Building Community through Gospel Dance

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has thrown up many risks to our health and wellbeing. The Fitness, Faith & Feeling Good festival, a project by the Faith & Belief Forum and Maccabi GB, is exploring a range of approaches to looking after ourselves at home during these challenging times, showcased by diverse partners from across London

One organisation taking part in the festival is Saved to Serve Dance. Saved to Serve Dance came about when its founder, Prisca, identified a need for a gospel dance class in London for people from different churches to come together to socialise and dance together. The group uses music from a range of cultures which have a joyful, upbeat feel, and encouraging messages. The goal is to help participants feel positive and optimistic, using gospel in a way that is relatable, accessible, and helps people feel good.

The group’s name – Saved to Serve Dance – has a Biblical meaning, referring to following the example of Jesus Christ by serving the community. The group aspires to make a positive impact by helping others build their fitness and improve their confidence.

Before the pandemic, Saved to Serve Dance ran weekly, in-person dance classes, including gospel dance and Afro-dance, at a studio in East London. When lockdown begun, these classes moved online to Instagram and Zoom, with Saved to Serve Dance now running a programme of three classes a week.

When asked what has helped them during lockdown, the Saved to Serve Dance team emphasised putting workouts into their calendars ahead of time, taking part in simple stretching workouts to relax the body, lots of walks, and learning new healthy cooking skills. Another tip they recommended was turning your phone off once or twice a week and focusing on solely listening to music or reading a book.

When asked what to expect from Saved to Serve’s Fitness, Faith & Feeling Good session, the team said “people should expect fun, to be challenged and have a learning experience”. They hope participants will leaving feeling happy, relaxed, and feeling good about themselves, their body, and what they have just experienced.

Follow along with Save to Serve Dance’s high intensity dance workout, part of Fitness, Faith and Feeling Good, on Facebook and YouTube

Connect with Saved to Serve Dance on Instagram here

By Nicholas McDonald, Events Volunteer