Attack of the nerves!!!

With the forthcoming performance at The Silk Route on Sunday 18th of May, rehearsals have been hotting up for my students and me! We are all very excited but, as to be expected, nerves are kicking in for some of my guys and that got us talking about ways to handle the unwelcome shakes and sweats!!
Even though I know that on the night I will be excited and upbeat, there will undoubtedly be a moment when I think, "Why exactly did I agree to do this again??!!" Here are a few things I've discovered over the years that have helped me tackle that negative voice:

 *On a practical note, being well practised and prepared will automatically reduce the nerves. Seems obvious but you will be far less worried if you have rehearsed thoroughly or are performing a well known dance. Also, checking your costume is comfortably and fits well throughout the dance will make you feel confident and mean one less thing to worry about!!

*Be realistic - what's the worst that can happen?? If you've prepared as above but still make a mistake, that's OK - I make mistakes every time I dance! Recognizing that it is OK to make mistakes and allowing yourself that possibility will not only help with nerves but help to handle what you perceive as a 'mistake' (the audience will likely not see it!)

*Always imagine a positive outcome from the performance and congratulate yourself for just having the guts to get up and do it in the first place! (maybe that's 2 different tips?!)

*Release excess nervous adrenaline with a thorough warmup - shake, shimmy, laugh!!

*Talk to other dancers - you'll soon realize they all get nervous! From student to top professionals, nerves are not exclusive to one particular group. The difference is how the nerves are handled and that comes with practise, (this brings me nicely on to the next tip!)

*Face your fears!! If you get nervous about performing, put yourself up for performance opportunities as much as possible! Trust me, it does get better eventually, you just have to do it as much as possible. The nerves won't vanish completely and, depending on the occasion, can still be quite severe, but you will be familiar with the cycle and know they don't last and therefore won't allow them to dominate and dictate how you perform.

* Enjoy!!! Dancing is fun so just enjoy yourself! Keep reminding yourself that you have worked hard to present your dance and you are going to enjoy your efforts. The great thing is that if you enjoy what you are doing, others will too!

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