How can I get rid of my stage fright?

Question

I dance on stage every year but I forget everything because my stage fright starts and I want it to stop!!!!

Answer 1

Become focused in the task at hand and don't think about people being there and watching you. Act like the room is empty.

Answer 2

When I was in high school I used to become nervous be for I performed. I did musicals and I was not much of an actor, but everyone told me I had a great voice. So I would go up and do my lines and then go into my songs and let my nervous energy feed my performance. I found that I became more comfortable the more times I was on stage, and the thrill is like nothing else in the world. Trust me I have done skydiving, rock climbing, white water rafting, repelling, and none of these can compare to the thrill of going on stage and performing. Whether I though I did good or bad I would always receive complements from members of the audience. One thing that I did discover is that I could never get rid of the feeling of stage fright, but I could control it. As long as you do not let the feeling overtake you and control you then everything will be fine. Know that at some point and time that you are going to mess up and the nice thing is that the audience will never know if you cover it and keep going. It sounds like you need to lighten up on yourself (easier said than done) and just make sure that you practice. There will be times that you will not like how you performed, but you need to ask yourself who are you performing for? The audience, or yourself. If you are doing it for yourself then why bother performing on stage.

Answer 3

Visualization strategies that can be used anytime
Concentrate on how good you are.

Pretend you are just chatting with a group of friends.

Close your eyes and imagine the audience listening, laughing, and
applauding.

Remember happy moments from your past.

Think about your love for and desire to help the audience.

Picture the audience in their underwear.

Strategies in advance of program
Be extremely well prepared.

Join or start a Toastmasters club for extra practice

Get individual or group presentation skills coaching.

Listen to music.

Read a poem.

Anticipate hard and easy questions.

Organize.

Absolutely memorize your opening statement so you can recite it on autopilot if you have to.

Practice, practice, practice. Especially practice bits so you can spit out a few minutes of your program no matter how nervous you are.

Get in shape. I don't know why it helps stage fright, but it does.

Strategies just before the program
Remember Stage fright usually goes away after you start. The tricky time is before you start.
Be in the room at least an hour early if possible to triple check everything. You can also schmooze with participants arriving early.

Notice and think about things around you.

Concentrate on searching for current and immediate things that are
happening at the event that you can mention during your talk (especially in the opening).

Get into conversation with people near you. Be very intent on what they are saying.

Yawn to relax your throat.

Doodle.

Draw sketches of a new car you would like to have.

Look at your notes.

Put pictures of your kids/grandkids, dog, etc., in your notes.

Build a cushion of time in the day so you are not rushed but not too much time. You don't want to have extra time to worry.

If your legs are trembling, lean on a table, sit down, or shift your legs.

Take a quick walk.

Take quick drinks of tepid water.

Double check your A/V equipment.

Don't drink alcohol or coffee or tea with caffeine.

Concentrate on your ideas.

Hide notes around the stage area so you know you have a backup if you happen to draw a blank.

Concentrate on your audience.

Listen to music.

Read a poem.

Do isometrics that tighten and release muscles.

Shake hands and smile with attendees before the program.
Say something to someone to make sure your voice is ready to go.

Go somewhere private and warm up your voice, muscles, etc.

Use eye contact.

Go to a mirror and check out how you look.

Breathe deeply, evenly, and slowly for several minutes.

Don't eat if you don't want to and never take tranquilizers or other such drugs. You may think you will do better, but you will probably do worse and not know it.

Strategies when the program begins
If legs are trembling, lean on lectern /table or shift legs or move.

Try not to hold the microphone by hand in the first minute.

Don't hold notes. The audience can see them shake. Use three-by-five cards instead.

Take quick drinks of tepid water.

Use eye contact. It will make you feel less isolated.

Look at the friendliest faces in the audience.

Joke about your nervousness. "What's the right wine to go with fingernails?"

Answer 4

If you go on stage, you will always get stage fright. Some people don't have stage fright and some do, and that's just the way it is. There is nothing you can do. If you can't stand the heat, then get the hell out of the kitchen. Maybe you don't belong on stage. On a side note: don't dance on stage because live performance is stupid.

Answer 5

if you really love to dance, put your heart and soul into it. Forget about everyone in the audience, it helps! Just feel it and do what you've gotta do. Or, do the old "picturing everyone in their underwear" thing. I haven't tried it, but what the hey? Give it a go. And remember, have fun! If you keep focusing on your "nervousness", it'll be tough to enjoy the talent you have been given. Good luck!

Answer 6

Is there a teacher or another dancer you can talk to? If I was in your shoes, I would forget that I am on stage and pretend I'm still in the studio and its only me with the music, no one else.

Answer 7

I love to dance and sing in front of people. In the beggining, I used to be very nervous, but after my first performance, everybody liked my act, and I assumed there was absolutely nothing to be afraid of... I'm sure you're a great dancer, and that you'll do just fine! Good Luck!

Answer 8

imagine them in there underware it might sound old but it worked for me or just perform in front of ur friends and family to get u ready and the way i look at it if u no wat u r doing then y should u get afraid

Answer 9

just try to convince yourself that everyone there is your friend. or that there is no one there at all.

Answer 10

pretend the audiance is all naked...and you will get over it