Psalm 149:3 |
Our beginnings
Getting Established
Into Europe
What people say about us
The year was 1973. Backstage in a Rome theatre, a dancer made a painful decision. Having trained with the Royal Academy of Dance for twelve years and performed professionally for another 10 years in over twenty countries, Vera Chierico felt her present lifestyle could not glorify Yeshua (Jesus). So, she gave up her dancing career.
However, twelve years later in New York, married with three children, Vera was invited to join a Messianic group "Dancers of the New Jerusalem" and performed with them all over the USA for 4 years.
The Chierico family then moved to England where Vera visited an osteopath, Dan Delap, to get treatment. His wife, Helen, also a Jewish believer, was seeking for a way to use her dancing for the Lord. Together they rehearsed to build a repertoire. Word got round and other women joined the group, including Vera's daughter, Natasha.
Over the next three years, Davidic Dance became firmly established in many churches and Messianic congregations through the workshops led by the New Jerusalem Dancers. After years of praying, we found the men we needed for the
group - we were away so much for dancing that our husbands decided that the only answer was to join us!!!
Into Europe
During this time the doors of synagogues
and other Jewish establishments were opening and NJD accepted a booking almost every month dancing and ministering in the Jewish community. We were delighted to be introduced to a man who had accepted Messiah at one of our concerts and we also discovered
Messianic believers in the synagogues.
Early in 1994, news of the effect of Davidic Dance reached Europe and the group travelled to Hungary and France. Then came an invitation to dance at one of the Messianic Festivals organised by Jonathan Bernis of Hear O Israel ministries. The festival was in Kiev, Ukraine. Further invitations followed for Vera to go to Amsterdam and St Petersburg to teach Davidic Dance there. During her visit to St Petersburg, the New Jerusalem Dancers of Russia were selected to perform at future festivals.
In 1995, invitations followed to Italy, Switzerland, St Petersburg again and Moscow. In September, a further invitation followed to Switzerland for Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year), not only to teach workshops, but also to lead and speak at Shabbat and Rosh Hashanah services.
In between all of these bookings, the British group continued to travel and perform at various venues in the UK. These included a television performance in Wales, various Jewish festival celebrations, hospitals, schools for children with disabilities, Bar and Bat-Mitzvot, workshops for the Christian Dance Fellowship of Great Britain with Erica Bebb, synagogue charity events, nursing homes and many others.
The New Jerusalem Dancers have a three fold vision
Not all of the New Jerusalem Dancers are trained in dance. The Bible teaches that Davidic Dance is for everybody. Lack of voice training does not prevent us from worshipping in song. We believe that the same should be true of dance worship.
Davidic Dance as communal worship consists of a series of interchangable dances. Many of these dances are simple and easy to learn. We have even had people in wheelchairs using their arms in worship. For communal worship, your best is all that is required.
"What can I say? Your co-operative help, your professionalism, your spirit.....it was beautiful"
John Hollidge
Pastor, Goldhill (Marlow) Christian Fellowship
"Joyful and worshipful, yet lively and exciting. A tremendous anointing. I have supported and encouraged NJD from the beginning."
Helen Shapiro
Gospel singer
