For many years, Rev. Bruce Stewart taught a course in liturgical dance called The Word Made Flesh. Over time, there were occasional groups of students who gathered to prepare dance for chapel services. In spring 2002, under the leadership of Kathryn Sparks, The Wesley Dancers was founded as a student organization with the purpose of making dance more visible in the community. Dance became a regular occurrence in chapel services and student projects expressed through movement were not uncommon. The Wesley Dancers had a presence all over campus: performances and classes occurred in the tunnel, the Art gallery, Elderdice Hall, the courtyard, the refectory, classrooms, and dorm hallways. The Wesley Dancers, with a small budget, also brought guest artists to campus to lead workshops - New York choreographers Clare Byrne and Sarah Carlson and local artists such as Sharon Mansur, Boris Willis, and Daniel Burkholder – and hosted the Sacred Dance Guild. In Spring 2003, noted dancer-theologian Judith Rock was an artist-in-residence for two weeks and worked with faculty, taught an intensive practicum for students, and performed her play, “Response Time.” In April 2005, Kathryn Sparks’ thesis, Mothers of Messiah, was a community-wide dance event that took place all over campus and included a cast of nearly 30 students and local artists. During the spring semesters 2005-2007, Kathryn taught a semester long arts practicum in dance.

Dance at Wesley is now at another jumping off point. In the 2007-2008 school year The Wesley Dancers will merge with the dance practicum to become a regular offering under the umbrella of the Center for Arts and Religion. The course will be offered both semesters and will function much like choir, its focus on preparation for movement and dance in chapel services. But it will still embody the qualities of the practicum, seeking to impart the tools of dance, with an emphasis on student creativity. It will also aim to increase comfort and confidence in the body as a medium for the Spirit, enable and facilitate students to use dance and movement in their ministries, inspire a love for the dance, and be a place to share movement prayers and resources. A community-wide workshop will be held each semester as well as an informal concert of dances choreographed by students and other artists.