Russo 1 Sarah Russo Ed Austin Dance 459 February 18, 2014 Being an LDS Artist I am part of the fellowship

of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ(Moorehead)

My love for dance happened almost instantaneously. It has been as consistent in my life as my family and the gospel. I feel whole and complete. I feel the spirit. I feel the love of my Savior and Heavenly Father. I feel that I am meant to be a dancer and artist. This role of dancer and artist is a somewhat precarious one trying to live in the world and not be of the world. In the dance world it seems that degrading and controversial topics seem to hold the most weight and value in some circles while religion seems to be taboo. More and more I feel that dipping into the dark, carnal sides of humanity is the norm and frankly that is not a place in which I want to reside. I am a dancer but first and foremost, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; I want my discipleship to be at the forefront of my artistic endeavors. When I knew dance and the arts would be my lifetime profession I started to consider how I would keep myself grounded in the gospel while pursuing my dreams. I have found that if I live and work in a way that keeps the spirit with me always, the still

Russo 2 small voice will continue to guide me and keep my path clear for amazing opportunities. In 2006 April conference, Elder David A. Bednar gave a talk entitled, That we may Always Have His Spirit to be With us. He said, The standard is clear. If something we think, see hear, or do distances us from the Holy Ghost, then we should stop thinking, seeing, hearing or doing that thing. If that which is intended to entertain, for example, alienates us from the Holy Spirit, then certainly that type of entertainment is not for us. As a disciple of Christ, the standard is very clear and the spirit will guide me in my endeavors as I strive not to separate myself from it in decisions I make and situations I surround myself in. I know that as I do strive to keep the spirit with me always, then when I perform and share a piece of myself with the audience it cannot be helped that my testimony will be shared as well. Through dance we emanate the spirit of God. (We are Children of God)

I wont look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. Im finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tainted visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals(Moorehead)

Let me be clear, I understand there is opposition in all things. As a dancer and artist I know that without the contrast of lightness and darkness or happiness and sorrow, art can feel insincere. Sharing a story of hardship and temptation can be as powerful and beautiful as one about joy. Being a performing artist I have and will have a responsibility to be the storyteller of these stories. In the past I have heard of a trend that states that no

Russo 3 can truly understand any light or happiness without submerging ourselves in and experience darkness in our lives. It is amazing how false I believe that statement to be. I have no desire for low livingworldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. But life is not perfect and I experience my own sorrow and sin without going out to look for it in the name of art. Because I am a human being I am susceptible to the natural man. I am perfectly capable of portraying sadness or anger because I have felt it. The difference for me is I want to always keep Christ at the center of my art so I continually remember why I do what I do. In creating art and being apart of the dance community I want to consistently uplift and be uplifted, not despair. The message that I ultimately want to share is that of redemption, repentance and love. We have the potential to invite added light into our own lives and the lives of others when we center our hearts in Christ. (Centering the arts in Christ) I am not ashamed of who I am or what I stand for. I am ultimately baring my testimony each time I step on stage and I wont look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided, diluted, or delayed. I will not flinch in the fare of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity (Moorehead)

The foundation of discipleship is honesty. (Be honest) In relation to dance we need to be honest in our dealings with others and ourselves but specifically honest in our

Russo 4 creativity. Popularity is an easy pool to fall into, especially because in dance it is absolutely necessary to network and make connections. If I turn to dishonesty, mostly to myself but also in my choreography, than I have immediately lost who I really am and I become nothing more than someone elses creative shadow. At that point am I even creating something that will increase my popularity? It is easier to compromise when success is on the line but all we are doing is lying to ourselves and sacrificing any creativity that is dying to come out. I would not feel happy or at ease in any performance or choreography if I was lying to those I was working with or myself. Creativity is WORK (Creativity). When we work hard and are true to ourselves the greatest joy comes in our creations. Creation is a godlike attribute that we have been endowed with. When we were created in our fathers image there was no compromise or lies. Through the honesty of His creation there is great honor.

I wont give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up and paid up for the cause of Christ. I must go till He stops me. And when He returns for his own, He will have no problem recognizing me. MY BANNER WILL BE CLEAR!(Moorehead)

I believe that what the dance world needs of LDS artists are confident individuals who are unbending to their values. The gospel of Jesus Christ has a foundation of integrity and that same integrity is what I want it my art. Integrity is cultivated through unity of purpose. We cannot unite as an artistic LDS community, live divided and have integrity. (Integrity)

Russo 5 Heavenly Father has blessed me with the ability to enjoy the arts and has provided so many opportunities for me to grow and develop these gifts and talents. I believe that I have been given these talents so that I can stand as a witness of God at all times and in any situations that I find myself in. My banner is clear; I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I never want to lose my drive and desire to inspire and uplift through my testimony and dancing. As I graduate and go out into the dance community I realize that my spiritual goals and my dance goals coincide as I strive to live my life with the spirit guiding, honesty, and integrity.

Russo 6 Works Cited 1. Moorehead, Dr. Bob. Words Aptly Spoken. Web. <http://devotionalnet.faithsite.com/uploads/147/53999.pdf>. 2. David A. Bednar, That We May Always Have His Spirit to be With us, April Conference, 2006 3. Russell M. Nelson, We are Children of God, October Conference, 1998 4. Newell Dayley, Centering the Arts in Christ, Devotion address at BYU, 2001 5. David A. Bednar, Be Honest, Devotional address at BYU-Idaho, 2002 6. Neal A. Maxwell, Creativity, New Era, 1982 7. N. Eldon Tanner, Integrity, April Conference 1977