Stage fright can happen to the best of us, and there’s no denying it’s horrible to go through, terrifying in fact! So here at Move Dance, we’ve put together some tips to try and settle your nerves before a performance. There are probably hundreds of ways to combat nerves before going on stage, everyone has their own little tricks that they swear by. The tips we’ve come up with are pretty generic so can be tried and tested easily before you’re set to perform.

Breathe

It sounds simple and silly, but when you’re really nervous and scared forgetting to breathe properly is very common. Take deep breaths and count to three as you inhale and exhale slowly. Taking slow, deep breaths will help slow your heart rate down and contribute to helping you calm down before you take to the stage. Practising relaxation exercises like meditation is really useful.

Have A Healthy Lifestyle 

Exercising, eating healthily and getting sufficient sleep is the way forward! Avoid caffeine, alcohol and sugar before a performance! Even if you feel tired and think you need an extra boost that caffeine and sugar give you don’t have any - when you’re nervous they can have the opposite effect making you jittery and jumpy. Eat a meal a few hours before your performance to make sure you have enough energy to put on your best performance and so you don’t get hungry throughout your performance. It’s essential to drink plenty of water prior so you don’t get dehydrated. Getting adequate sleep in the lead up to your performance is also key!

Relax Before Your Performance

Find your own routine, whether that’s drinking a cup of tea as you have your hair and make-up done or doing something particular during the day when you have a show later that night. Every dancer has their own little quirks, preferences and things that they believe help them to perform better, it’s just a case of finding your individual relaxation routine for before you dance. 

Perfect Doesn’t Exist

Remember, perfect doesn’t really exist. Practising can definitely help you to achieve as close to your own version of perfect as you can. But even the dancers you look up to and believe are perfect will still finish routines and be disappointed with certain steps or parts of their dance.

Focus on Your Strengths 

Go out and perform with your strengths in your mind. Don’t go out and dance worrying about that one step or combination that you often struggle with, go out there and think about how well you execute the rest of the performance. Look in the mirror and tell yourself you CAN do this.

Enjoy Yourself

The main thing about your performance is that you enjoy yourself and give it your best shot. As long as you know that you’ve tried your best that’s more than enough! Go out there, try your hardest, be confident and have the best time!

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Original Article - Move Dance Staff

This article was originally published on November 28 2019