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Liturgical & Praise Dance

Also known as: Praise dance, Worship dance, Mime ministry, Flag/banner ministry

OriginUnited States (and global Christian worship)
Era1900–Present
RhythmGospel / worship music
TempoVaries
CharacterDevotional, expressive, reverent

History & Cultural Context

Liturgical and praise dance is movement offered as Christian worship. With deep scriptural and historical roots, it was revived and formalized in modern congregations—especially in Black American churches—through praise dance, mime ministry, processional/liturgical dance, and flag and banner ministry. The intent is devotional: the dance interprets scripture, gospel music, and prayer as an offering rather than entertainment.

Cultural Significance

A worship practice for participating communities; the meaning is spiritual offering, not performance.

Characteristic Movement & Technique

Expressive gesture, processional movement, mime interpretation, and flag/banner work timed to worship music.

Partnering Dynamics

Solo and ensemble (ministry).

Competitive Context

Performed in services and worship gatherings; some praise-dance showcases and competitions exist.

Regional Variations

Denominational and congregational styles.

Common Misconceptions

Praise dance is an act of worship within a faith community, not a secular dance genre; it should be framed as religious practice first.

Liturgical & Praise DanceMusic & Tempo

Drawn from 16 Liturgical & Praise Dance tracks in the LODance music library.

Typically danced around104 BPM· most tracks fall between 78–138 BPMBPM = beats per minute.

Example tracks at practice tempo

  • Praise Is What I Do (Live) — William Murphy98 BPM
  • Take Me to the King (feat. Kirk Franklin) — Tamela Mann115 BPM
  • Believe For It (Live) — CeCe Winans79 BPM
  • Every Praise — Hezekiah Walker104 BPM
  • No Weapon (Psalm 27:3) — Fred Hammond & Radical for Christ78 BPM
  • In the Sanctuary (Live) — Kurt Carr & The Kurt Carr Singers111 BPM
Browse & play all 16 Liturgical & Praise Dancetracks in the Music Library →

Sources & Further Reading

Cultural & Historical Context

Liturgical & Praise Dance emerged from United States (and global Christian worship) during the 1900s—present day. Understanding the cultural roots, musical traditions, and social circumstances of this era enriches appreciation for the dance's characteristics and significance.

Primary Source Documents

The Library of Dance contains public-domain primary sources for dance history. Copyrighted modern syllabi are indexed with purchase links to their respective copyright owners. Search by dance name or codifier to discover primary source documents.

Last reviewed: August 2026 — This dance profile synthesizes historical research, cultural documentation, and contemporary practice knowledge to provide authoritative context.

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Liturgical & Praise Dance in art

Browse the gallery →

Public-domain works our catalogue identifies as depicting liturgical & praise dance.

A 19th-century engraving shows about twenty Shakers in a long line, women on the left in white dresses and men on the right in dark coats, many with arms

Shakers' dance

Unknown artist

Wood engraving of a Shaker religious gathering with men in dark coats on the left and women in white dresses and bonnets on the right, standing in orderly rows

Shakers dance

Unknown artist

Engraving of approximately fifteen men and women in a line, dancing with raised arms and animated bodies in a sparse meetinghouse interior with large windows.

Shakers' dance

Unknown artist · 2019

Engraving showing Shaker worship: clothed women in white stand in an ordered line on the left while nude or partially dressed figures move with raised arms and

Shaker dancing

Unknown artist · 2019

Limestone relief showing an Egyptian queen in formal dress leaning toward a standing god figure, with hieroglyphic inscriptions.

Queen Hatshepsut dancing before a representation of Min

Unknown artist

Bronze candelabrum stand showing a twisted female figure in ecstatic pose with raised arm and vessel balanced on her head.

Candelabrum Stand of a Dancing Maenad

Unknown artist

Two mirrored wooden figures with extended arms, wearing stacked brass rings like segmented robes, stand back-to-back on a black base.

Dance staff for Esu Ògò Èlẹgba

Unknown artist

Terracotta sculpture of Ganesha with elephant head, bare torso, and four raised arms in a dynamic dancing pose on a rectangular base.

Dancing Ganesha

Unknown artist

Cream-colored ceramic bowl interior showing central figure in pointed headdress surrounded by repeated dancing figures and geometric patterns in brown pigment.

Bowl Depicting a Harvest Dance

Unknown artist

Bronze sculpture of a four-armed figure in dynamic spiral pose within a ring of radiating flame forms, standing on a lotus base.

Shiva as Lord of the Dance Nataraja

Unknown artist

Black-and-white photograph of Candomblé ritual dance in Bahia, Brazil, 1962. Six to eight women in cotton skirts and white blouses stand in close proximity

Candomblé in Bahía (Brazil) Ritual Dance.

Unknown artist · 1962

A bare-chested figure wears thick fiber costume and metal collar, standing with hand extended in ritual posture, Bahia Brazil 1962.

Candomblé in Bahia (Brazil) Omolú Daughter.

Unknown artist · 1962

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