Lindsay M.

Farr Professor Ed Austin Dance 459 February 18, 2014 Personal Examination of LDS Values and the Dance Artist As LDS dance artists, we have the unique privilege and opportunity to use our God-given talents to not only represent ourselves, but our religion, our values, and our God. Although our gifts and talents may be uniquely acquired, developed, and shared, Gods expectation of their use remains the same. God is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God (D&C 20:17); what He asks of His children who are architects, doctors, scientists, and musicians is the same request that He asks of His dancers: to live, learn, and testify through the gift of His Spirit. As LDS dance artists seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost to learn, teach, create, and share their talent, the dancer, their audience and God will understand one another, and [all will be] edified and rejoice together (D&C 50.22). First, the Holy Ghost allows us to learn dance through the Spirit. As trained dancers, we are accustomed to learning from dance artists, teachers, and choreographers who have gone before us; they offer us insight and advice that we remember, apply, and treasure. The Holy Ghost is also a teacher and advisor; in fact, the scriptures teach that he shall teach [us] all things, and bring all things to [our] remembrance (John 14:26). If LDS dance artists desire to cultivate their gift, to increase their talent, and to apply what theyve learned, they will find better success as they seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost. We can spend years studying

with great dance masters strengthening our bodies and perfecting our technical skills; however, it is the Spirit that provides our bodies with animation and personality (Nelson, 3). Physically learning how to dance will provide us with a technical framework, but spiritually learning how to dance will provide life, feeling, and expression to our movement. Second, the Holy Ghost allows us to teach through the Spirit. In the Book of Mormon, we are promised that the Holy Ghost will show unto [us] all things what [we] should do (2 Nephi 32:5). This promise not only applies to our spiritual lives, but to our education, vocations, and dance careers as well. The best dance teachers are those who see and teach their students as children of God with unlimited potential (Nelson, 1). This attribute, although somewhat inherent, takes time and patience to develop. As LDS dance artists and teachers rely on the gifts and power of the Holy Ghost to know how to teach and interact with their students according to each childs or adults individual needs, their studios and classrooms will be filled with the love of God. The students may not distinguish why they feel differently in their teachers presence, but they will appreciate the love, peace, and acceptance that is present as they are taught and experience dance. Third, the Holy Ghost allows us to create through the Spirit. Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught that creative expression respresent[s] the celebration of our gratitude to God for our gifts and talents (1) and that as we create, we enter a partnership with God, the Creator of the Universe (2). Creation, therefore, is a divine act perfected by our Father by our Father in Heaven, the Creator of our souls. As we use creation to express gratitude to God, seek for a greater understanding of

Him and His attributes, and come to know Him better, we begin to act as co-creators with God, apprentices under His stewardship. However, such a blessing and privilege is only made possible as we humble ourselves, make Christ the center of our work, and allow the Holy Ghost to give life to our creative potential (Dayley, 3). Artists who rely on their own technical skill, talent, and abilities are unable to receive the power that would give [their creative works] life and meaning (Dayley, 3). That life and meaning is only made possible as we seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost to teach us how to create with God, rather than without Him; after all, we will create and accomplish more with God by our side than we will ever create and accomplish on our own. Lastly, the Holy Ghost allows us to share our talents through the Spirit. As LDS dance artists, our goal should be to use our God-given gifts to testify and lead others to seek out entertainment and forms of expression that are virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy (Articles of Faith 1:13). K. Newell Dayley explained that the arts are a perfect medium to do so because they embody a unique learning process that awakens the very core of ones being to lifes meaning and beauty. Through the arts we can learn to see, hear, more, and feel with greater sensitivity and understanding (3). As we use our talents to help others see more virtuous entertainment, hear more lovely music, move with greater good, and feel with greater praise towards God, we not only recognize our divine potential, but help our audience to recognize theirs as well. God gave us special gifts, talents, and abilities for that sole purpose, to bring others and ourselves closer to Christ and His teachings. It is our choice whether we will use those talents to erect the kingdom of

God or destroy it, to build others up or to tear them down, to stand for truth and righteousness or to question and fight against it (Oaks, 26-27). The ability to dance is Gods gift to us, but how we choose to use it is our gift to Him. In closing, the greatest tool we LDS dance artists have access to is the gift of the Holy Ghost. We may not always feel his presence as strongly or as directly as we might desire, but we have been given the promise that as we do our part to remain worthy of his companionship, he will be our guide and will bless us with direction, instruction, and spiritual protection during our mortal journey as we learn, teach, create, and share our gifts (Bednar, 4). If we rely on the Holy Ghost, we will also have personal confirmation that the Lord approves of who we are, who we are becoming, and how we are using the gift of dance that He so graciously bestowed upon us.

Works Cited

The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ; The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; The Pearl of Great Price. Salt Lake City, UT, U.S.A.: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1981. Print. The Holy Bible: Authorized King James Version with Explanatory Notes and Cross References to the Standard Works of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City, UT: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1984. Print. Nelson, Russel M., We Are Chldren of God, October Conference, 1998 Maxwell, Neal A., Creativity, New Era Magazine, 1982 Dayley, K. Newell, Centering the Arts in Christ, BYU Devotional, 2001 Oaks, Dallin H., Powerful Ideas, Ensign, November 1995, 26-27 Bednar, David A., That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us, April Conference, 2006