I don’t think it’s _typical_, but it’s not unknown. My home parish
tried it once, as a homily supplement. Didn’t work and got dropped.
However, the University of Dayton does it all the time in their
Sunday masses. There’s a small corps of students (about two per Mass)
who wear white dresses and dance in the processions in and out. I
think they occasionally bring up the gifts if they’re short for help.
You only see the whole group at once when there’s a big Mass in the
fieldhouse during holidays, homecoming or parents’ weekend.
It’s sort of a ballet-ish, modern dance-ish thing. Slow, graceful, and
looks angelic. Very nice, IMHO. Particularly nice during those big
fieldhouse Masses when the processions take forever — you can at
least watch the dancers stand at the foot of the altar dais and wave
their hands around in meaningful ways.
Since I’m not male, I can’t speak as to their sexual quality with full
authority, but in general I’d say this is not the intended purpose and
it isn’t taken as such. Which isn’t surprising. Intent is everything.
Otherwise, when I sang at Mass (and good singing utilizes the entire
body just as much as dance — just because the audience doesn’t see it
doesn’t mean it’s not there), people’d be rushing the piano when I
sang the Holy, Holy. :)
If someone really dislikes dance, I suggest he/she stops sitting,
standing and kneeling in near unison with the rest of the
congregation, and certainly there should be no folding of hands in
prayer. Much too dancy for decency. :)
We already worship with our bodies. (Not much else to do it with!)
The question is how to do it tastefully, and in tune with the worship
style of the parish. If dance works, I’m fine with it.
You haven’t changed my opinion but I appreciate you sharing your opinion!