mary wanted to dance in the basement of the house where there was room to move across the floor , but the only time she had the house to herself was when she skipped church , so now she stopped going to church altogether , which worried roxy , who thought that mary was growing sick and depressed , but mary insisted she was alright and said she liked to pray alone and indeed her dancing was like a prayer , for she put into it all of her hope and all of her joy .