Blog – The Dancing Word

Pondering the Possibilities

What possibilities are you pondering these days? How to make a difference in the world? How to bring your life energy to faith and family? How to grieve what’s gone? How to follow what brings you joy? How to be a peace-maker? How to balance life between resistance and rest?

It’s the sweetest thing when we are able to do what we love creatively in the world, and when we can move with a heart of service as well!

Advent & Christmas brought some special opportunities for joy and creativity, playfulness and service in my life. I’m sharing here a beautiful Advent service of waiting for rebirth. Perhaps this dance with candles can be viewed now as a celebration of the Feast of Candlemas (Feb. 2nd,) 40 days after Christmas, a time for blessing candles and honoring Christ as the light of the world!

With Candlemas in our rear view mirror, we begin to anticipate our journey with Jesus and his radical loving into the season of Lent. To honor this sacred pilgrimage, I have a variety of offerings that I’d love to share with you in the months ahead. Some are online and some are live … and each gives a chance to embody the dance of making a difference with the possibilities your life offers. Hope you can join me on the journey, and bless you in the seasons unfolding!

Show in St. Louis

Do you live in the midwest? Come join us in St. Louis for a brand new production!

I Will Live Until I Die

March 5-8th | St. Louis, MO

My dear dear friend, ValLimar Jansen has rewritten her musical on the life of Thea Bowman in a new & dynamic Broadway style, and St. Louis is the place to see it! We have a series of performances the first weekend in March. I will be playing (and dancing) the role of Sr. Thea’s closest friend in her last decade of life, Sr. Dorothy Kundinger. What an incredible honor! Sr. Thea is one of the handful of African Americans being considered for sainthood in the Catholic Church, and she was a powerful force for uniting folks from different walks of life.

Join us!

Seeds for Hope: Stories for Lent

My longtime friend, Fr. Michael Sparough has a great commitment to making scripture relevant for our time, and I am delighted to join him in this creative venture! Each day for 40 days, you will receive a story to break open the daily scripture readings. The stories are enacted by

Fr. Michael Sparough SJ, ValLimar Jansen, Dev Kennedy, and me!

What a beautiful way to ponder the possibilities of how scripture is calling you this Lent.

begin your Lenten Journey

A Look Behind the Scenes!

In Closing

Honoring the Peacemakers – “Twin Cities”

This week, I worked with the children of St. Joes to embody the Beatitudes. “Blessed are the peacemakers.” I have been so moved by the people of Minneapolis who are meeting extraordinary suffering with songs, actions, community connections, and courage. I see this as a dance of embodying the call to peacemaking. This weekend, my friend Bob McCaffery-Lent sent me a song that his band had recorded, an update of the 1970 protest song “Ohio” by Neil Young. As I listened, I immediately felt the call to create visuals to accompany the song. Please receive this video offering as our way of honoring the people of Minneapolis, and sharing a prayer for peace. Please pass it along, if you are able … And may peace prevail!

With love,

Betsey

Betsey Beckman, MM

Posted: February 5, 2026 by Betsey Beckman

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Wake Us to Wonder

I find myself sometimes in a dance between wonder and worry. There’s a lot to worry about in our world today: immigrants being confronted by ICE agents, our salmon and orca threatened in the Salish Sea, the fragile threads of Democracy … I’m sure you can add to the list!

At the same time, I am drawn to wonder pure and true! I cherish moments of awe and inspiration, signs of celebration, as well as acts of courage and unadulterated kindness. These bring my heart alive! We all have the capacity to be called to wonder!

Last month I had the opportunity to create & perform three movement pieces for the CLEAR Project – sponsored by Villanova University – Children, Liturgy, Ecology and Renewal. What an uplifting gathering of musicians and children connecting us to the heart of creation. One of the pieces I choreographed was entitled – Wake Us to Wonder, by my dear friends, Laura & David Ash. The lyrics are –

Wake us, wake us to wonder
Fill us, fill us with joy
Teach us that we are related, we are connected,
all is one in your love.

I had such a blast with the adults & kids in the audience joining in the dance … and remembering that we all are called to wonder! I am so grateful that kids especially help us remember & protect the grace of all creation.

And here’s another wonderful thing:

For the CLEAR project … all the materials are available for free!

To listen to or download the free album click here.

To find out more or to download free sheet music click here.

To watch the video from the live concert click here.

I hope that in the coming seasons you have a chance to be filled with wonder … and that your wonder spills over to help our world move from worry to grace. And to help start you off, here are a few opportunities below to consider!

~ Give Thanks! ~

39th Annual Interspiritual Celebration: Hope & Gratitude in Uncertain Times

Sunday, November 23rd, 2-4pm | The Well, Queen Anne, Seattle

In a world full of questions, we gather to remember what holds us: Gratitude for what has carried us. Hope for what lies ahead.

It’s always an honor to weave ceremony with a multitude of spiritual traditions to affirm our common sacred calling. I’ll dance a vision of the prophet Ezekiel – the river of healing!

~ Sing! ~

BIBOLOVE.US Album Release Party!

Saturday, November 29th | 10am Pacific | 1pm Eastern

Come celebrate the new album by my dear friend, Soyinka Rahim! Hear the stories & meet the musicians behind the CD. What an honor it is to be producer for this dynamic collections of songs! Genres from jazz to Gospel, blues to spiritual chant. Dance along!

Stream or Purchase the Album

Join the Launch on Zoom

~ The Gospel Magnificat ~

A Gospel Jazz Choral Setting of the Canticle of Mary

by Kent Stevenson

with dance by Vania Bynum, Betsey Beckman, and Egypt Hunt

Saturdays:

December 6th & 13th | 2:00pm

December 20th | 7:00pm

For the second year in a row, I have the honor of dancing the role of Mary’s elder cousin, Elizabeth in the story of the Visitation as expressed through the gorgeous music of Seattle’s jazz musical icon Kent Stevenson. 3 shows!

Tickets & Locations

Also, feel free to join me at 11:00 Mass at St. Joseph Church for dancing processions throughout the Advent season. Also 4:00 Christmas Eve!

~ Looking Into the New Year ~

Way of the Monk, Path of the Artist

A 12 week companion retreat the book The Artist’s Rule

January 12 – April 5, 2026

I’ve been working with Christine Valters Paintner for over 30 years now – amazing! In this course, you will have a chance to explore the intersection of your own inner monk & inner artist – as we dive into Christine’s book – The Artist’s Rule … with support from a handful of wonderful guest teachers. Start the new year with joyous creative practices in community!

Learn more

~ In Closing ~

Wake Us to Wonder

Here is the Dance Along video I created to help teach the gestures to Wake Us to Wonder. I hope you can join in the dance! I give thanks for the wonder of you!

With love,

Betsey

Betsey Beckman, MM

Posted: November 20, 2025 by Betsey Beckman

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Adventures in Oz!

This summer I had the unusual opportunity to discover what it’s like to be green! It’s really not a bad color … in fact, St. Hildegard of Bingen has a whole philosophy of Viriditas – celebrating the inherent greenness of all creation. However, when it comes to skin color, green does leave a bit to be desired … and the Wicked Witch (otherwise known as Elphaba) had to face quite a challenge living life with this particular peculiarity!

But what an amazing journey I had with 8 of my grandnieces/nephews coming up with the Adventures in Oz – our mashup of The Wizard of Oz and Wicked … whose cast members happen to meet up with another surprisingly green character – Kermit the Frog!

Considering the challenges that our country and our world are facing these days, I must admit, it was an incredible balm to enter into a world of imagination with the kids in our family … and to create such a joyous journey together. Somehow it stirs the soul to be able to re-tell a classic story of finding courage, brains & heart to guide us on our life path. And along the way, we discovered we could create a brand new ending for our tale … and it could be our prayer for transformation in our world today!

I hope you might consider receiving our offering … break out the popcorn & settle in for our hour-long production! Make a date with the favorite kids in your life to share the viewing. That would make me smile!

Meanwhile, I have lots of other adventures coming up that I’d love to share with you below… you’ll find an online series, as well as live offerings in Philadelphia & Seattle. Hope we can dance our way into the fall together!

Somatic Spiritual Companionship: Inner Awareness for Deeper Listening

An 8 Week Online Course

Begins Tuesday, September 30, 2025

4-5:30pm Pacific on Zoom!

I am honored to be one of the respected voices to share embodied wisdom on the subject of Somatic Spiritual Companionship … something I have been living through ministry & spiritual direction for many years! The series is hosted by my beloved friend and founder of InterPlay, Cynthia Winton-Henry. So grateful for this chance to share collective wisdom, and hope you can join us!

CLEAR Project – Concert in Philly!

Tuesday Oct. 7th 6:30 p.m.

Woohoo! I get to go to Philadelphia next month to share three dance pieces I created for this beautiful project connecting kids with Creation. Sponsored by Villanova University, I am honored to bring the joy of movement to church & family through this concert event!

BackGround info here

SpiritPlay 2025

Do you live in Seattle? Now in our 25th year, we will be offering SpiritPlay Class once again! Come explore the improvisational tools of InterPlay to help unlock the wisdom of your body as instrument of prayer. Discover your sacred stories, songs, and dances, as you embrace your calling in community to be fully alive as part of the Body of Christ. It would be an honor to the journey share with you!

Begins October 14th!

St. Joseph Parish Center / 732 18th Ave. E. Seattle

Cost $25 per class / $175 for the series.

email to register

Children’s Liturgy

I’ve discovered that the kids and I have a joyous time exploring and expressing our faith in story and movement! Once a month, I lead the kids in CLOW at St. Joes … and we have a blast. Bring your kids or grandkids! Come take a peek!

In Closing

Baptismal Blessings

While in Michigan with my family, we also had the occasion to celebrate 3 family Baptisms. I loved being able to offer an embodied reading in the same church where Charlie and I were married 37 years ago! In the challenges of these days, may we learn to release our hearts of stone … to be given a heart of flesh instead.

Blessings and Love!

Betsey

Betsey Beckman, MM

Posted: September 17, 2025 by Betsey Beckman

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Dancing Foolishly for 50 Years!

I’m delighted to share that this week I’ve been celebrating 50 years! On May 8, 1975 I was wearing white-face on Fountain Square in Cincinnati for the inaugural performance of the The Fountain Square Fools: Portable Theatre Proclaiming Good News. What an amazing launch this was for my ministry through the past five decades. The Fools performed in sanctuaries, shopping malls, with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, at retreats, conferences, universities and workshops. “Fooling around” became my life call … a chance to not take myself too seriously, and to embrace a sense of awe, playfulness and wonder as the wellspring for dance, faith, and service through all dimensions of life. I am so grateful for this foolish foundation!

I certainly felt a dose of wonder & joyous surprise at the news of our new Pope Leo XIV hailing from the south side of Chicago! I am so inspired to learn that Pope Leo spent 20 years in Peru (as did my own Uncle Bob, SJ) serving the poor. The fact that our new Pope chose the name Leo is an inspiring connection to the Pope Leo XIII who addressed the church in the modern world and launched a long line of Catholic Social Teaching on injustice and the need to connect faith with the social issues of the day.

My Uncle Bob had a beautiful saying, “May we all be as wise as Fools!” Being willing to make choices that are based on the radical hospitality of the Gospel may seem foolish in the eyes of the world … but is truly the invitation to live life with courage & heart.

Are you called to foolish wonder, radical hospitality, and the gift of sacred surprise? Here is a video to honor 50 years … and to invite you into some foolishness of your own! Below that, you’ll find a few more invitations for play as we near the summer season.

The Love of Thousands: Video Release Party!

(New Date) – Saturday May 31, 2025

10-11:00 am Pacific – on Zoom!

Our collection of 20 dance videos & 20 teaching videos is complete! Now we offer a playful hour to celebrate the collaborations & hard work of this beautiful series. Join me and guest choreographers to hear some of the stories of creation & inspiration, and dance along with us – as well as Angels, Saints & Ancestors – for some fun!

stream or download the Collection

Writing on the Wild Edges

Monday May 12-Friday May 16

Join Christine Valters Painter and other wonderful guides from Abbey of the Arts to explore a week of writing together! Starts Monday, so hop on the boat if you are called!

I will be featuring a new dance with Karin Stevens filmed on Lake Union!

Learn more and register

In Closing: Servant Song

I directed the Movement Ministry at my parish church of St. Patrick’s for 30 years, and now many of the young folks are taking next steps in their lives! I am so honored that Kathleen Santarelli Eliasser (who danced with me for 20 years) invited me to offer a blessing for her wedding last month. Here we are at our new parish, St. Joseph. What a beautiful meditation on how we are called to serve one another.

I felt like a proud mother witnessing Kathleen & Jeremy making courageous vows of service to one another. I’m wishing a Happy Mother’s Day to all the women whose lives have brought us to birth … through service & beauty for our world. May we all have the courage to live such a call!

Blessings!

Betsey

Betsey Beckman, MM

Posted: May 12, 2025 by Betsey Beckman

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Touching Sacred Ground

Well, I must admit that our world feels upside down right now. So many aspects of our nation’s shared agreements have been thrown into disarray like a precious basket turned over & spilled out. In these times, I find myself needing to seek out beauty, wisdom, community, dance, and prayer to connect to the heartbeat of wisdom. The ancient practices help us touch sacred ground and bring gentle presence, grounded resistance, and creative capacities to our world. Let’s keep the dance of hope alive!

The photo above was taken at Kukutali Preserve, a small island here in the Northwest that is under shared management between the Snohomish Tribe and Washington State Parks. This partnership demonstrates what is possible when ancient wisdom and modern government work together to preserve beauty and good will! The dance will premier as part of Abbey of the Arts upcoming Lenten Series on Women Mystics. I hope you might join us. (Lent starts in ten days!) You can learn more here Seven Gates of Mystical Wisdom.

For those in Seattle, click here for my Lenten schedule which includes Woman at the Well, Raising of Lazarus and the Prodigal Daughter!

As we look beyond Lent, I’m especially excited about our newest retreat invoking Ancestors & Archetypes which will take place Easter week! We have a few spots left … so consider coming for 4 days of diving into creative practices that help us touch the holy ground of mystery together!

Below you will find this and a few more opportunities to join me in practicing possibilities to keep the dance of hope alive.

Ancestors & Archetypes: A Journey through the Expressive Arts

with Betsey Beckman & Kayce Stevens Hughlett

April 21-25, 2025

St. Andrew’s House; Hood Canal, WA

Our New Offering!

My dear friend, Kayce Hughlett & I have been leading Awakening the Creative Spirit together for the last handful of years, and we have an amazing time wandering in the land of art, poetry, dance, nature, ancestry, and archetype. So, we’ve come up with a brand new retreat … to birth new adventures inner and outer! Here’s a bit of a taste:

Archetypes & Ancestors. Symbol & Spirit. Signs & Soul Guides.

Do you long to deepen your connection to those who have gone before us? Understand what it means to call upon archetypal energies as a resource for the times? Expand your own Divine Story?

Join master facilitators, Betsey Beckman and Kayce Stevens Hughlett, as we embark on a playful and soul-filled journey through the expressive arts to explore how Archetypes & Ancestors enhance our Spiritual lives and connect us to healing gifts for the past, present and future.

Enjoy 4 days and nights filled with guided experiences, artmaking and movement, journaling, singing, SoulCollage®, InterPlay, solo time and wild wandering.

Join us for this art-making adventure!

Limited to 12 participants. $1445

Learn more and register

Did you miss our video showing in the fall? For Black History month, we will once again be sharing our Musical on the life of Sr. Thea Bowman, pioneer in racial & social justice, and beacon of light in music and prayer. Join us for joy & inspiration!

Save the Date: May 8th – Dancing with Angels, Saints & Ancestors Video Release Party!

10am Pacific – More Info Forthcoming!

In Closing

Parts of the Body

After dancing at my parish church of St. Patrick’s for 30 years, I am grateful to be finding my way within the community of St. Joseph’s. This year, I have felt the call to work more directly with the children (as they are super responsive to movement in prayer and sacred scripture!) Once a month, I now co-create Children’s Liturgy of the Word with the kids, and here you can see how much fun we have together! May you discover what part of the body you are called to be … as we join together in mystery as the Body of Christ!

Betsey

Betsey Beckman, MM

Posted: February 24, 2025 by Betsey Beckman

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Dancing with the Light

Blessings of the New Year! I hope you had some joyous and gentle holidays. I so love the beauty of the Christmas Season and the 12 holy nights leading to Epiphany. We are all called to carry the light, and my Christmas Angels did that so beautifully on Christmas Eve! If you want to see their playful Gospel with adorable shepherds, click here!

As we step into the new year, how are you called to carry the light? What are the adventures, the joys, the acts of service that beckon to you? I have been musing that I am called to do what I love, and to trust that giving through my joy is an act of service. And even more than that, I am called to do whatever I do with love. Our world seems hell bent on some crazy rhetoric these days, and I need to keep returning to my own practices which include dance, beauty, children, and peace. What are your practices? Mother Theresa coaches us — “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” May it be so!

In the newsletter below, I am happy to invite you to a few upcoming adventures! I’m super excited to be offering a couple of Zoom events in January & February, and if you are in Seattle, please know you are always welcome at SpiritPlay on second Tuesdays. Also, I’m excited to be offering a new LIVE retreat in April, so scroll down for more info! May you carry the light of love!

Dance Sharing & Video Celebration!

Speaking of love, I’ve been working on this video collection of 20 dances for the past couple of years with Abbey of the Arts, and we are nearing completion of the project! Our first live sharing of the material will be for

Sacred Dance Guild: Sacred Sunday!

Sunday, January 19th | 4:30-5:30pm (Pacific) on Zoom

Come learn some of the stories (of creating) and some of the dances! Below you can view the teaser for the video compilation. Join me in the joy of celebrating this newly birthed collection!

“I Will Live Until I Die” Musical Showing

P.S. for anyone in the Seattle area, ValLimar Jansen will be back in town with her “Saintly Six” production Feb. 7-8.

click here to learn more

Ancestors & Archetypes: A Journey through the Expressive Arts

with Betsey Beckman & Kayce Stevens Hughlett

April 21 – 25, 2025

St Andrew’s House, Hood Canal, WA

Symbol & Spirit. Archetypes & Ancestors. Signs & Soul Guides.

Do you long to deepen your connection to those who have gone before us? Understand what it means to call upon archetypal energies as a resource for the times? Expand your own Divine Story?

Enjoy 4 days and nights filled with guided experiences, artmaking and movement, journaling, singing, SoulCollage®, InterPlay, solo time and wild wandering.

Join us for this art-making adventure!

Limited to 12 participants. $1445

Learn more and register

In Closing

Mary & Elizabeth

For literally 50 years (since I was 17 years old) I have been dancing the story of Mary. Mary as young girl, Mary saying yes to the Angel, Mary pregnant with child, Mary as young Mother, Mary at the foot of the cross, Mary throughout the ages. This year, during Advent, for the first time, I danced the character of Elizabeth! I guess it’s appropriate to honor my own body as it ages, and find new ways of celebrating new birth! Enjoy this duet of the pregnant Mary & Elizabeth at the scene of the Visitation. May we continue to support each in carrying the light, and giving birth to the light! Love and blessings!

Betsey

Betsey Beckman, MM

Posted: January 13, 2025 by Betsey Beckman

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