Memories...

We've made it home safely! Ballet Emmanuel had a great time in Michigan and Minnesota, we feel very blessed to have met and worked with so many churches, dance studios, senior centers, and schools while out there. We also want to say thank you to the many host families that gave up their time, food, and beds so we would have a place to call home.

Dancing during chapel at St Lorenz School in Frankenmuth, MI

Visiting Zehnder's Bakery in Frankenmuth was one highlight of the trip!

While on tour we had the opportunity to dance at some churches we haven't been to in the past, here are a couple memories from those churches...
After dancing during the worship service at Lapeer Community Church in Lapeer, MI, we headed to the youth room to dance a piece called "Surrender" and talk to them about what it means to surrender our dreams to God. Before dancing at Hope Lutheran Church in Farmington Hills, MI, we got to see 2 dances performed by the church's liturgical dance group - it's always a treat to have people dance for us since we're usually the ones doing all the dancing! In Swartz Creek, MI, we had the privilege to introduce dance as worship to the people of Calvary Christian Church and the response was amazing! We also enjoyed dancing for Coon Rapids Evangelical Free Church in Coon Rapids, MN, and teaching them a short worship dance to do with us after our performance. We hope we can visit all these churches again next time we're in the area!

Some pictures from our performance at Hope Lutheran Church

We also had a wonderful time holding a workshop again at Cornerstone Christian Church in Jackson, MI! Here are a couple pictures of what we did there.

Ballet class with the 4-6 year olds!

Pretending to be animals on Noah's Ark
Bible story time!
At the conclusion of the workshop we held a performance
including dances we taught to the workshop participants

We also enjoyed making new connections with different dance studios in Michigan. We held a lot of master classes and met a lot of sweet girls. We were also happy to see the girls at Fountain Dance Ministry in Brighton, MI again and hold a choreography master class for them.

Master Classes at Integrity School of Dance Arts, Byron Center, MIBallet Class

Modern Class

Improv & Worship Class

Sharing prayer requests

Fountain Dance Ministry, Brighton, MI

Dancers learning choreography to our dance "Love"

In His Steps in Battle Creek, MI

JubalArts Dance Studio in Grand Ledge, MI

One last memory to share...
Ballet Emmanuel got to perform during a senior Bible study group held at a senior apartment center in Burton, MI. Afterward the pastor of the Bible study told us that a woman had pulled him aside right after we finished dancing and told him that she had realized how much she needed the Lord! Through our dancing she had seen that there was more to being a Christian than she was experiencing and she wanted all of it! Praise the Lord for what He did in her heart that night!

After a couple much-needed days off Ballet Emmanuel is back in the studio this week preparing for our Spring-Break Dance Workshop coming up this month!