TITLE: Let It Shine! (Flashlight Dance) By Jacob Gibson 03/31/08 |
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PROPS NEEDED: 1 good song for background music that fits (I used the Newsboys song “Shine” which worked perfectly) and a way to play it. 2 flashlights for every person in the skit (I tried to stay with 5 people but you could have more or less), and if desired, colored plastic to put over the lights so you can have multiple colors. You can also use things like glow-in-the-dark necklaces if you want. The clothes worn are optional, but black might be good. (Thanks Kathy)
AT BEGINNING or END: Talk about Matthew 5:16 and how God wants us to be His witnesses to the world. The audience could also sing “This Little Light of Mine” before the skit.
CHOREOGRAPHY: These were all the moves I planned, but since I had so many steps and we didn’t have much time to practice, my friends had some trouble remembering them (I don’t blame them). Instead, I let them do whatever they wanted for most of the dance, and I think others would also like having more choice of their moves. The following steps apply to “Shine” but could probably work for about anything. You may change or add to any of this as you please.
Lights off, start music
(1) To start, Dancer #1 sits kneeling at center stage (praying for salvation) and at a key note of the song, stands up and turns on flashlghts and point them up. Then he/she shines them at the other dancers (standing on stage or by the audience) and they come turn on their lights and come up and dance with them. At second key change, some dancers move behind #1 and some in front of them and move their arms up and down to make a funny illusion. Next key change, they rotate to a horizontal line with #1.
(2) Verse 1 (words indicate what action to do and when) “Dull as dirt”
shine at floor
“you can’t assert...”
shine both up,
“...strict dictator to retire, fire the army”
shine away from yourself
“teach the poor origami...”
move lights around hands like you’re making origami,
“the truth is in, the proof is when you hear your heart start askin’ ‘What’s my motivation?’”
shine lights back and forth at your heart and shrug “...explain the kind of change”
spin around
“eskimo rid her fur”
act like you’re taking off a coat
“vegetarian barbecue [gag]”
shine light down your mouth, “trace this other phase to a certain sign”
make a cross shape with both hands above the audience’s heads
(3) Chorus (freestyle, until...) "let it shine before all men, let them see good works and then"
shine lights over heads of audience
"let them glorify the Lord"
point lights up and turn on and off,
Verse 2 “out of the shaker and onto the plate”
shake light up and down
“...schizophrenic turn over his crayons”
toss lights up and catch them or jerk them like you’re tossing them away
“Oprah freaks and science seeks a rationale” point in random directions in confusion
“...excuse this strange behavior” dance around in a goofy manner
“the kind of entire turn around”
spin around
“that’d make a bouncer take ballet”
do ballet with lights pointing down at your side like a dress
“even bouncers who aren’t happy”
point lights at face and frown
(4) Chorus (same as before) Bridge “Sh-shine...” dancers jump off stage and run around room while swinging lights, return by next part
{1st instrumental chorus}
everyone circles around one person while facing forwards
{2nd instrumental chorus}
reverse direction
{Remainder of song}
dancers stand in horizontal line and the outside ones make their lights into a “jump rump” that the ones in the middle jump over, dancers remain in line and do the wave with their lights
{Final note}
everyone makes a cross shape with their lights or shines their lights at something in the building like a cross
OTHER IDEAS: dancers can stand back-to-back in a circle and move their lights up and down slowly like robots. They can walk around the stage in a pattern during part of the song. They can turn their lights on and off in a pattern (like #1 a #3 off, #2 and #4 on)
Have fun!
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FACT: I listen to "Shine" over and over and over so I could picture the choreography in my mind, but it was fun because I really love the song.
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