Guidance Award

Dancing With God

When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.
The movement doesn’t flow with the music, And everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.
When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead,
Both bodies begin to flow with the music.
One gives gentle clues, perhaps with a nudge to the back
Or by pressing lightly in one direction or another.
It’s as if two become one body, moving beautifully.
The dance takes surrender, willingness,
And attentiveness from one person And gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.
When I saw “G” I thought of God, followed by “u” and “I”.
“God, “u” and “I” dance.”

God, you and I dance.

As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust
That I would get guidance about my life.
Once again, I became willing to let God lead.
My prayer for you today is that God’s blessings
And mercies be upon you on this day and everyday.
May you abide in God as God abides in you.
Dance together with God, trusting God to lead
And to guide you through each season for your life.

And I hope you dance.

“Dancing with God” was written by our principal founder, Cheri Ann Menk. While in high school, she wrote this for some fellow dancers of her studio in Platte City. In her honor, Cheri’s parents, Steve and Jackie Menk established the “Guidance Award.” This scholarship is granted to a student or two every year based on teacher nominations. Students will be nominated not on their dancing ability and technique, but on their enthusiasm for dance as well as respect for their peers and teachers, which Cheri expressed at every practice and with every step she performed. With this award, we hope to keep the spirit of dance alive and share the passion for dance that Cheri possessed when founding the Raven School of Dance.

Guidance Award Recipients

Cole Berry (Spring 2010)
Emma Davison (Fall 2010)
Madison Folsom & Talia Rawls (Spring 2011)
Madeline Baniewicz (Fall 2011)
Heather Ronnebaumm (Spring 2012)
Averie Penning (Fall 2012)
Emma Handke (Spring 2013)
Anna Buhman-Wiggs (Fall 2013)
Malia DuLac (Spring 2014)
Rachel Lemons (Fall 2014)
Grace Caudle (Spring 2015)
Clare Trotter (Spring 2016)
Chloe Brincefield (Spring 2017)
Allison Henning & Layla Lindsey (Spring 2018)
Capri Koechner & Grace Roloff (Spring 2019)
Nora Patterson (Spring 2022)
Jayliana Downing & Maria Maderak (Spring 2023)
Ruby Cox & Amelie Kemnitz (Spring 2024)