Random Performance Nerves

[Munniko]

So I've discovered recently that I can get performance anxiety. Which shocked me to the core, I've never had a problem just getting out there and dancing in front of people, but it seems that with the newest style of dance I've picked up, I have just that. When I get ready to go out on stage my nerves just act up, but I also think it might be the fact that my first performance was a group piece.


So here is the question, are group pieces more nerve racking for you? If they are just everyone doing the same moves, does that make it worse?

My situation was just that, it was a decent sized group formation, adults plus a group of kids who come in and off stage, and all the other women had been doing this number for a couple months before I learned it. Recently my teacher arranged another performance of this piece, but all the other adults couldn't make it. She wanted the children to have this performance opportunity so she changed the piece so the adult part was a solo for me. I was relatively fine with it even though it wasn't on a proper stage and was in front of people who have seen this style their whole life. I feel part of this though is that my costume does not make me feel sexy, because I'm so short the practice saree I wear must be super tucked in and makes me look 5lbs heavier in my midsection. I think that I will save up my money to buy a student costume because a tailor made one is about $60 :shok: and it looks rather professional!


What makes performances more stressful for you? Ill fitting costumes? Having things changed last minute? Never seeing the venue?

I would love to hear others analysis of this situation because it would definitely help me figure out ways to solve this situation.

 

[Dunyah]

You had a lot of things thrown at you at once that increased your anxiety level, it sounds like to me. Change in the choreo from group to SOLO (that's enough right there); ill-fitting costume (always a pain); a knowledgeable audience (always makes one take pause and hope the presentation is acceptable), and the fact that the dance style is fairly new to you.

Good for you for getting out there and going for it, this may have been a perfect storm of factors that brought out the anxiety for you. I hope your next performance is less stressful for you and you can return to your anxiety-free normal!

I have had a life long struggle with performance anxiety, and having a very knowledgeable and discerning audience is one thing that can stress me out. I want to do really well and impress people who are very hard to impress. That's not a good head space for me. I do better coming from a simpler place where I am dancing to share the love and joy of the dance. I also don't do well in competitions, dancing to compete doesn't work for me, though I do it occasionally just to make myself grow.

I also hate costume malfunctions and struggling with a costume that doesn't feel right or gets in the way of the movements or makes me feel fat - not so good.

 

[Shanazel]

Performance anxiety seriously plagues me when I dance with my students. Nothing more humbling than being the one who screws up- when you are the one who choreographed and taught the dance to begin with! :lol:

 

[Munniko]

I'm apparently getting used to this type of environment because it happened again at the next performance. Another dancer and I got a partner bit added into another duets dance and literally 20 minutes maximum before going on stage we found out we needed to change it. Instead of going together like a pair, we now had to separate, join, and then separate again. O_O it was intense, but apparently I managed it and took it another level up by unconsciously adding head movements.