4-Weeks in Europe!

This entry is specifically for the supporters of a recent mission trip to Europe.  Feel free to read and enjoy the photos below.

Our 4-Weeks in Europe was incredibly blessed.  Allow us to share some images of our trip and thank you once again for being part of this amazing and life changing experience.  Many seeds were planted and all provisions were met.  Thank you for praying, giving financially and believing that God uses the arts and artists to reveal himself throughout the world.  You are standing with us to "go out into all the earth-bringing the good news of the gospel to the lost".

The trip started with a 7 year old birthday celebration of Miss Ava Jean at a cute cupcake shop in Leicester Square.  Lara, Jen and I took her for the treat of her choice. 


The first assignment was Project Dance London.  Ava tests the stage before any dancers perform.

Mary Marshall and 2 dancers from YWAM help tape the floor down.

Lara and Andrew, event producers of London and Sydney


Lara and I grabbing a shot together.  It was fun to see the Olympic Rings decorating our perimeter.

Mary Marshall, Storling Dance Company of Kansas City attended and helped throughout the weekend.

Bethany Sleebos and her dancers from Arise Dance Company visited from Holland to bring hope and healing through dance.


As Arise entered the stage area there were a few women with head coverings who quickly scurried to get a view of the stage.  They watched intently as the dancers onstage expressed FREEDOM that comes through Christ alone.  I was able to speak to the women who were from Egypt and share our purpose with them.

Jeff and Natalie Lewis of Arrows International joined us with an amazing team to share God's Love through dance.  It was wonderful to serve with them in London and we look forward to our next adventure together.

Dan Cossette of Ad Deum Dance Company held down the stage management for our show.  He's such a wonderful servant artist and leader.  He also performed throughout the day.

Jen Byers joined us once again in London assisting with stage management.  It's such a gift to gather with such good friends and serve the Lord together through dance.

Christiane Lisabe of Paris and Anne Mills of Brussels helped out with our leader's dinner.  They love getting their hands dirty behind the scenes.  So love these ladies!


Our next assignment was in Harpenden, England where we attended an international YWAM conference.  The attendees were preparing for a 2-week outreach during the Olympics and we were able to speak into their lives, offer dance classes and enjoy time on the base.  This is a picture of Ava, Bethany and me as we offer outreach at a local park.

Ava got into the day painting faces.  This is her friend Samu from Nepal.


The younger generation flocked to the stage to watch the dancers performing.

We enjoyed our time in Harpenden and are grateful for Julie Spence who invited us to be part of a wonderful week.

Next stop, FINLAND!  This is a picture of the Finnish Luthern Mission where we gathered for a week long youth camp for ages 11-20.  I was invited to teach advanced lyrical jazz.  One of my students did experience complete and total life change.  I was so honored to walk her through the gospel and believe she will be growing throughout the year. 

Jim and Anne Mills of Creative Arts Europe host the camp and spend the week preaching, teaching, counseling and enjoying all of the participants.  We are in prayer to help Jim and Anne bring a similar European Arts Camp to the states.

We enjoyed the beautiful sunset with our new friends from Kosova, Airejeta and Edena.  We hope to join them next summer for a Creative Arts Camp in Kosova.  It will be their 2nd annual event held for mostly Muslims.  What a joy it would be to teach among an entirely new culture of people. 


This is Ava rehearsing during her camp.  We created a mini-camp for some of the younger children and here we see children from Kosova, US, Belgium, South Sudan, Ireland, and Germany.  They performed HARD KNOCKS LIFE from ANNIE.

Thank you again for being part of this 4-week trip to Europe.

The Need for a New Kind of Culture

The Need for a New Kind of Culture
Cheryl Cutlip identifies an emerging community of culture creators

Dancing as a Rockette has taught me a lot: how to kick perfectly in-line with 36 other dancers, how to survive a 200 performance Christmas show season at Radio City, and how to apply red lips and lashes for that on-camera interview with Diane Sawyer. So what can a Rockette contribute to the conversation on culture? Well, I’ve been thinking about more than eye-high kicks lately. As a former Radio City Rockette and student of Westminster Theological Seminary I’d like to explain a new kind of culture that blends art and belief.

Culture is difficult to define. We hear its voice. We see its image. We feel its heartbeat. Popular thoughts and ideas run rampant on the streets enforcing its agenda. As new restaurants, art galleries, and movies hit the streets their fate falls into the hands of the public. Only the strong survive.

On the flip side is subculture. Extracted from culture are pockets of exclusive yet hidden passionate communities with more narrow ideas about life and how it’s lived. Whether The Amish or Goth, subculture exists to give identity and validity to more unique lifestyles and beliefs which allow them to thrive and exist.
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While mainstream culture and subculture move along life’s timeline a brand new kind of culture is emerging all around us. I call this supculture.

Supculture is the artistic infusion of absolute truth within an existing society.

By definition the word sup means to eat or drink in small amounts. This ideology, both excellent and passionate exists to infuse absolute truth in digestible doses. This can be done through direct display of truth within an artistic expression such as Lord of the Rings or The Matrix. It can also be done through the infusion of truth to the people within a given cultural project such as Broadway Underground or The New York City Ballet.

To better understand this new culture we need to observe the characteristics of its people. Their overarching commonality is a shared belief that we exist in a world that has a divine creator who is personal and as a result all of their life work flows out from that solid foundational position.

With this as a starting point let’s explore some of the other unique characteristics of supculture. Because of this strong belief in a personal and divine creator there is a deep affection for the church. In this case, the church is not a building or established denomination. The church is “those who call themselves believers in God through Jesus Christ.”

Though there is a trend among some within the church to simply complain or muse about the church’s treatment, or its lack of knowledge, or poor expression of art this new band of artists rejects such complaints. Those in supculture work to find solutions to problems rather than running from them. They’re willing to take on a responsible role in stewarding art when expressed in and for the church.

While many within church communities have stepped away from culture, those in supculture thrive on its heartbeat and sink deep into its daily flow. Culture is the place where voices on the street are heard, understood, and expressed. To be in the mix of culture is to sharpen one’s communication of their beliefs as well as show compassion and respect for those with whom they strongly disagree.

Let’s examine a common experience of some believing artists. In most cases these artists are expected to outlay their goods in either “The Church” or “The Culture.” If the art is to be offered within the church it needs to specifically fit the expectation of the church and serve its current needs. These needs are based on a particular style of art for a particular purpose which extends out of the particular people group being served in that particular church community. If a church is unable to utilize the skill of an artist in their midst but still has a desire to validate them, they often encourage them to go out into the culture for what is termed, “marketplace ministry.” This current phenomenon within the church makes sense as we know clearly that the Bible teaches us to be in the world but not of the world. We understand that the Bible validates working artists and that by having believer artists sprinkled throughout the marketplace; Christ is therefore impacting many arenas. Once in the marketplace, believers sometimes find themselves challenged on many levels. What started as a purpose driven assignment can become an excuse for mediocrity or a ticket to a life with less integrity than hoped. The current cultural mindset can then lead believing artists to accept less from themselves in areas of personal excellence. In contrast to this, the new flock of supculture creators are bold in their personal integrity while maintaining deep authentic friendships and business relationships with many who do not share in their own personal beliefs.

Often times the church is so far from culture that they lose sight of the very people they’ve encouraged to venture there. This creates an opportunity for working artists to live a secret life in their cultural environment but still seem to remain healthy in their church environment. This divide eventually damages those struggling to maintain their life’s call as an artist while desiring to grow and remain spiritually strong. Supculture bridges the gap for artists. It creates a place for artistic and spiritual excellence and allows both to co-exist without being pulled in one direction or the other. Many believing artists today feel a bit scysophrenic. Supculture reminds them that they are not crazy. They are called to this life of creating masterworks for the world with God’s stamp of approval.

Supculture is not merely marketplace ministry whose highest expectation is to impact others in the marketplace with truth. Supculture takes this notion a step further and longs to take the driver’s seat in the creation of new projects within the marketplace. And, while those within supculture find themselves deeply ingrained in the marketplace they are also equally ingrained within a community of believers in a local church. They flow freely and regularly from the culture to the church and usually have deep rooted friendships in both worlds. Supculture has no specific spiritual agenda. However, since passion for truth is the driving force behind its people and their projects we often see lives changed through it.

We now understand that two pillars uphold this new kind of movement: the church and the culture. Balanced between these two immovable columns is supculture resting hesitantly yet fervently on a tight rope (careful not to slip). Poised as pioneers who’ve come of age within marketplace ministry or birthed out of a short term surge of artists’ acknowledgment by the church comes this unique and powerful display of something new, something supernatural, and something we want to participate in as a way of enriching the human experience.

To help better understand supculture; let’s think about Mel Gibson’s film, The Passion of the Christ. Quite noticeably, this film is infused with absolute truth. The very life of Christ is depicted through cinematography. Director Mel Gibson utilized his artistry and skill to offer the public an excellent film. Both the culture and the church had to sit up and take notice. Though I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Gibson, it is my understanding that the views depicted in the film also represent his own personal beliefs. Had he created this film and opposed its beliefs the pillar of the church could have suffered a blow. However, he made it clear that he was a follower of Christ throughout the movie’s debut when asked those questions by the media. On the other hand, had he created a film infused with this kind of absolute truth without using the skill of amazing film professionals, the culture would have laughed at the notion that anyone could believe such a truth. Why? Simply put-our current culture demands quality. The message itself is often secondary to its aesthetic majesty.

Another example of supculture is the variety show Broadway Underground, which the New York Times gave rave reviews. While the content of this show doesn’t overtly convey absolute truth, those producing it strongly believe in core supculture values. Unbeknownst to the audience, before each show the entire cast circles up for prayer, and those involved attribute its success to their divine creator.

Countless other examples are popping up all over the place and it’s time to give these people and their projects a name all to themselves. The concept of supculture sounds brand new but it’s really age old. As I focus on the person of absolute truth, Jesus Christ, I see that he is the author of supculture. From the streets (culture) to the synagogue (church), Jesus bridged the gap between these two worlds. He was completely committed to culture; it’s where he chose his 12. He honored the synagogue and died to uphold its value. With hands outstretched he said; “For God did not come into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Today’s most vibrant culture creators are those who have mastered the ability to tell the truest story in the most excellent way. Might the church and the culture celebrate these who’ve emerged and are here to stay? Now believer artists have a place to call home. It’s the new emerging supculture. Welcome! Now, let’s get to work.

For more information about Cheryl Cutlip visit www.projectdance.com

The Heart of Project Dance

Pioneering the birth and movement of Project Dance has been exciting, challenging and quite the learning experience. Over the past 11 years I’ve written much in the way of the heartbeat of Project Dance but never a full description of what is resonating in my heart deeply and in great detail. The time has come to share once more.
I think the best way to convey this story is to begin in the “now”. Rather than taking you back to the very beginning stages of Project Dance I’d like to speak to you about our present movement and vision. I’m sure this journey will revert back naturally to times in our history when big decisions were made that have become the norm for Project Dance.
As I travel the globe connecting with dancers and leaders who have the Project Dance BUG in their blood I’m asked many of the same questions again and again. What is Project Dance? How do I become part of this movement? We have now entered a season where I’m no longer able to easily sit down with each dancer one on one and impart my heart to the fullest. We are a rapidly growing family across every continent.
Many of you know that Project Dance began while I was working full time as a Radio City Rockette. I noticed that when Rockettes left the company they moved on to another career. Some dancers stayed in the dance business while others made complete career changes. I knew that it would be to my benefit to begin praying about how I would exit this Rockette career. What will I do after I’m done performing? Will I stay in dance? Will I have a complete career path change? I could see the writing on the wall. ”You will not be on stage forever!” Of course, little did I know that I would continue a professional career years beyond my own expectation. However, my mind would still fill up with what, when, where, and how.
I recognized many needs within our dance communities. Dancers felt isolated and alone. Dancers were looking for opportunities to dance with a purpose rather than just a paycheck. Dancers wanted a voice when it came to style and movement choices. Dancers wanted to let God into their world.
The difficulty is that most dancers are busily dancing! And, in many ways, doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing. They are in class learning and growing. They are auditioning for jobs every day. They are working very hard at becoming their best. However, few of them have the time to look at the bigger picture of creating community among their own people. Few are focused on the difficult work of shifting dance as we know it. Few have their eyes set on what it could be or should be and rather on being forced to accept what it is.
It was common knowledge that to be a dancer in “any” world meant that you had very little by way of a voice. You knew that to dance meant to sacrifice family, friends, and relationships. You knew that in order to reach your fullest potential that you would be forced to travel to a major city around the world, leaving all that you’ve known behind. You knew that your career would be short lived and that dealing with the emotional transition out of dance would be a lonely and misunderstood journey, a quiet death if you will. You also knew that you would struggle for every penny made in this competitive and unforgiving world of dance.
If any dancer were to survive this road surely he would become disillusioned, afraid and alone despite working at the highest level of dance on the planet. I’ve known many of these dancers and feel confident that I can speak for droves of dancers who can relate to this unsettling predicament. I shared in these feelings myself and have had my own difficulty walking out the dynamics of being a dancer.
What can be done? How do we offer dancers a foundation of LIFE in the midst of one’s God given pursuit of dance?
Well, DANCE became my PROJECT! I imagined a dance world where artists would be free to reach their highest potential while staying grounded in their faith and the important relationships around them. I imagined dancers who would be willing to offer their gift not only on our great stages in the world as a contribution to the human experience but also to the church in the form of worship and adoration to God as a tool for bringing believers into a deep communication with their creator. I imagined schools of dance where training was offered in an environment of respect and encouragement as a way of building up each artist who came through the door. I imagined a time when excellence in dance would be equally partnered with passion and purpose in a dancer’s heart igniting something that words alone could never quite describe.
Let’s back up now…When God planted this vision in my heart I knew that I would be in it for the “LONG HAUL”. In order to flip flop the way we think about dance, the way we deliver dance and the way we develop dancers we must recognize that there are many who have gone before us who have deposited gems and treasures into this idea of redemption in the world of dance. However, there is much work that’s yet to be done.
Being in for the long haul requires deeply established relationships that have accrued trust over time. In order to make a big move in the dance world you need to have a voice in that world. Having that voice requires a well established track record of integrity, excellence in your craft and the willingness to maintain a working knowledge in the field. No dancer at the highest level will listen if they do not see these qualities. That’s just the way it is!
For this reason Project Dance focuses on working dancers. Some may ask why we spend the majority of our efforts in the marketplace. Isn’t it more important to build up the church? I think taking the time to be in relationship with dancers who are actually working and will be able to shift that arena is time well spent. Sure, it would be easy to move our efforts solely to those who already know about the redeeming love of God. We could dance all day in churches around the world making movements that reflect His love. In fact, I long for the days to do just that. For me that might just have to be in glory.
I often and I mean often, reflect back on where Jesus spent time. I won’t go into a sermon here but I think we all know that he spent tons of time with everyday people. He did learn in the synagogue and speak against the religious spirit that was prevalent in His day. He never alludes to the idea of people leaving the world in His teachings. But, rather, says to be in the world but not of it.
For a long time I grappled with the question, “Why does God have me in New York City dancing on stage? Does this really matter”? I even enrolled in seminary to try to further understand this quandary. After many hours and days of trying to figure this out I realized that the answer was just too complicated. I needed something simple. It boiled down to this.
Believers are called to the industry because it exists and there are people in it.
Most of my very close friends know that there are certain things that believer artists say in the presence of other believers that DRIVE ME BATTY! One of the biggest ones goes something like this.
“I used to dance in the world but I’ve given it all to Jesus. I only dance for Him” Now, I know that in the heart of these words is a sincerely changed dancer. They’ve met the Lord and that experience has dramatically changed how they see themselves and how they view their gift of dance. Unfortunately, it plants the message over and over again in the Body of Christ that dancing anywhere outside of the church is sinful. It also hints that dancers within the marketplace have not given all to Jesus. How are we going to commission excellent dancers into a unique calling in the dance world if we send them off feeling like they are second rate? Sadly, many of these dancers who leave their post in the marketplace find themselves in leadership dance roles within our churches carrying a religious spirit. I personally think it would have been better for them to stay and fight it out in the world. Being a believer in a mixed environment creates a wonderful reflection into one’s own heart. If all of our time is spent within the church we soon find that we’re not only ineffective in the world but we’ve lost touch with the essence of what Jesus came to accomplish in the first place.
I guess this takes us to another big focus of Project Dance. We work with dancers called to worship. By that I mean dancers who are primarily called to build up the dance arts within a worship setting. While many dancers are bearing the weight like a bridge in the marketplace, ushering dancers into a true belief in Christ, there are those of you called to uphold the integrity of dance within the church. You are there to ensure that pastors and members of The Body understand the biblical use of dance and see that it is utilized properly for the building up of the saints. Dance as worship has many facets and I won’t take the time to get into the nitty gritty here. The bottom line is that God is renewing dance and dancers within the Kingdom. This is an important army of dance pastors and leaders who need to be encouraged and spurred on to their calling. Most of these dancers are fighting battles within the church to be understood and Project Dance exists to be a landing pad for these leaders around the world.
Lastly, we focus on dancers who are called to be a Witness! By this I mean dancers who have excelled in their craft and are willing to proclaim God’s truth publically. An excellent dancer is not enough to qualify. A dancer with the heart of worship is not enough to qualify. This dancer has maintained their craft and positioned themselves in the world to proclaim the good news through the instrument of dance. In order to be a witness for God through dance you must understand at the deepest level the people group you are working to share this good news. If you are hoping to shift the climate of the dance scene in New York City you need to be moving and shaking with dancers there. If you want to share hope with a village in Africa you need to fully understand how they receive a message of hope in the context of dance.
As you can see, all 3 of these areas are hugely important. I’ve barely touched on them and each one could be a few books on their own.
I’ve rambled and much of what I’ve shared was more of a free flow of thoughts rather than a planned out version of who we are. My hope is that I can put my heart on paper as a way of imparting the vision and fire within me. I know that you share many of these same ideas and together we will see a bright future for Project Dance.

Visit us at: www.projectdance.com