The Powerful " LIFE BALLET" Comes to Film; BCN Exclusive Interview with Its Founder and Author, Sandy Arena
Aimee Herd : May 4, 2015
The Life Ballet
My goal at the end of the film is to have as many [aborted] babies' names as I can gather and run through the credits—I want people to sit there and see [how many]; it's just staggering, the statistics... I would like to give a tiny piece of that population a place to be remembered... to submit a baby's name, send an email to: info@thelifeballet.org.
BCN: For those who haven't heard of it, Sandy, give a little background on the LIFE BALLET, before we talk about the new film that's being made from it. (Photo via theLifeBallet.org)
Sandy Arena: It's a long story... there was a time in my life when I would not tell anyone that I'd had an abortion; I was so ashamed. That became more exaggerated after I became a Christian, which is backwards from what it really should be. The first time I heard someone speak in church about abortion, I ended up in the bathroom; hiding and crying out. (I realize now that if I had come out of that bathroom and asked for prayer, everybody would've been excited to pray for me.)
A short time after that, I was on a college reunion, and we went to the bar where we used to hang out in college. Seeing it all through sober eyes, I felt like I was taking a walk through my past. My heart and soul were grieved, and on the way home I asked God, "How do I reach people like that, because I don't spend time in bars anymore?" I felt like the Lord said He would reach them at the abortion clinics. I thought "Oh no..." Because then I would have to tell everyone that I had had an abortion.
At the time we were running a Christian ballet company, because that's what I know how to do. So I thought I would do a ballet event surrounding the topic of abortion, but I still wouldn't tell anyone that I had one myself. About a week before that first event, there was a woman in our city who murdered someone—her name was the same as mine. My friends and even my pastor thought it was me! My initial reaction was, "No, I'm the good Sandy, it wasn't me." Through that event, the Lord convicted me, and I wrote out my testimony. Because my name was "hot news" in Rochester at the time (because of the other Sandy committing murder), the newspaper printed it. (Photo via theLifeBallet.org)
It was basically; "I'm not that Sandy Arena, but I too have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and I too have murdered—even though society doesn't call it that..." So my testimony came out in a very big, large way. Some of my friends came up to me and said they had had an abortion too. I was flabbergasted, because that was the thing that was keeping me in the bathroom hiding. God really spoke to me about lifting shame from women, and I knew that was what I had to do—using the LIFE BALLET.
The LIFE BALLET was really my testimony, but I drew from other people as well, and God started showing me different themes. The statistics are 1 in 3 women will have an abortion; but if I can share my own testimony—which is very hard, still—and if I can help women to come out of that dark place that I was in; therein lies a pro-life army. My closest pro-life friends, and the ones who are out there with me 150 percent, are those who have made that choice too. (Photo via theLifeBallet.org)
BCN: So you've been performing this LIFE BALLET in different places around the country then? What has been the reaction from those who've seen it?
SA: The first few times we did the ballet, I couldn't wrap my head around people in the audience crying, but the reaction's been amazing. We've traveled all over the United States and even into Canada. It has mostly been post-abortive ministries who have hosted us; it's been hard to get churches to host us. I think a lot of churches may be afraid...
BCN: There are so many within the churches who need to hear this too.
SA: Well, people are afraid to go there. Although sometimes a church will partner with a post-abortive ministry in hosting us. But I know this is pioneering work, and especially in the context of dance within the Church—not a lot of churches are familiar with that, it's a different type of worship and communication tool. But it IS so powerful, like you said.
And now, we're thrilled to have the opportunity to film it! I could never have imagined that God would take the ugliest part of my life and use it to open up all these doors. I travel with my family; my two daughters are in the show, and my husband. Doing the shows is a lot of work and it's expensive, coordinating all the airline flights, but then you're reaching 500 people in a show. Now, with the film, it's going to be able to go on a much wider base—we're really excited. (Photo via theLifeBallet.org)
We met Verb Records on the streets of Nashville, they turned us out to do street ministry late at night when the bars are open—we loved it. We danced on the streets while two of their musicians played. About a year later, they called and told us they'd formed a record label, and asked if we'd like to join it. [And the filming of the LIFE BALLET grew from there], we raised the money last summer; things always cost more than what you think, so we're still raising the money now.
It's crazy but we filmed in one week—85 hours, with a cast of 66 people. It's exciting because there is a lot that you can't do on a live stage, but that you CAN do on film. For example; "Heaven" has always been disappointing on stage—but we were able to film it on the beach, on the shores of Lake Ontario. (Photo via theLifeBallet.org)
My goal at the end of the film is to have as many babies' names as I can gather and run through the credits—I want people to sit there and see [how many]; it's just staggering, the statistics... I would like to give a tiny piece of that population a place to be remembered. The women and men who have submitted the names to us are so appreciative.
BCN: That's such a special aspect of the film! How can people send you the name of their baby—if they have had an abortion—to be included, and remembered in that list?
SA: They can send me an email; it's: info@thelifeballet.org. Usually it's a very brief and private message; they'll write, "Can you please include the name of my baby?" And they'll write the baby's first name—sometimes they put the last too. (Click here to see film dedications so far)
BCN: You're in post-production of the film right now; so it will be a little while before the movie is done, but you DO have a trailer people can watch and share... (Photo via theLifeBallet.org)
SA: Yes, the movie's release date is September 12th. We are releasing it in Rochester, NY, in the theater at the George Eastman House—the founder of Kodak. There will be a soundtrack available and the DVD of the production of course.
BCN: Will it be released nationally at some point?
SA: I know the goal of the record label is to make it available on Netflix, and maybe for churches and on college campuses to use as well.
Learn more about the LIFE BALLET's new, upcoming film, "Arise Sweet Sarah," by logging on to: www.theLifeBallet.org and watch the official trailer.
About Sandy: The LIFE BALLET was written and created by Sandy Arena who has suffered lost motherhood in the wake of choice. Arena has had the opportunity to memorialize her unborn childrens' lives and share this story with the family she now has including her wonderful husband Sam, and children Alexis Gaetano, Caleb and Annaliese. A former fitness instructor and publicist, she is the founder and director of Arts Illuminate Expressive Arts Studio based in Rochester, NY. She is the author of the book "Yahweh Ballet: Learning to Dance by Faith" and It's a Sweet Trip blog as well as a homeschool mom. She is a songwriter who wrote much of the original music for The LIFE BALLET. Arena was honored in 2009 as one of the 175 Empowered Women in Rochester. She has been interviewed on Catholic and Christian newspaper, radio and television for her work in Christian arts and in speaking out on behalf of the unborn. Of all her positions, that of being a stay at home mom and wife has been her most valued.