There was a vision to help young ladies form a bond by praising the Lord by movement and with this vision was born the Mattaponi Praise Dance Team later known as Royalty.
On Saturday, September 12, 2015, at the Back in School Picnic and Fellowship Celebration for the Mattaponi Youth Missionary at the Spotsylvania Sunday School Park in Spotsylvania, Virginia Royalty blessed the Youth Convention and the adults with their first performance. Since that time they have been praising the Lord on several programs in local churches in the Mattaponi area as well as the city of Richmond.
The young ladies in this ministry are in elementary, middle, high school and high school graduates. There is an open membership to any young person in the Mattaponi Churches that loves to praise the Lord with dance to join us. If any young person would like to join Royalty please contact Roxanne Jones at 804- 687-8723 or justroxxy@yahoo.com and presently, there are 18 praise dancers in this ministry representing 10 churches in the Mattaponi.
Special thanks to Dr. Margaret L. Jones, the Past President of the Women’s Missionary and Education Convention of the Mattaponi for the opportunity to first share the gift of Praise in Movement and Dance. The Royalty Praise Dancers also thank Moderator Rev. Carroll Jackson and President LaVerne Carter (MWMEC) along with the 2016-2017 Mattaponi Executive Board for officially voting them in as a branch of the Mattaponi Baptist Association.
The Royalty Praise Dancers under the direction of Sister Roxanne Jones, the director and Sister Jessica Jones, the choreographer are strong believers in 1Peter 2:9.
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people; that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)
Jessica Jones, Choreographer
Roxanne Jones, Director