Dancing in Darwin

Once again, SU Australia has collaborated with LIFT Dance and YWAM for Darwin Dance Outreach, blessing multiple Darwin schools with the joyful medium of hip-hop dance, along with powerful testimonies of hope.

At first glance, the concept behind the Darwin Dance Outreach sounds impossible:  a team of strangers – ranging from 12 years to 40 years old – from multiple Australian states (including Townsville, QLD) and backgrounds, coming together for a short space of time to bring the ministry of dance to schools across Darwin. 

With only a day to practice in person together before they take to the stage to perform and teach workshops at no charge to schools, the fact that they achieve any synchronicity at all is amazing. 

But they do much more than this. They shine! 

It all comes down to the mission. A mission which you too are a part of (even if you’ve never danced hip-hop in your life) by supporting the work of SU Australia. 

While the dancers in the team might vary in age and ability, they are all there for the same reason, to share a message of hope and joy, blessing whole school communities (including over 780 students) and SU school chaplains with dance. 

One teacher wrote, ‘‘We are so thankful for your time and talents – thank you for bringing such a positive message in an engaging way that our students could understand.’’ 

Team leader, Peita, began serving on SU camps 20 years ago, not long after she became a Christian. She is passionate about inspiring people of all ages, but particularly young people… 

“You take young people out of their comfort zone, you put them on a mission field in a place that is different, and you see them come alive in so many ways. You see them get challenged … but you see them just thrive,” says Peita. 

“[It’s] so incredible to see how one small positive moment can leave a lasting impression!’’ said a team member. 

This year’s team had the youngest members ever with a 12 and 13 year-old attending.

“They got to share their testimony at schools .. They got to dance alongside older people that also love Jesus, for the first time … they’ve not used their dance gift in that way for God before,” says Peita. Their parents were also there to see them step up and step out. 

While Peita is an experienced leader and facilitator, she doesn’t take any credit for the extraordinary team. 

“I love what I get to do with SU Australia, with the Darwin Dance Outreach … God calls who he wants. I put the word out as far and wide as I possibly can, and then people just come, and their giftings work incredibly well together every time. People rarely know one another before they come