A shout (or praise break) is a kind of fast-paced Black gospel music accompanied by ecstatic dancing (and sometimes actual shouting). It is sometimes associated with "getting happy".

It is a form of worship/praise most often seen in the Black Church and in Pentecostal churches of any ethnic makeup, and can be celebratory, supplicatory, intercessory, or a combination thereof.

The shout music tradition originated within the church music of the Black Church, parts of which derive from the ring shout tradition of enslaved people from West Africa. As these enslaved Africans, who were concentrated in the southeastern United States, incorporated West African shout traditions into their newfound Christianity, the Black Christian shout tradition emerged—albeit not in all Black churches or in every part of the country. (In fact, in the North prior to the 1930s, many African-American Christians practiced a form of worship found in denominations such as Episcopal Churches and Methodist Churches, more similar to their White Christian neighbors.^[1])

Even so, after the dawn of the Azusa Street Revival and the rise of Pentecostalism in 1906, many African-American Christians began to incorporate more modern Charismatic Christian practices into their worship, including speaking in tongues and various other bodily anomalies said to be caused by the Holy Spirit. The shout tradition fit well into this framework and became ever more popular across the spectrum of Pentecostalism and, eventually, the larger charismatic Evangelical world.

As Southern Black Christians migrated north in large numbers after the end of Reconstruction, they began to found churches of their own that had different styles of worship than the aforementioned Northern Black churches. Soon, the center of power shifted in the direction of the newcomers, who in many represented a more authentically African-American (and lively) church experience. At the same time, a new form of Black gospel music emerged, influenced both by the Black spiritual tradition as well as the growing Pentecostal/Holiness movements. This eventually led to the high-energy, fast-paced shouts and praise breaks seen among contemporary practitioners.^[2]

It is common now for gospel recording artists to include shouts and praise breaks on their albums, either recorded in a studio or live during a recorded show. This has had an outsize influence on the spread (and musical structure) of the tradition in modern times, in addition to the popularity of videos on social media depicting the practice.

Shouts invariably involve dancing, typically featuring quick feet movements, undulation of the arms and upper body, and ecstatic exclamations—not unlike the more ancient ring shouts of West Africa. This may be performed by the congregation at large (including or led by any presiders), or by only a portion or even just one or a few person(s).

Church ushers or other participants often assist people dancing more vigorously, as they often have their eyes closed and might not be able to see obstacles in their way. (Others might simply be of older age and in need of physical support.) While it is common for participants to exit their church pew and dance in the aisles or elsewhere, others might support themselves using the pew while dancing.

For those not necessarily dancing, participation might simply be standing in place and clapping along with the beat.

• Black church
• African-American music
• Music of the United States
• Christian Music
• Charismatic Christianity