Posted by on Dec 19, 2013 in Blogs
Competitions can be nerve wracking. There’s nothing quite like being out there on the dance floor with your partner, hoping not to be judged too harshly. However, once your performance begins, your muscle memory may take control and take with it any nervous feelings that you may have. This means that the wait for the performance to begin is the worst part of the night. Thankfully, there are several things that you can do in order to combat these nerves:
Meditate
Find a quiet corner of the performance studio or auditorium. Lay back and close your eyes, while relaxing your whole body. Make sure to focus on your breathing, or envision yourself going over your routine several times in a row. Taking yourself out of the moment and focusing inward will calm your nerves and help your performance.
Keep Your Hands Busy
If you have severe performance anxiety or a simple case of the nerves, work this off by keeping your hands busy and use up some of that nervous energy. Whether you take up knitting or crocheting, or prefer to play a few card games with your dance partner or coach, all of this will take your mind off of the performance. You can also make jewelry, do crossword puzzles or word searches, or make a latch hook rug – anything that takes your mind off of the competition.
Practice Some More
One of the best ways to fight performance nerves is by being as ready as possible. Whether you listen to the music through headphones and go through the motions alone or with your dance partner (you can be in your costumes or street clothes for this) or simply sit back and visualize your performance, you will be mentally ready to compete once it is your turn.
Interested in competitive dance? Get started with dance classes here at Elite!
