Flow Arts Stage Fright

Tips for Overcoming Flow Arts Stage Fright:

Would you consider performing on stage if you knew a few helpful methods for easing the angst and enjoying the rush of being on stage? Just because your heart skips and hands tremble just thinking about performing doesn’t mean it’s not for you! If you’re considering it, and gravitating towards it in any way, there’s clearly something there for you to explore and grow from.

We all experience a degree of nervous energy before stepping on stage, in front of a camera, and most certainly in front of large crowds with wide eyes all looking to you for entertainment. However the angst, the uncertainty, the nervous energy can be managed in effective ways that enable you to feelings of enjoyment and pleasure throughout the whole experience. Here are a few methods we recommend giving a shot to overcome stage fright:

Breath

Before entering on stage, take a deep breath in through the nose and enter on an exhale. Anything and everything you do that is challenging in life is more effortless while exhaling consciously. The inhale, if done through the nose specifically, helps to direct your energy inward, to become aware of the sensations you’re experiencing, and then an exhale out the mouth releases tension/stress. This is most commonly seen and practiced in yoga. While moving into and holding more challenging positions, we inhale through the nose and exhale out the mouth. Directing your awareness to where you feel it on the inhale, and releasing/relaxing on the exhale.

This same method is highly effective while learning new tricks. As well as overcoming the spiraling thoughts and physical tension of getting on stage. We also highly recommend combining your flow arts practice with a daily yoga. It will massively assist in your capacity to feel what’s going on internally and direct your energies into further productivity.

Drishti 

A drishti is a Sanskrit word for a focused gaze on a non-moving object to assist in balancing poses. This is particularly implemented in yoga practices too, though the same method is applicable and useful in flow arts. A drishti will help you maintain balance while doing things that test your balance. Once you’ve stepped foot on stage, pick a non-moving object out in front of you to gaze toward while focusing inward and on your act. This method might be more challenging if you’re performing with fire, because the fire moving in a dark environment can mess with your depth perception. If this is the case, don’t focus so much on a specific no n-moving object; just slow your focus. Darting eyes will only amplify the already heightened energy, so do your best to dial that focus down, slow it down, and breathe.

Take it slow, keep moving!

If you’re thinking about the bigger picture before you go up, you might be more inclined to feeling intimidated and freezing up. This is the last thing you’ll want to do on stage. The bigger picture, the whole event, your act, the audience size, it all adds up and doesn’t always help to get wrapped up in thought right before your time to shine. It’s important you direct your thoughts to serving your desired outcome during these prime moments of preparation. We recommend to focus on one thing at a time. One step, one breath, one trick at a time will help keep you present in the moment and enjoying the process.

Individual performances typically only last a few minutes, so it will go by before you can think to blink. Obviously, don’t sweat the small stuff, and have fun over everything! Once the show is over, it’s common you’ll feel a rush of joy, relief, or even invigoration and excitement to do it again! “Performer’s high” is no joke, and unlike most addicting things, this one actually pays off without any inverse side-effects.

Having fun is the most important aspect of being a performer. If you aren’t having fun with it, what are you doing it for?

Perhaps you know it could be fun, and want it to be, but still experience unsettling symptoms of stage fright. That’s ok! That’s what we are here for!

Contact us to discover even more methods in cultivating an ease and enjoyment through performing.

Blessings abound, abundance all around!

Keep growing, flowing, and glowing, with effervescent ease,

–Liora of Infinite Comings
A Sacred Flow Art Community Blogger

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