Filling Out the Questionnaire at the Dance Studio

 

Congratulations on starting dance lessons! Dance students gain many benefits through becoming better dancers. In order to assist your specialist teacher in personalizing your foundation and future programs, please let us know the five most important benefits you wish to receive through your dance lessons, ranking them with 1 being the most important.

___ Increased self-confidence
___ Recreation or entertainment
___ Hobby/interest
_1_ I’d like to lay down this heavy load, just for a few moments
___ Business reasons
_3_ Acquiring the ability to receive grace
___ Exercise/fitness
_4_ Becoming more at home in my body
___ Acquiring more grace and poise
_2_ Enjoying and attending more parties
_5_ A stay against the darkness

Where do you see yourself dancing?
At my daughter’s wedding. On the beach at sunset. At the office. In the kitchen. Down the street as I walk the dog. I’d like to see myself dancing everywhere, at least some of the time.

What do you feel is lacking in your dancing?
Freedom of movement. The capacity to hold on to joy or gratitude. The ability to set aside what I know about current events, world history, the church, human nature, every evil and failure and the long slide of all things into oblivion.

Why have you decided to improve your dancing at this time?
The road has been long, and I’m tired, but I realize there’s a long way to go. How else will I survive it? I see other people dancing, and I don’t know how they do it, but I want learn what they know.

How would you like to be able to dance in the future?
Through the sadness. Despite the sorrow. In defiance of trouble. Consistently and without regard to changing circumstances. In public. With loved ones. Alone. Before the face of God.

What level of dancing would you like to achieve?
Despite my age, I’m just a beginner. Why is that? For now I need help with the most basic steps.

 

Refugia Podcast Episode 38 So Much Joy: Linda Racine and Traverse City Presbyterian Church

In 2022, there were multiple policies or overtures passed focused on creation care, and it really put out an alarm, saying “It’s serious, folks, the Earth is really in trouble. So we need to take strong action.” And they were encouraging all churches to reduce their carbon emissions by at least 25% in the next four years and get it down to net zero or net positive by 2030. A group of interested folks at church looked at that and said, “Let’s do it. Let’s go for it.”

Read More »

Refugia Podcast Episode 37 Land as Primary Text for Healing Community: Elaine Heath and Spring Forest

Elaine Heath is the abbess of Spring Forest, a new monastic community in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Spring Forest centers around communal prayer and meals, a vibrant farm, refugee support, and other ministries you can read about here. You can learn more about Elaine’s work as an author and speaker on her website, or in articles like this one from the Center for Action and Contemplation.

Read More »

Refugia Podcast Episode 35 Peacemaking at the River: Doug Kaufman and the Anabaptist Climate Collaborative

Doug Kaufman directs the Anabaptist Climate Collaborative, an organization that leads climate justice initiatives from an Anabaptist faith perspective. Doug and his team support Mennonite and other Anabaptist churches, helping to build networks, train leaders, and empower climate-related initiatives. Doug describes environmental work as a form of peacemaking, a way of countering the slow violence of actions that cause and exacerbate climate change. Thanks to Doug for geeking out with me on theology and offering some glimpses of Mennonite climate work.

Read More »