Does the Bible Accept our Modern Sexy Salsa Dance?

A couple of years ago, Edie the Salsa Freak cited several verses from the Bible on one of her Salsa dance instructional DVD's indicating that Salsa dancing is accepted by God and by Jesus Christ as a viable manner in which people can rejoice and honor them.

But, how accurate is this statement in regards to the modern – sexy – way of Salsa dancing?

The word “dancing” has a broad meaning. It may include “the expression of feelings of enthusiasm and joy”, or the more engaging “routing and movement of one skilled in interpreting and arousing powerful emotions”. Salsa dancers can cite numerous accounts in the Old Testament in which dancing is approved. However, these Salsa dance fanatics will discover that the root of those Bible verses always involves an expression of rejoicing or religious enthusiasm because of some accomplishment or victory. For instance, one can read in Exodus 15:20 that Miriam led the women "with timbrels and dances" after the deliverance of the people of Israel from Egyptian bondage. And, in II Samuel 6:14, king David's thanksgiving for the safe return of the ark of God was evidenced as he "danced before Jehovah with all his might". Psalmists also use the the term “dancing” to express joy and praise unto Jehovah God.

Sinful Dancing
The term “dancing” can also portray that which is lewd and sinful. For instance, one can read in Exodus 32:19-26 that Moses returned from mount Sinai after receiving the Lord's commandments only to find people dancing naked around the golden calf which they had forged. Moses was clearly not amused with this kind of dancing. It is stated in Matthew 14:3-10 that the manner of dancing of the daughter of Herodias had such appeal to the base human passion that Herod promised to give her anything she might desire. This harshly made promise led to the murder of John the Baptizer. 

Our "modern partnering dances", a phrase used to include both Ballroom/Latin and Salsa dancing in which there is continuous body contact between partners, differs greatly from the dancing mentioned in the Bible. These dance forms have no trace of religious significance – except for Salsa's (secular) Afro-Cuban “Santeria” heritage -  nor are they “solo” in nature, but involve men and women dancing  together. Though the word “dance” in the modern sense does not appear in the New Testament, it is obvious that the idea it represents is mentioned and clearly condemned. Apostle Paul listed his “Works of the Flesh” and stated in Galatians 5:19-21 that "they who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God".

Lascivious & Reveling Salsa and Latin Dances
Two terms appearing in the list of traits of the “eternally destructive” and which are closely related to modern Salsa and Latin dancing are "lasciviousness" and "revelings". "Lasciviousness" is synonym to sexual excesses, referring to "filthy words, indecent bodily movement and unchaste handling of males and females". "Reveling" basically refers to excessive carousing and feasting, but it also has a close relationship with "dancing and music". No one will deny that the (excessive) amount of body contact  between men and women dancing modern Bachata, Brazilian Zouk, Kizomba, Salsa and Latin Rumba , or dancing to the explicit lyrics in Reggaeton, Salsa Romantica and other Latin American and Caribbean music can lead to – or be associated with - sexual arousal.

Modern dances such as Latin and Salsa are designed to express or convey a message, namely, "love-making" and are calculated to be sexually stimulating. It does not matter if the people practicing or teaching these dance forms intend for their dance to “only look sexy”.

Even religious scholars accept that the “sex urge” is God-given and is not sinful in design. Yet, they will  argue that God-given desires must have God-appointed boundaries. They understand that the righteous fulfillment of the sex urge is limited to the marriage relationship only, as stated in I Corinthians 7:1-9. It is also stated in Galatians 5:19-21 that to engage in any activity which produces lewd emotions or excites unlawful sexual desire is "lasciviousness" and stands condemned by God.

Would the God of the Bible or Jesus Christ accept Bacha-Sutra dancing between a man and a woman who are not married to each other?

Please comment down below if you are a religious Salsa dancer (or not) and tell us how you deal with this discrepancy between your faith and your Salsa dancing.