‘…if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things’ – Philippians 4:8
Sand by Holly Gruver and Carli Olivier. PICTURE: Lauge Sorensen
One Friday evening, comfortably seated, I awaited the start of a performance by the WGRUV Dance Company. Ushered in by the atmospheric dimming of lights and the first few notes of music, the feeling that washed over me was that of a warm welcome. An invitation to rest and enjoy an evening of that which is praiseworthy.
Not being a dancer myself, my appreciation was surely limited, but it was at once clear that these dancers are excellent. And to partake in this offering of beauty made me feel like the receiver of a generous gift. It is tempting to look on and simply call them “talented", but I remind myself of the great effort and investment that each dancer has contributed towards this evening’s show. Their excellence serves as a stark reminder of the energies that need to be exerted to create something beautiful. I am stunned how easily I forget that anything truly worth beholding, requires focused, committed effort.
By comparison, when it comes to entertainment in general, and the too-wide offering we face, I stand both amazed and appalled at the ease with which our society receives content that is most vile and violent - not just receives, but applauds and awards, literally praising all that is awful. And while it is possible to shield our eyes and hearts from such as this, one needs to work a little harder to resist consuming thousands of images and videos entirely void of the goodness we are told to pursue (Phil 4:8). The live ballet performance defies the constant allure (and lies) of instant gratification, so when I found myself immersed in this in-person performance of breathtaking beauty, what I beheld felt like a soothing balm to a wound I didn’t even know I had.
How does time spent in the company of these dancers have such an effect on my modern mind? The mysterious ability of art to move us is the result of careful choices. In choosing stirring music and lovely costumes, in choreographing movements that honour the bodies of the performers rather than the opposite. These choices align with Paul’s call to focus our attention on the good. The beauty and excellence in this show expose what we often settle for in the name of entertainment, and in addition to that, it spurs us on towards the same efforts of excellence in our own lives.
In whatever our hands find to do, whether cooking a meal, folding laundry, or writing a blog post. Whether managing a kitchen, a classroom, or a whole childhood. Things that are beautiful, excellent, and praiseworthy take time and effort. And it starts with what we behold, with what we feed our minds. It requires taking our fruitless wondering thoughts and training them to meditate on the lovely. Those small thoughts in turn become decisions, those decisions turn into tangible actions, and those actions add up to mark our days, our years, our lives.
Find out more at https://www.wgruvdance.com/
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