Monday, May 18, 2015

What to Expect from Ad Deum’s Summer Dance Intensive

It is hard to believe today is May 18. We’ve had the dates for our spring concert, Mourning Has Broken, circled on our calendars for months; so the fact that May 15 and 16 have come and gone and Summer Dance Intensive 2015 is just two weeks away is hard to believe.
God truly blessed our performances this past weekend, and it was an honor to share the stage with Logan Kruger and Durell Comedy of The José Limón Dance Company. We are also incredibly grateful for everyone of you who attended!
As we now shift our attentions to preparing for the summer dance intensive, we thought we would share some thoughts with you from past participants. If you have already decided to come, get excited! We can’t wait for you to get here! If you’re still on the fence and weighing your options, these testimonials may help in the decision-making process:
“I look forward to the summer intensive every year because each year the Lord shows up in a big way that I never expected. The Houston Summer Dance Intensive 2013 was especially pivotal for me when I really understood my true identity in Christ that lead me to experiencing freedom and confidence that I had never experienced before. It was truly a life changing week for me!”
Emily R.
Palm Beach Atlantic University Summer Intensive 2011, 2012
Houston 2012, 2013, 2014
"As a citizen of Zion, it is our responsibility to uphold the greatest standard of excellence in every area of our life... including dance and creativity. I was both encouraged and challenged to pursue excellence and gained such a peace in my heart to continue dancing in Grace and purity, no matter the stage or audience! So thankful to find my home away from home in this way with Ad Deum at the summer program!"
Tabatha H.
2014
“Summer intensive is literally my favorite part of Ad Deum!”
Lezlie C.
2010-2015
“My first year at Ad Deum's Summer Intensive I did not know what to expect or what to prepare for. I knew there would be dance classes, but that's about it. What I found when I got there were dance classes taught by master teachers, dancers who hungered for something more than good dance training, a beautiful morning worship time with the other dance participants, and a place that felt safe to be who you are. My perspective of faith and the arts was forever changed for the better! If you are considering attending Ad Deum's summer intensive, by all means do not let anything stop you! “
Sarah Y.
2009-2015 (seven years, whoa!)
“The Ad Deum summer intensive is a unique and anointed time for the Lord to affirm his calling to artists as servants of God. It is a wonderful time of reflection, revelation, and refueling as you dance unto him with passion and abandon. I was so ministered to by the teaching, the worship, and the dance!”
Tehillah H.
2014
"At my first Ad Deum Summer Intensive, on the last morning after worship, I went down to the altar and truly surrendered my life and my dancing to the Lord. I wept at the feet of Jesus. He had begun to change my heart from a Martha to a Mary heart, and I realized how worthy He was of all of my worship, all of my heart, all of my life. It is His."
Ann Sterling D.
2013, 2014
“Ad Deum's Summer Dance Intensive is where I first felt affirmed in my passion for Jesus and dance as a life calling and pursuit. Dance Artists are a vital part of the body of Christ, and that week of July 2014 is when I first truly felt that value in the kingdom of God.”
Camille C.
2014
"My first summer intensive with Ad Deum marked the beginning of a beautiful journey in discovering my identity as a believer artist. My eyes were opened to a whole new worldview in which dancing with artistic excellence is a powerful instrument for engaging in warfare on behalf of the kingdom of God and for serving others. The seeds that were planted in my life during this time by the tremendous faculty and beautiful community of believers have continued to blossom to this day. I dare say that the Lord used Ad Deum to change my life."
Bethany R.
2012, 2013, 2014
For more information on Ad Deum’s 2015 Summer Dance Intensive, check out our website or contact us at addeumdance@gmail.com.

Friday, May 8, 2015

Catching Up and Moving Forward

Well, hello there! Don’t know about you, but it’s been so busy around here that it’s been hard to find time to write. It feels similar to catching up with an old friend, except so much has happened you don’t know where to begin. Perhaps, we’ll start by a quick recap of Ad Deum’s adventures since Spring Intensive(s) and then give you the down low on what’s coming up next:
Catching Up: March - May
  • Both weeks of Spring Dance Intensives (along with Project Dance Houston sandwiched in between) went really well! We love having guests and were so blessed by how the Lord showed up during this special time.
  • Right after Spring Intensives, we jumped into a week of 80’s-inspired jazz and tap master classes taught by Kenny Jezek. Mr. Jezek is a triple threat and then some with an extensive performance background including CATS and television series Fame and Days of Our Lives. We are so grateful for the wealth of knowledge he graciously shared.
  • Easter Sunday found groups of us scattered throughout the Houston area as we performed in various church services. What better way to celebrate Resurrection Sunday than to dance before our Risen Savior?
  • Next, we were able to sit back and enjoy watching Ad Deum 2 perform in their spring concert. If you missed it, stay tuned for news of more performances next season because they were amazing!
  • Following AD2’s concert, it was our turn to take the stage as we enjoyed an annual tradition of performing with area dance schools and companies in East Meets West at Houston’s Miller Outdoor Theatre.
Ad Deum at Miller Outdoor Theatre.jpg

Ad Deum performs at Miller Outdoor Theatre

  • Last week, we took to the skies and headed on tour to Kansas. It was a special time as we were able to join with Störling Dance Theater for a weekend of collaborative performances. We felt so loved by the warm welcome from the folks at Störling and The Culture House and hope to work with them again soon!
Moving Forward:
We weren’t kidding about being busy! Now, we set our sights on our spring concert, a first-time collaboration with dancers of The José Limón Dance Company. This week features a workshop of master classes taught by our favorite Limón teachers, Logan Kruger and Durell Comedy, and ends with a bang as we together present a premiere performance, Mourning Has Broken.
If you are in or near the Houston area, you’ll definitely want to make it out to one of the two performances. Check out the details below, and we’ll see you there!
Mourning Has Broken
When: May 15 - 16; 8:00pm
Where: The Barn
             2201 Preston St.
             Houston, TX
Tickets: $20; available online or cash/check at the door