I've got a dance performance coming up and I am starting to get really nervous. Luckily I know the stage and I've performed on it before. But I haven't danced on it. What's more is that we haven't had more than 3 hours practice for one of the dances and didn't get to finish the choreographies until yesterday. It's been a while since I danced on stage and I don't want to mess this up!

Any advice?
And how do you guys cope with stage nerves?

i've done a fair share of performance in my life - mainly performing in bands and acting - and i've never gotten stage nerves. i think what keeps me grounded/focused is just that i lose myself in the material i'll be performing. i just totally geek out and think of myself as a vessel for the songs/script we're presenting, and i don't really go out there with a sense of "me" or "them". it's a rare mindspace to get into - i totally get nervous if i have to do a presentation or get up in front of a small group at, say, work or something - but if you can point your energy toward the nuts and bolts of the performance and away from your perceptions of the audience, you'll be in a great place mentally.

Anx said:

never knew u played, Anx. But then again, why should i! i dont know u! lol. just never heard u mention it before. what do u play?

3121 said:

the only instrument i play is drum kit, though when i was in a band i sang and wrote lyrics, sometimes did some random percussion stuff if the song called for it.

I've always found that it works to arrive early enough to get a look at the crowd and absorb the surroundings. Then, once I'm all set up, I play a bit just to get the kinks and nerves out. It's sorta like a boxer warming up in the dressing room before a bout. Once I'm warmed up, I'm fine.

Anx said:

I didn't know this about you either.

That's interesting and I can relate to it. It is indeed worse to hold a speech than performing on stage.
When I'm on the stage I live in the moment and just be what I'm supposed to be. It's a wonderful and powerful feeling. But all those days hours and minutes before the first performance I'm nervous as hell. Especially this time since I'm going to dance. As I haven't done it on stage for so long and dancing is what I love most of all I'm extra nervous and terrified I'll have a blackout, slip or something like that. But I guess that all I can do is practice, practice, practice and do breathing excercises...

Ummm....this is an easy one...ALCOHOL...ha ha

No, I;m kidding, that's me singing bar gigs, not quite the same as dancing, but I've acted and do presentations weekly for the place I work. Know the material inside and out! Like someone said earlier, lose yourself in the music/material and don;t focus on "how will I do"(whenever I do that I totally screw up)...Basically don't think about anything, after the first few minutes the show is on and things flow much easier, you're in "the zone" It's always the initial first few minutes where people are extra nervous.

Work out, go running that day, something that naturally relaxes your body, watch something that really inspires you! Sometimes I'll throw in a live concert before we play, get psyched up and pump myself up for the show, and keep my mind off of me.

Try any or all the above, they work

www.myspace.com/marktgrimshaw

Think of an audiance totally naked with nothing but their SOCKS on. I know, it's kinda crazy, but it works for me.

Christaro said:

That's never helped me, although I have never had them leave their socks on so maybe that's why... I'll give it a try.

My first show was actually in front of naked people, and it helped a lot!

I am more nervous thinking about playing than actually playing. So I like to keep busy with setting up & tuning and noodling with the volume down. Of course a beer helps a bit, too. And being friends with the band is more important at those moments.

I'm a bad boyfriend right before a show, though, because I'm on edge & distracted.

But once the music starts my nerves are gone.
[Edited 4/25/07 11:50am]

NDRU said:

Your first gig in front of naked people? Where did u play? At Hugh Heffner's Playboy Mansion? That would seriously distract me

Christaro said:

I wish! It was a nudist club. Some of the band were members. It was nothing beautiful, to be sure, but it distracted me from my nerves. Plus they're a very supportive (if unsupported) crowd.

NDRU said:

Must be a very interesting experience

I know for sure that the people in "my" crowd are going to have their clothes on

VenusBlingBling said:

I prefer a clothed crowd (though nudity was good for that one gig). When the nude people are beautiful it can be even worse for the performance, too! Too distracting.

It's tough waiting for the performance. Sometimes I just embrace the nervous feeling (it's going to be there anyway) and I think about what it feels like and why I'm feeling it. Then it becomes not so unpleasant. It can even go away for a while. Also, just breathe a lot.

It's actually nice to think that we're not so jaded and we still care and feel that much.

It's not just nerves, it's energy, and you can use it for positive outcomes. I'm never tired or bored during a performance, that's for sure

Two bottles of vodka usually does the trick for me.

VenusBlingBling said:

back in my dancing days, it always helped to block out the audience, kind of look through them, not at them, as if they weren't there and I were dancing my heart out for myself in private.

txladykat said:

Yes you can choose a place towards the back of the room to look, so you're not looking at your feet, but you're also not looking at anyone.

It's over. And I wanna go back!! I was so nervous and easily irritated this entire week, as I always am when I have a performance coming up, but as soon as I got to the place the tension changed into positive excitement. I was surprised at how positive I became. I couldn't wait to get on that stage and when the music and the lights came on and I got out there it felt like coming home again. It was so wonderful to be rocking that stage I wasn't afraid of the people looking at me, I wanted them to look. I could do this more often. Ain't nothing like it!