The Word in the Wings
By: Kaya Weaver
As Joshua prepares to succeed Moses and lead God’s people into the land promised to Abraham, God repeatedly instructs Joshua to “be strong and be bold.” Between repetitions of this refrain, Yahweh reminds Joshua of the motivation, the method, and the basis for this command and underscores the continuity of God’s committed relationship to Israel. In GPA’s new ballet Casefile: Euangelion, the character Izabelle faces frightening circumstances, living in a location where it isn’t safe to practice her faith openly. But other Christians remind Izabelle that God is with her even in her dangerous situation, giving her a basis to remain strong and bold and continue to act in accordance with God’s word.

The Word in the Wings
By: Kaya Weaver
The story of GPA’s ballet Casefile: Euangelion invites its audience to appreciate how accessible and powerful God’s word is for us. Moses’s exhortation to Israel in Deuteronomy 30 puts forth a similar message, highlighting the wonderful gift of God’s word to guide the people of Israel to life and peace as they establish themselves as a nation in their own land. Deuteronomy 30:11-20 describes the significance of God’s commands in mediating Israel’s return, not just physically to the geographical space that God promised to give Israel’s ancestors, but also relationally to the boundaries established in creation to govern fruitful interactions among God, humanity, and the earth.

The Word in the Wings
By: Kaya Weaver
In GPA’s ballet Casefile: Euangelion, faithful characters go to great lengths to ensure that others can read and meditate on God’s word. The psalmist in Psalm 119 also goes to great lengths to meditate on the value of God’s word; at 176 verses, Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, and it uses at least eight different synonyms for God’s word. The poetic use of this vocabulary in Psalm 119 shows why God’s word is so important.

The Word in the Wings
By: Kaya Weaver
Glorify Dance Theatre is welcoming a few new company artists for the 2022-23 season, which is just around the corner! Keep reading to meet dancer Gabrielle Byrnes.

The Word in the Wings
By: Kaya Prasad
Glorify Dance Theatre is welcoming a few new company artists for the 2022-23 season, which is just around the corner! Keep reading to meet dancer Hannah Long.

The Word in the Wings
By: Kaya Prasad
Glorify Dance Theatre’s 2022-23 season begins in September! Continue reading for a preview of the coming season’s productions and how each one engages with Scripture and with theological questions and themes.

The Word in the Wings
By: Kaya Prasad
This summer, The Word in the Wings has featured stories of how the work of Glorify Performing Arts addresses problems with the ways our culture often views the human body. In the 21st-century US, even at times within the church, it is common to discount, abuse, or idolize the body. To close this series, let’s look back at each of the stories shared by a GPA staff member, volunteer, and board member and how they reflect on this mission to recover a perspective on the body that reflects the values of God’s kingdom and new creation.

The Word in the Wings
By: Kaya Prasad
This summer, The Word in the Wings will feature stories of how the work of Glorify Performing Arts addresses problems with the ways our culture often views the human body. This week, let’s pause to examine a sample of movement engaging with the theological idea of peace. A snippet from Melody’s choreography in Alive In Us exemplifies how embodied ideas in space and time can communicate complex ideas in a unique, palpable way that resonates with common embodied experience.

The Word in the Wings
By: Kaya Prasad
This summer, The Word in the Wings will feature stories of how the work of Glorify Performing Arts addresses problems with the ways our culture often views the human body. For this week’s installment, I interviewed Board member Megan Staub about her experience with dance and the art form’s culture-shaping potential.