![\"Andrea](\"http:\/\/thetravelingyogi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Andrea-Kolbe.-1-1024x1024-1.jpg\")
<\/a>Step one is definitely identifying the problem \u2013 and it can start even before you get to the theater. Nerves might be affecting your dancer onstage, backstage or even in the studio well before the performance. Is one of your dancers wobblier than usual the week before? Has their attitude changed in rehearsals?<\/p>\n
Kolbe says, \u201cWhen we have our recitals, I can typically tell when the dancers are nervous because of the look on their face and being super jittery. Some will talk excessively, while others will be super quiet and focus inward. I also have some of the dancers verbalize that they are nervous to me or the other instructors backstage.\u201d<\/p>\n
If dancers can recognize for themselves and express to you that they\u2019re not feeling their best, that\u2019s fantastic. But it\u2019s important to remember that nerves will look different on everyone. Different methods of dealing with those nerves might work better for some dancers, and other methods for others. Most dancers feel better after testing their shoes onstage and having time to try the choreography in the space. Some may need time and space to focus alone. Others might benefit from a connecting pre-show ritual with their group, like a huddle and pep-talk backstage to connect with their peers.<\/p>\n
\u201cGroup camaraderie and teamwork definitely ease onstage jitters and nervousness,\u201d notes Kolbe. \u201cI’ve noticed over the past 13 years of teaching in a studio setting that dancers are much more nervous when they are performing a solo on stage.\u201d In the scenario of solos, maybe take your dancer aside and learn what they personally need, whether that\u2019s to burn off some energy, talk it out or do some breathwork.<\/p>\n
![\"Erica](\"http:\/\/thetravelingyogi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Erica-Hornthal.jpg\")
<\/a>We asked dance\/movement therapist Erica Hornthal for her top three tips on dealing with those pesky jitters in the wings, or nervousness leading up to that moment. Her take?<\/p>\n
#1. \u201cMeet your emotions. Identify what\/how you feel physically.\u201d<\/p>\n
#2. \u201cNotice what the timing, rhythm and intensity of this emotion is. This will help you express it.\u201d<\/p>\n
#3. \u201cExpress it. This can be through shaking, tapping, jumping, bouncing, etc. There is no wrong movement when it comes to expressing how an emotion feels in your body.\u201d<\/p>\n
A simple 1 2 3, right? Well, if you want to make this method its most effective, it takes some practice. Mental health can\u2019t only be addressed by three \u201ctop tips\u201d when you\u2019re already in the wings.<\/p>\n
\u201cPractice the above sequence at times when you are not feeling stressed, anxious or overwhelmed,\u201d Hornthal encourages. \u201cThis will allow you to use it when you really need it.\u201d Some of her other suggestions include moving in unfamiliar ways to build a greater emotional capacity, and checking in with your body regularly to identify emotions as they arise.<\/p>\n
![\"Andrea](\"http:\/\/thetravelingyogi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Andrea-Kolbe-backstage-with-students.-Photo-courtesy-of-Kolbe.-1024x1024-1.jpg\")
<\/a>It\u2019s about building good mental health habits. Be sure to introduce this to your students before the big day. When they\u2019re feeling fear creep in at the studio, or before bed on recital eve or even when they\u2019re not feeling stressed at all, they should use this method consistently so they know they can rely on it when they\u2019re stepping onstage.<\/p>\n
What does Hornthal feel is overlooked about performance anxiety? \u201cAnxiety is a feeling. It’s normal,\u201d she says. \u201cYou will never eliminate it. The key is noticing it, understanding it, even befriending it so we can dispel the fear and release the control it has over you. It is not something to be avoided, but rather confronted in a safe and compassionate manner.\u201d<\/p>\n
If only we had access to professionals like Hornthal in our studios! Few dance schools have the budget to have a dance\/movement therapist on staff, but boy would it be helpful. Kolbe agrees that having a mental health expert come to the studio and give a lecture on recital anxiety would be beneficial to her dancers. If not a guest lecturer, what other mental health resources can we provide for our students? As teachers, it\u2019s our job to set them up to do the best they can – and in a performance art, that includes giving them tools to dance without anxiety affecting their performance.<\/p>\n
By Holly LaRoche of Dance Informa.<\/a><\/p>\n The post Fighting stage fright: How to spot and soothe performance anxiety<\/a> appeared first on Dance Informa Magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Let\u2019s talk about stage fright. Whether you\u2019re new to performing or you\u2019ve been in front of audiences for years, everybody can admit<\/p>\n