Ministry and studio keeps believers faithfully fit
By Marjorie Moore
For the St. Louis American
“Dance can have the same affects as one singing a song,” said choreographer Jamesetta Roach. “It can minister to your soul and spirit. Dance can provide an expression in movement that singing can not.”
Also an evangelist and author, Roach recently opened the doors to a new Christian dance studio on the campus of the Dove Covenant Christian Church.
Divinity Studio of Praise & Fitness, 8919 Riverview Dr., is a nonprofit dance studio with a mission to empower every member to utilize their gift of dance to the fullest potential.
Roach said she never imagined that her dance experience as a student at the Visual and Performing Arts High School and as a Wohl Community Center aerobics instructor would lead her to establish a dance studio. But from the beginning, she had support and encouragement from her pastors at Dove Covenant, Leslie and Gwendelyn DeClue, to utilize her gift of dance for the Lord. In fact, she said it was Pastor Leslie DeClue who inspired her to create a dance ministry team so others could display their talents and praise God in the form of dance.
“To others, it may seem as dance is becoming popular in churches nowadays,” she said. “But dance is coming back to its origin. God created dance.”
In the seventh year of the Dove Covenant Christian Church dance ministry, Roach said she was lead by God to develop the Divinity Dance Studio of Praise & Fitness Center. The Christian dance studio is geared to all levels of dancers, from age three to adult, and class registration is open to the public. Roach offers a variety of unique classes including gospel hip-hop, mime, beginning ballet and prophetic praise dance. She said she plans to add courses in swimming, martial arts and sign language to the offerings in the future.
Students have the opportunity to participate in the studios’ annual dance recital, which will take place annually in June upon the completion of all classes.
Through the dance studio, Roach also said she hopes to encourage others to maintain healthy living and proper nutritional habits. With a certified nutritionist on staff, Roach offers nutrition counseling to provide one-on-one education about healthy eating. An eight-week biblical teaching class is also offered, with the concept stemming from a book Roach wrote about different approaches to dancing for God.
Divinity Dance Studio is just one component of Roach’s ministry, JRO Ministries. The wife, mother and grandmother is also an active evangelist of the Gospel and author of two books, Why Do You Dance? and Renewing Your Mind to Healthy Living.
All classes at Divinity Dance Studio of Praise & Fitness Center are $30 per month. Call (314) 435-7717 or visit www. Jamesettaroach.com.