Dancing Makes it All Better

With all of the snow, we had to cancel class this week.  I know it has only been a week, but it seems like EONS since we have danced together.  Perhaps it was just me, but being “snowed-in” became “not-so-fun-anymore” half-way through day two.  To add insult to injury, my sweetie and I were separated due to a business trip so we were not “snowed-in” at all! Plus, today was/is Valentine’s Day…and I am alone.

Without a simple little Snow Dance Challenge that made me laugh until I cried, I might would have cringed as I watched everyone’s posted pictures of their Valentine’s gifts.

Instead of cringing, I had a song of praise in my heart! God has surrounded me with some awesome people…who love to Dance.  Annnd, if you didn’t know……..Dancing makes it all better.

One of our “divas” challenged some of us on Facebook to dance one of our class routines in the snow since we couldn’t have class.  She and her daughter posted their video early yesterday morning and that started a firestorm of “Snow Dance Videos“.

Several ladies from our class posted videos and then ladies and GENTS from other classes and cities began to post.  With each crazy dance video, God reminded me how much HE loves us.  What a blessing to be ABLE to go outside and dance around like crazy people and then POST videos that confirm our craziness on the world-wide-web!

If you are one of those “non-dancers” who just don’t believe that hopping, salsa-ing, shaking, doing a jazz square, or simply doing the bird dance will make you happy, I challenge you to read up on the Cebu Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Philippines. Once infamous for its gang violence, the prison is now famous for its dancing prisoners.  Dancing is MANDITORY for Cebu prisoners.  If prisoners refuse to dance, they lose privileges!

The prisoners’ hard work has spawned one of the unlikeliest hits on the Internet — a reworking of Michael Jackson’s 1980s smash hit video “Thriller.” Filmed by the prison boss, Brian Garcia, the video has drawn more than 56 million hits on YouTube. But more than just internet fame, Garcia says there has not been a violent incident in nearly a year and a half. “They are just not hostile anymore,” he says.

The dancers are a mix of accused murderers, rapists and drug dealers. They are led by a choreographer who is accused of mass murder.  Authorities at the prison say that dance gives the prisoners a renewed sense of worth and confidence, helps them learn to work together, allows them to exercise and increases their self-esteem.

A movie will soon hit theaters called “Dance of the Steel Bars”.  “Dance of the Steel Bars” is a story of corruption and redemption featuring the real life stories of the CEBU prisoners.

Through a silly little “Snow Dance Challenge” we danced together virtually and felt so good we couldn’t help but smile and perhaps we too became a little less violent:)

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy…… Psalm 30:11

Dancing makes it all better.

If you STILL don’t believe it… watch my Snow Dance Video: (Click HERE if you cannot see the video in the post.)