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McKenna Allred Professor Ed Austin Dance 261 October 7, 2103 Religious Perspective on an LDS Artist The melody weaves in and out as the dancers move through intricate motions, muscles warm and engaged. The pulse beats out a command and the obedient bodies follow with gleaming foreheads and mismatched socks. In a separate instance the, pulpit gleams as freshly picked flowers stand strikingly against the shadowed background. Warmth and comfort seep from the words spoken and hymns sung. The prophet stands to communicate his message as eager ears listen intently. From first inspection these two events seem to have nothing in common. But with closer examination this paper will reveal the connection of LDS artists and the strong words of our latter-day prophets as well as linking concepts of the gospel to the ever evolving world of dance. As the morals of todays world have lowered, the standards and ethics of the LDS church have begun to stand out strikingly in contrast. Many today mark it impossible and unrealistic to live with these old-fashioned values. LDS artists are constantly being advised to forget or set aside these standards as the principles of dance sink to that of the worlds. Yet, as Elder Jeffery R. Holland instructed You never check your religion at the door, not ever (Holland). This includes the doors to rehearsal studios, performance halls, and Marley covered stages. As

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dance is viewed today it is not hard to find dancers that are sparsely dressed and have dropped all means of morals in regard to the lyrics and the suggestiveness of their dancing. With the gospel in perspective this will just not do, the standards of the church not only have to be a constant habit but they must also be proudly represented in action, dress, movement, and various other factors. Regarding dress and modesty as an LDS artist, it has to be taken in account that the body is the medium in which is used to illustrate the pictures of dance, and needs to be seen. Yet, the object of viewing the body while dancing is not to view the body itself but the movement placed upon it. Unnecessary immodesty disrespects the body and distracts from the beauty of the emotions trying to be expressed. Prophets have advised this devotion to the instruction of modesty to be a way of welcoming the spirit. This spirit that we possess through respect to our bodies links us to a divine power that can help us as an artist in a learning environment. David A. Bednar put it this way, In our individual study and classroo m instruction, we repeatedly emphasize the importance of recognizing the inspiration and promptings we receive from the Spirit of the Lord. And such an approach is correct and useful. We should seek diligently to recognize and respond to promptings as they come to us (Bednar). This spirit applies to even a dance classroom in that it can lead to receiving inspiration and revelation to grow upon the talent and become a better artist, an artist that is pleasing in the Lords eyes and is consistent in his standards and practices. The movement that is placed upon a dancers body is a clear and honest expression of things that sometimes cannot be spoken with words. This movement can speak volumes or be just a whisper. But this movement can also be used with no ethic backing, tainting the beauty of

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dance as it portrays worldly ideals. Evaluating the body as a sacred gift and instrument that we use to travel through this mortal life makes the movement we place on it even more important. This aspect of viewing the body as a tool to share the talents we have been given has connected these two concepts on an even deeper level. Russell M. Nelson explains the amazing tool the body is Your body, whatever its natural gifts, is a magnificent creation of God . It is a tabernacle of flesha temple for your spirit. The study of your body attests to its divine design (Nelson). Through this understanding we begin to understand that the body that we possess is our outward appearance to the world and is the window to which the world views us. Gratitude can be shown for the miraculous gift of a body by creating beauty and inspiration rather than filth. Continuing on with the thought of the body, within the dance world there is also endless comparison. Dancers may lose a sense of self-worth as they are looking on with envy as they are compared to a dancer who is stronger, taller, and more flexible. While this may also serve as means of motivation to improve, the Prophets advise us to remember our own self-worth. In a quote by Sheri Dew she states None of us come to this earth to gain our worth; we brought it with us (Dew). The gospel reminds us that we are each children of our Heavenly Father and we each have a separate trials and triumphs. The prophets give a gentle reminder to always remember who we are and that we have individual talents and abilities. Dance is a talent given to us from a loving Father in Heaven who wants us to use this talent to create joy and beauty. Dance brings people and cultures together, uniting differences in a common love of the act of movement and music. This same unity can be paralleled to the structure of the church, we move through this life in patterns of families, wards, and stakes. President Henry B. Eyring said, We know from experience that joy comes when we are blessed

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with unity. We yearn, as spirit children of our Heavenly Father, for that joy which we once had with Him in the life before this one. His desire is to grant us that sacred wish for unity out of His love for us (Eyring). Righteous dancing brings us closer the Lord and each other, giving us a taste of that joy we once felt with our Father in Heaven. In this life trials and hardships are experienced but this is not the only purpose of our earthly venture. We are also challenged to find the beauty and grace, exercising our gifts and talents through dance can help us to have a perspective of the positive in the world despite the ever increasing negative. As an artist strives to perfect the difficult steps and intricate choreography they acquire the strict acts of diligence, sacrifice, and commitment. These traits can be paralleled to the workings of the gospel in everyday life. Diligence is practiced as we as members partake in daily scripture study and prayer, we sacrifice the approval of the world as we stand for truth and righteousness. The saints meet Sunday after Sunday to be spiritually uplifted and grow close to Him. The prophets have encouraged us to set a standard of excellence within the arts (Packer). Through this standard of excellence it can be proven that dance does not have to be stained with lowering standards to be given attention. The purity of the gospel will attract positive interest as its light is reflected through the artist. In conclusion, the ultimate goal of an LDS artist is to always follow in His footsteps. Through this, the light of Christ will always be reflected in the artist as they dance, celebrating the talent and body in which they were given by a loving Heavenly Father who joys in watching His children share in the talents which He has given them.

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Works Cited "The Arts and the Spirit of the Lord - Ensign Aug. 1976." Lds.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2013. Bednar, David A. "That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us." Lds.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2013. Dew, Sheri L. "If Life Were Easy, It Wouldn't Be Hard Quotes." N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2013. Eyring, President Henry B. "Our Hearts Knit as One." Lds.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2013. Holland, Elder Jeffrey R. "Israel, Israel, God Is Calling." Lds.org. N.p., n.d. Web. Nelson, Russell M. "We Are Children of God." Lds.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2013.