Celebrating Sr. Laura Algiere, DW during Catholic Sisters Week
PrayerDance-A Ministry of Motion Guided by the Spirit
Sr. Laura Algiere, DW
Encouraging people to develop a personal and trusting relationship with God is my deepest desire. Sacred dance, gestures, song are a favorite vehicle for inviting persons to consider that. Along with Scripture, dance became an entry-point to personal prayer for me when I was first beginning to cultivate a formal prayer-life. It was a time when feelings ran deep, words did not come easily and discernment was needed. Choosing songs to act out in movement and gestures provided a helpful means for expression and spirit-awareness. How did this happen?
In 1968, while a Daughter of Wisdom postulant at Mary Immaculate Novitiate, Litchfield, CT, I first saw interpretive dance. Sr. Leo Mary, DW (Kathleen Tuohey), performed “Sounds of Silence.” The awe of that experience moved me to secretly create a simple dance to Sr. Miriam Therese Winter’s song, “Spirit of God.” A few days later, the secret got out and a “performance” was requested. Shaking from head to toe, I complied.
Encouraged by the Sisters, and with the help of Joyce Smillie – Wisdom alumna and dance instructor – I began to share the songs and movement at various parish events, with children’s and teen’s religion classes, as well as at liturgical celebrations – Profession Ceremonies, Jubilees, DW events.
This interest in whole-body expression led to learning Sign Language and classroom ministry with hearing-impaired students for close to 20 years. Sr. Marita Ruppe, CSFN, and I formed a Dance Club for deaf teens. A trained dancer, she choreographed their numbers and practiced with them. The Cleary Secondary Program for the Deaf Dance Club performed for holiday shows at Mercy HS, Riverhead, NY, where our students were integrated. We had the satisfaction of watching the members grow in confidence and bond more closely.
“For everything, there is a season…a time to mourn and a time to dance.” The energy of life and dance drained from me in the 90s as the shadow of death hovered over close family members and major changes affected my work environment. Disabling symptoms inclined me to leave classroom teaching in ’94 and pause for some mid-life reflection.
A new path emerged the following year when a young friend recommended bodywork classes. Just as God’s Word can “slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit or joints from the marrow, judging the secret emotions and thoughts,” the truths my body was speaking to me brought increased clarity. This process, so new to me, attractive yet intimidating, revealed impaired breathing, misaligned posture, and movement habits, as well as limiting attitudes of mind and heart. Former ways of thinking, moving, dancing no longer “fit” and three years passed before venturing to dance again. Slowly, new patterns developed. I came to recognize “my body, my friend,” where previously I’d ignored its needs in favor of the intellect and spirit.
Meanwhile, in 2011, after filling-in for another Daughter of Wisdom (Sr. Evelyn Eckhardt who was overseas) at the Women’s Prayer Day, Holy Cross Parish, Nesconset, NY, something new spontaneously emerged. The day had included choreographing gestures and simple moves to Chuck Girard’s “Sometimes Alleluia” for the participants. A few of the women said how they enjoyed the activity and asked, “Do you have a dance group?” “No,” was my response, “but we can start one.” And we did. Since then, a monthly PrayerDance group has been gathering at St. Gerard Majella’s Chapel, Port Jefferson Station, NY. Women from their 20’s through their 80’s come to play together, to enjoy movement, gesture, song, Scripture, spiritual reflection materials, faith-sharing. It’s a ministry dream come true for encouraging a relationship with the Lord.
If the Spirit was the force Who first called me to grow into living more fully “in the body,” the process is now coming full-circle as my body points out needed conversion of mind and heart, for example, softening the proud stance that resists correction or recognizing the guarding of my heart that leads to ignoring another’s need. These days I refer to “my body, my teacher.”
Engagement in this form of ministry comes as a total surprise. I’d never had dance lessons as a child. In high school I quit the Modern Dance Club after a month because I was too shy to move to the music in free expression while being watched. Then, one timeless moment, the Love of my life approached and beckoned, “Will you dance with Me?” I took a deep breath and said, “Yes.” The dance goes on, and though I often dance solo, I never dance alone!