Today we’d like to introduce you to Randall Flinn.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Born and raised in Houston, Texas. Began serious dance studies at 16 years old with Houston legendary dance educators, including Glen Hunsucker, Camille Long Hill, Dina Vail, Jan Simonds, and Houston Ballet Academy.
In 1981, my life and ambitions were transformed by hearing and embracing the message of The Gospel. Attending the Billy Graham Crusade at Rice University Stadium played a huge part in that encounter and experience. I then understood that my life and talents had purpose beyond personal ambition and a quest for success and notoriety. My heart was opened to a new perspective of serving humanity with redemptive beauty, grace, and truth expressed through artistic care and cultivation.
My life was no longer trapped by a drive towards career because I could now see the deeper value of faithfully following a God-given calling. I began traveling around the world, serving as an artist with a sacred mission, journeying throughout Europe, Asia, Latin American and Dominican Republic, Australia, Canada, Israel, and all across the USA. Dance was now for me, an instrument of peace, hope, grace, compassion, healing, and love.
In 1991, I was inspired to gather together professional dance artists who also had a strong faith in God and a sense of His calling. I invited them into an artistic and spiritual community and developed a professional dance company called Ad Deum (in Latin: Unto God). We were a first of our kind for the Houston arts community. It was uncommon and unknown to have a professional dance company whose core values and virtues were informed by their Christian faith, yet not working solely in a liturgical or religious setting.
In other words, we were Believers engaged in and inspiring the arts culture. There were people in the Houston arts upper echelon who were critical and judgmental, with a close-minded acceptance of how the richness of art and faith could find relevant integration in a secular culture.
We did not allow the naysayers to curtail our calling. We kept pursuing the vision and dancers began to relocate to Houston from around the world to join Ad Deum. We produced and participated in theatrical performances that drew audiences into the Wortham, Hobby Center, The MATCH, Heinen Theatre, The JCC, Barnevelder, Miller Theatre, and many other performing arts venues. We also served as volunteer artists in countless outreach performances in Houston hospitals, senior homes, children’s centers, homeless shelters, for anti-sex trafficking organizations, in low-income community outreaches, and church outreach programming.
And here it is, 2021, and in spite of Covid, we are actively serving and inspiring the Houston community with beautiful and transcendent artistry. Dancers are still drawn here from around the world. We are the most internationally traveled dance company in Houston. We are also the longest-standing professional modern/contemporary dance company in the city.
Ad Deum brings in world-renown choreographers and dance educators from Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham, Jose Limon, Mark Morris, Doug Varone, Complexions, and many other companies to develop a wide range of diverse repertoire for the company. We also serve local churches in artistic presentations, which have been hosted by Lakewood Church, First and Second Baptist, Grace Community Church Clear Lake, Champion Forest Baptist, Kinsmen Lutheran, Houston Baptist University, St Thomas Catholic University, etc.
Our mission: Serving and inspiring all humanity through artistic offerings which faithfully embrace the good, true, and beautiful.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Of course, being a non-profit arts organization during this past year with the pandemic shutdowns has taken its economic toll.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an artist of faith. My faith in God, The Master Artist of All Life, inspires and ignites my actions and offerings to those to whom He sends me to. I am deeply convicted and convinced that to be endowed as an artist is meant to be a sacred and holy calling. I realize that in an extremely commercialized and self-focused secular artistic culture, to consider art as sacramental and as a redemptive grace-given gift can be a highly unusual presupposition. However, I have witnessed the genuine fruit of such a missional understanding and pursuit.
I have traveled around the world many times, bringing light and beauty into places of deep darkness. I have seen maximum security prisoners open their hearts, weeping as their soul is transformed by an encounter with God through the witness of redemptive art and beauty. I have seen thousands of people in NYC, in the aftermath of 911, be drawn to a stage in the heart of Times Square and have watched healing tears flow from their eyes by being washed over by the healing balm of my dance company’s gratuitous offerings of grace and hope. And being in the city of Paris after the horrific terrorist attack at Le Palace De La Republique, and dancing on that same square, giving the people of Paris beauty for ashes.
How do you think about happiness?
Knowing that there is hope beyond what this world alone can ever offer. When I can share that hope with others through my life and my art, I find true and lasting joy and peace. My heart is fulfilled to see others find new hope and know that they are not forsaken.
Contact Info:
- Email: Addeumdance@gmail.com
- Website: Addeumdance.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/addeumdanceco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/982873751775363/?ref=share
