Nimble nuns at enclosed monastery perform viral dance ‘to cheer people up’

24 February 2021, 11:48 | Updated: 4 March 2021, 09:53

An order of nuns perform a spirited viral dance in locked-down Ireland…

Thirteen Redemptoristine nuns at a County Dublin monastery have mastered a viral dance challenge, to “cheer people up” in lockdown.

Aged between 28 and 92, the sisters perform the Jerusalema dance challenge in a joyous video that now has tens of thousands of views on social media.

Dressed in red and blue habits, they move around the monastery and picturesque grounds of St Alphonsus in Drumcondra, to music.

They released the video (watch below) to help those in need while “praying for our world in these challenging times”.

Sister Lucy told RTÉ News that the challenge also brought them all closer together, adding that the nuns had been shocked by the “huge response” they have received online.

Read more: Nuns storm charts as ancient plainchant strikes a chord in pandemic times >

Nuns at enclosed monastery perform a spirited viral dance ‘to cheer people up’

The sisters had been challenged to do the dance by their fellow Redemptorist Fathers and Brothers.

Based in Dublin since 1859, the enclosed order limits their interactions with the outside world and devote their lives to prayer.

Sister Gabrielle Fox said she did not mind taking part in the challenge because she saw it as a creative way to pray.

“It’s not just a gimmick. It was purposely done as a prayer,” she said.

Read more: French Benedictine nuns release 7,000 hours of Gregorian chant >

Since posting the challenge, the sisters say they have been inundated with emails from people around the world enjoying their moves.

The Jerusalema Dance Challenge began in February 2020. Fenómenos do Semba, a group in Angola, south-west Africa, filmed themselves dancing to the gospel-influenced song, written by South African record producer Master KG and vocalised by Nomcebo, while eating and without dropping their plates.