Shiloh Baptist Church

Anointed Praise

APS Links

Anointed Praise History * Who Is Anointed Praise

Director's Profile * Video Clips * Contact

…..Then David danced before the lord with all his might”

II Samuel 6:14

The History of Anointed Praise of Shiloh

In 1996, Reverend Dr. S. Howard Woodson, Jr., Pastor of the Shiloh Baptist Church , granted three young ladies permission to start a religious dance group.

That first year was a struggle for the original dancers, Helisha Moore, Baptista Moore and Elizabeth Garcia. Sister Rosalind Garcia and Sister Pamela Simmons eventually instructed the group. The debut performance at the Shiloh 1997 Annual Youth Revival was a smashing success.

In September 1997, Sister Betty Young asked Sister Ronni Holzendorf to perform a liturgical dance while the choir sang “Lord, I’m Available To You”. It was after this performance, that Sister Ronni was selected as the new instructor for the dance ministry. Simply known as the Praise Dance Ministry, the group was reorganized by Sister Ronni with the assistance of Sister Tona Buck-Teel and Sister Tracy Ross. In October 1998, the ministry was placed under the Christian Board of Education and Reverend Gail Moore served as the Spiritual Advisor. The group was composed of all females who represented the major generations of youth, teens and adults.

After a year of dancing, the multi-age group initially transitioned into three distinct ones: girls (ages 5-10), teens (11-17) and adults. Sister Ronni instructed the children and adults, while the teens were under the instruction of Sister Toni Stewart and Sister Lisa Raymond. In 2001, the ministry broke the gender barrier and added a fourth group, by debuting its’ first all male praise dance ensemble, who performed to “Clean Up” by the Canton Spirituals. As the Lord began to transition Sister Ronni into new areas of ministry, the dance ministry moved into a new season of leadership.

In the year 2000, the installation of a new pastor, the Reverend Darrell L. Armstrong, reaped a bountiful harvest of new members in Shiloh.

Under Pastor Armstrong, the dance group was placed under the Liturgy and Worship Ministry, headed by Sister Betty Young. The children’s group became known as ‘The Children of the Promise’, whose named is based on Acts 2:39. Children of the Promise currently boast a membership of over thirty-five active participants. In the fall of 2002, the group came under the powerful and anointed teaching of Sister Taya Brown and Sister Pamela Tye. Their leadership is not only training Shiloh youth about glorifying God through dance, but also preparing the youth to continue in the spirit of dance as they grow older.

For the adult group, God sent Mitzi Hightower-Teel in September of the year 2000. Under her anointed and talented leadership, the membership has soared to over twenty-five members in 2003. The group has become known as ‘Anointed Praise’ and has based its’ mission on Romans 12:1. Anointed Praise has pioneered a new genre of praise dance not only in Shiloh, but in the City of Trenton as well. From ‘jubilee’ dances to pieces intimately depicting Biblical accounts, Anointed Praise has made significant contributions to the praise and worship atmosphere at Shiloh.

We dance to glorify God. We dance to usher in the Spirit. We dance because God’s Word says: ‘LET THEM PRAISE HIS NAME IN THE DANCE!’ (Psalm 149:3a)