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Monday, April 26, 2010

Oneida Baptist Institute

Monday, April 19, 2010 7:00 PM
Oneida, Kentucky

We had a wonderful relaxing afternoon in Kentucky. After performing for the Chapel in the morning we ate lunch in the cafeteria then leisurely headed over to get ready for the evening performance. We touched up make-up, stretched out, put pointe shoes on... We also had a great time of prayer and worship in the auditorium. We were worried that our flooring was going to be too rippled, but thankfully it worked out!

The dancing went really smoothly! We were all feeling tired and very out of breath... the air was pretty dry... but the Lord helped us through! We performed a full program and ended with some Creative Worship to Michael W. Smith's 'Let it Rain'. The week before, the campus minister (who invited us to come) passed away due to a serious illness. His wife and daughter were at the performance. I pray that they were comforted through it! After performing, Breanne shared her testimony. Good job Breanne :)! We then did audience participation arm movement to Let it Rain. It was so beautiful seeing the kids worship!

We were able to talk and connect with some of the people afterwards. Breanne and Mrs. Worcester talked with a girl names Rebecca. She asked for prayer and was feeling very convicted about some very pointed things in her life. She wanted to re-dedicate herself to God! She saw we used our abilities not for our own ends but to further God's kingdom and she was inspired. Neat testimony!

We had a bunch of kids come up and try the dance steps. They loved it as always. We had the quickest strike ever... that was fun!
To God be all the Glory! Amen!

-Rachel Meis <><

Independent Presbyterian Church Memphis, TN April 20, 2010

We left Kentucky 7:00am and drove 7 1/2 hrs to Memphis, TN to Rachel's house. After resting a few hours we drove to Rachel's family's church, the Independent Presbyterian Church. It was a huge church! We performed in the fellowship hall for about 150-200 people. The Meis family and the church had worked together to advertise about our performance and they did a good job! We performed our full program, Alive, Mother India, Lifesongs and Won't Turn Back. It went well and the people were really blessed. After the performance we were presented with flowers! It was a nice surprise! The church had made a wooded sign about our performance and put it out front on the street corner. We talked with one lady who had seen the sign and decided to come, she was so blessed by the performance and happy she had come. Rachel shared her testimony and did a wonderful job. Many of the people at the performance have supported Rachel while she has been at LWB and it was a really special time for Rachel to be able to share a part of her life with them. So many people were encouraged and blessed by our performance, to God be all the glory!!!

Alyssa

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Le Bonheur Children's Hospital

Wednesday April 21st

Wednesday April 21st our performance was at 11am in Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. When we arrived and took a look at the space we realized it was very small and pretty dark. The coordinator was very helpful though and gave us permission to use part of the downstairs lobby. This was still very small, less than 20 by 12ft, but it was well lit and people could actually watch from above as well as in front. Set up went well. It just took some figuring out of the best spot and how to fold the floor... We performed Alive, Mother India, and Lifesongs. During the first half of our performance there was a photographer from a local newspaper taking pictures. In Alive when Ashley threw her hat it landed right between the photographer's face and the camera! It was pretty funny to watch! Thankfully the photographer looked like he was laughing too! During Mother India poor Breanne had the camera right in her face for most of one dance. Thankfully it was her picture that ended up being in the newspaper! She deserved it! We were not allowed to share a testimony but it was still really neat to be able to proclaim the name of Jesus through the words of the songs and dance. Afterward some kids came up and were taught some ballet steps. The highlight was when Ashley and Breanne held up the Mother India fabric and had the kids run under. They loved it! One little two year old girl went under with both of her parents because she was hooked up to an IV. Her parents said that before the performance she had gotten really tired and so they told her that the only way she could come to see the ballet was if she went in her little wagon so she could lie down. She strongly dislikes this wagon but agreed to go in it to see the ballet! It was a blessing to be able to perform for these children.

Amy

Panco Community Church

Sunday, April 18

On Sunday April 18th we had our first performance in Oneida, Kentucky. It was at Breanne's parents' church. Upon arriving at Panco Community Church we were heartily greeted by a little dog named Lucky. The church was small but they had a nice sized gym in which we danced. Set up went smoothly. It felt good to stretch and do warm up class after our long car rides the past two days. The service began with a few worship songs and then our program started. We performed our full length program which included Alive, Mother India, Lifesongs, and Won't Turn Back. It was our first time doing the full program in a while and the air was very dry so our stamina wasn't quite built up yet. It went well though. I gave my testimony between Mother India and Lifesongs. Ashley and Mr. Rollinson spoke and shared an encouraging message at the end. The people seemed to enjoy the performance. Afterward it was fun talking to some of the people. Rachel, Alyssa, and I talked to some really cute kids named Quinton, Parker, and Destiny. I loved their Southern/Kentucky twang accents! The church provided lunch for us there. They made some delicious peanut butter fudge! It was really neat to reach out to some many people who had probably never seen dance before.

Amy

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Oneida Baptist Institute

Hello!
We have returned from our Kentucky/Tennessee tour! It was such a great trip! I'm going to share with you about our first performance at Oneida Baptist Institute. On Monday morning, we performed 3 dances sort of as an advertisement for the full program we were planning that evening. Probably the most entertaining part of this day was the large chunk that we spent trying to figure out how to lay our floor.
The stage at OBI is great! It's quite large, though a bit oddly shaped. I don't know how much time we spent analyzing the stage and dragging those big 25 foot panels of marley around in every direction possible, but we did eventually figure a good way to lay out the panels :-)
Even though we only performed 3 dances, it was a pretty exhausting performance. We went from one cardio dance to the next haha!
What an awesome privilege and blessing it was to be able to perform and minister at the school that I used to work for! It felt so strange to stand on the stage with Light of the World Ballet, but as I look back at my time in Oneida, KY, I fall more in love with God. I see God's infinite wisdom as He orchestrates the events in my life. We serve a powerful, loving, praiseworthy God! The more I know Him the more I realize that all things really do work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose!

~Breanne

Monday, April 5, 2010

Believer's Chapel- Easter Sunday

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Easter!!! He is alive! It was a beautiful Easter morning... the weather was absolutely gorgeous! Amy, Alyssa, Breanne, and I arrived about 15 minutes early and began our warm-up. Amy & Alyssa placed a beautifully decorated 'boiled egg' for Ashley, right where she could see it. When Ashley arrived we all tried to hold back our laughing because she totally didn't see it until we showed her. It was really funny! haha... Performing went better all around than it did on Saturday. I think it always does because it's our second performance. The sanctuary was packed. We did do 'Above All' this time! It was sooo worshipful!!! The whole performance was really worshipful! For the dance 'Something Happens' I really love the part when it is "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus". Over and over again. Very powerful! They had us repeat the dance after the service was finished. Thank you Jesus for who you are!!! You are ALIVE!!!

-Rachel Meis <><

Believers' Chapel Easter

Hello!
Saturday night we had the opportunity to be a part of Believers' Chapel's Easter service. We arrived at the church for rehearsal a half hour early and got to spend some time sitting outside. What a BEAUTIFUL day!! We all worked on our tans (or lack there-of :-).
The performance was very interesting. It started out pretty well. The funny part came when it came time for our dance to the song, "Above All". Alyssa, Rachel, and I were waiting on stage left. I was supposed to walk on stage almost as soon as the music started. I was braced and ready to make my entrance. The song before ended, Rachel swung the door open, and then we realized that someone had the microphone and was speaking. We quickly shut the door and waited. The next pause, Rachel swings door open, Breanne steps forward, someone else had the microphone and was speaking...door closes. We repeated this pattern at least 5 times before Ashley finally came back and said that they must have skipped our song. I can only laugh and wonder what the audience must have thought each time they saw the side door come swinging open and a dancer standing there...then, it quickly shuts :-)
I love that God keeps things exciting as we perform. How boring would it be if everything always went the way we expected? :-)
I was so blessed by time opportunity to perform for the Easter services at Believer's Chapel. How fun to be able to celebrate what our Savior did for us on the cross! And, best of all, HE IS RISEN!!

Sunday, April 4, 2010

"HIM Ministries"

Friday morning we performed at Believer's Chapel for "HIM Ministries", Home Instruction Ministry, (a home school co-op group) started by Ashley's sister. After a 7:30am warm-up at the studio we drove to Believer's Chapel for our performance at 10am. We performed Lifesongs and our Spanish dance, Montana. Between those two pieces Alyssa gave her testimony. The children were very attentive. There were around fifty boys and girls between the ages of two and twelve. Afterward we were divided into two groups by age. They had requested for a Sugar Plum Fairy and Ruby Fairies for this part of the morning! I was the Sugar Plum Fairy and everyone else were the Rubies. I got my picture taken with all of the little girls and even some of the older girls. It was fun! Alyssa and I had the four and five year olds for forty-five minutes and then the two and three year olds for another forty-five minutes. They were so cute and well behaved! We taught them some basics of ballet and a short dance. At the same time, Ashley, Breanne, and Rachel took two groups of older girls. They gave a talk about purity and how unique and special God has made each of them as well as taught them a short dance. We were also able to pray for these girls. It was really nice to connect with all of them. It was also nice to be able to encourage these home school families as all of us were home schooled at some point. Afterward they gave us a delicious lunch before leaving. It was a fun morning!

Amy

Friday, April 2, 2010

Baldwinsville Christian Academy

We had warm-up class at 7:30am and then drove out to the Baldwinsville Christian Academy. When we arrived we discovered that they had built out the stage for a play and that we could use the extra space if we wanted. The only problem was we had not prepared for that and did not bring enough of our floor! But it turned out just fine because the built-out stage was not quite strong enough for our jumping on it and we ended up with just enough duck tape to tape the floor down! With absolutely no extra! :) We performed Mother India and Won't Turn Back. It was challenging to dance on our floor over the carpet that seemed especially squishy. After we danced we had the kids come up and try some steps, the boys were reluctant until they saw the 'run and jump over the bucket' part, then they all wanted to join in! Ashley prayed a blessing over the children and the school, it is neat to think how God is going to use those kids to accomplish His work!

Be Blessed,
Alyssa