get to see such a talented group of kids and adults work together,” said David Johnson, an audience member. “It’s not like MTV videos that kids watch now. It’s something more.”
Dancer Tina Smith from First Church of God called the show a success. She said as long as the performances inspired curiosity and bridged the gap between God and the participants, their objectives were met.
The show also functioned as a kickoff to a new program allowing dancers from different churches to meet together once a month to work on new choreography. Practices will be held at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, and the program will provide professional training for the dancers. The program is set to begin in April.
“We have so much talent,” Smith said of her dance group. “Not one group did the same thing tonight. They were all unique in their own way, and that was amazing.”
