Focus Dances to Express God's Heart

By Julie Saffrin

“My heart's desire is to express God's heart through dance,” said Sherrie Jones, choreographer for Focus, a recently formed praise and worship dance ministry that seeks to capture and communicate God's character to congregations. “So many people are going into churches and they want help and they're leaving the same. We get calluses over our hearts. God wants it to be pliable, she said, bringing her hands to her chest to echo her words. “Demonstrative dance breaks down our resistance.”

The dance troupe, comprised of Faith Udeh, Franscica Akpaette, Ebony Jefferson, along with Anaya Jones, Sherrie's daughter and manager, recently made its debut to a standing ovation at Alpha Omega, a student-run Christian organization on the campus of the University of Minnesota , as well as Emmanuel Tabernacle church in south Minneapolis . “We had students coming up to us weeks later, telling us how much they were moved by the dance,” Anaya said.

Sherrie grew up in Chicago and for years was a Praise and Worship leader in her church. For twenty-five years she longed to do demonstrative dance but was told the idea was just too radical and dancing had no place in the church. She turned her attention to being a Sunday school teacher, a children's church minister and a praise and worship leader, always yearning to bring her gift before an audience to help minister to them about God.

She began to use part of her quiet time each day to dance in her basement, often dancing until exhausted from joy and worship. “You know how you drink until you're full? I would dance until I was full out. I couldn't rest until I had exerted all my energy towards God,” Sherrie said.

Last year Sherrie moved to Minnetonka to be with her daughter. This past spring, when Anaya learned Alpha Omega wanted a dance for the event, Remembering Our Spiritual Heritage, she told them Sherrie did choreography. Sherrie created an interpretive dance called Risen, based on Matthew 28:6 and the song He Has Risen by Kirk Franklin. After the dance the troupe realized the Holy Spirit had used the dance to touch the hearts of young men and women in the crowd.

When asked to perform at Emmanuel Tabernacle, Sherrie created a dance called God's Messenger, performed to the music of “We Shall Behold Him,” and the congregation responded as the Alpha Omega crowd had and both Sherrie and Anaya recognized the time was finally right to form a troupe.

While the dancers create a visual sermon for the audience, Anaya breaks down the dance movements and verbally interprets the songs, using Scripture verses throughout. “We want the Word of God expressed, to be able to touch the emotions of His people.” All dances are performed with conscious effort to be an example before God. “People can't even receive the message if you're not dressed appropriately or acting suggestively,” Anaya said.

Both Sherrie and Anaya are excited and looking forward to seeing God expand their ministry in the future and believe the time is right for churches to bring demonstrative dance into worship. “We get so strict and hard and overwhelmed at the rules of Christianity. When we begin to move in church, experience joy, we forget about our cares, our mind frees and those chains of bondage just drop off. When we praise God, He destroys our yokes. Something wonderful happens when we use our bodies as instruments to glorify and worship God.”

Currently there are five, fully choreographed dances songs available for performances. Plans are also underway to hold Christian interpretive dance workshops throughout the Twin Cities and at women's retreats.

Contact Information:

If interested in booking Focus at your church or women's retreat, please contact Anaya Jones at 952-546-1726.