When senior Carina Famous steps into the dance studio at Liberty University, dance becomes more than just a hobby or a sport — it is a form of worship.
Famous is majoring in strategic communication with minors in psychology and dance. Having grown up as a dancer at Princeton Ballet School in New Jersey, Famous said that Liberty’s dance minor has helped her to connect her lifelong passion with her faith in a new and meaningful way.
“Being in the dance minor has impacted my time as a student so much because I’ve made lifelong friends, and I’ve learned so much about dance and also worshipping through dance — what that means and what that looks like,” Famous said.
Famous has had many opportunities to engage with her art at Liberty, such as helping in some of the ballet classes and running the university’s dance Instagram account.
Famous said she loves to choreograph pieces that really spread joy and happiness.
“I think God has given us such beautiful bodies to create art and choreography, and I think it’s an amazing opportunity that Liberty offers (the dance minor),” Famous said.
Dancing at Liberty is different from other schools because of the purpose behind the dance minor, which is to glorify God with students’ talents, from choreography to the many genres of dance they learn.
“Being a Christian influences the way that I dance because I’ve learned here at Liberty that I can use it as a form of worship, and also just to spread the gospel through the way I dance,” Famous said.
Liberty plans to launch a dance major, pending accreditation, in the fall of 2026.
Aubri Siebert, a professor of dance in the Department of Theatre Arts, said the program’s development reflects a growing desire among students to use their talents for God.
“Teaching dance here at Liberty University is something pretty special,” Siebert said.
When Siebert was growing up, she learned how to dance in a secular environment.
“Finding the ways in which dance and faith could be utilized together was something I had to find out on my own, and it was a pretty long journey,” Siebert said.
Siebert has taken what she has learned over the years and has successfully been able to teach dance at Liberty in a way that honors God.
“(This) is something very special,” Siebert said. “I feel blessed every time I get to do it.”
Siebert said plans for the proposed new dance major came after years of steady growth and student interest.
In 2020, the dance minor began with 45 students. Since then, the interest has only grown, leading to the consideration for the major.
“We now have around 100 (dance) minors every single year,” Siebert said. “Through that we just show again and again that there are people who have this technique, have this gift from God, and they want to learn how to utilize it for him.”
As Liberty prepares to take the next step with its dance major, students like Famous and professors like Siebert continue to express their faith through dance.
For more information about the new dance major, students may contact Siebert at alsiebert@liberty.edu.
Cuthrell and Bingaman are feature writers for the Liberty Champion.