2007-12-01 01:51:44 · 14 answers · asked by g 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Poetry
I am an actor singer and dancer so I'm pretty used to this so all you have to do is calm down take a deep breath and imagine all the people are in there underwear! That helps a lot for me. But Don't be terrified you are going to do great and Whoever is going will be cheering you on like crazy! I would if I was going! So don't be nervous everything is going to be great! God is there for you! And If I was going I would be there for you to! So don't be worried!
2007-12-01 02:01:36 · answer #1 · answered by I LOVE MY BFF ANNIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
A lot depends on the kind of group you will be reading for. If it is for a group of poets, then they will perfectly understand your saying the following, when you get up to the mike. Before I go into what you can say, use these steps:
1. Take time to adjust the mike the way you want it.
2. Test the volume quality by simply saying 1,2,3,4...
3. Take about 1 minute to look over your audience...this psychological thing makes the audience stop their looking around at other people, and look at you, because by then, they will have noticed you aren't saying anything.
4. Actually TELL those people that this is your first time before a group and you are a little nervous...this is another psychological ploy...it will make them aware of your feelings and be all the more polite to your reading.
5. Look at your paper about 15 seconds before you start reading your poem. Again, this will have the audience more aware of your nervousness and they will be more polite.
6. Begin reading your poem slowly, stressing the words YOU feel should be stressed...then take just a slight 2 second pause after these stressed words to bring them 'home' to the audience.
7. If your voice starts to quiver, put the sheet of paper down and apologize for your nervousness...the audience will love that!
8.Actually ask the audience if they want you to start the poem over from the start...this puts the ball in their court...if they say 'no', then continue.
9. When you finish...thank the audience for bearing with your nervousness and you hoped they liked your poem!
Elysabeth Faslund...Poemhunter.com
2007-12-01 05:26:43 · answer #2 · answered by Elysabeth 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
#1: make sure that you know what you are performing, and the order that you will perform the pieces in (have a backup in case you under-run, or are asked for an encore - but try not to use it).
#2: perform your full set in front of a mirror (full length if you have one) at least twice. think about what you are doing with your hands (and perhaps the rest of your body) and how it looks. (this means that you don't need to think about these things on the night - and for preference you shouldn't).
#3: if possible record at least one of your pieces and play it back to yourself. you may find that there are obvious things you can do to help your projection.
....
these people have come to hear you. they will get something out of you, even if you are bad (you will make the next set sound better). remember that you are worth having.
do not drink alcohol before performing. it does not help.
make sure that you are wearing comfortable clothes (you'd be amazed how much the adrenaline rush makes you sweat).
live reading is never easy, but once you get used to it (which isn't that difficult) it can be fun. in fact live reading has a lot more in common with making love than most non-performers realise. the first time tends to be a disappointment, but a disappointment which gives you a clear idea that this could be very good indeed. by your third or fourth time it nearly always is.
2007-12-01 03:20:23 · answer #3 · answered by synopsis 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Hi g, I completely understand your fear. I for one would nearly pass out if I had to present a paper to class mates or perform in front of an audience and it took a long time to realize that I had nothing to fear. I can especially understand since you are presenting your poetry which is very much like opening your soul up to a bunch of strangers and hoping they will understand what they see or hear. Just remember that nearly everyone of them has probably suffered from the exact type of anxiety at some point in their life and that not one of them want to hurt you or make you feel bad. As long as you believe in your art and are prepared then you are going to do great. Trust me when I say that not a single person is going to think badly of you or your poetry. So, just try to relax, believe in yourself, and believe that your audience is there to share in the beauty of your art. Good Luck G. I'll be sending happy thoughts your way.
Also, this is a great group of people with some very talented and very nice poets to practice on. If you want to try some on us we'd be happy read it.
2007-12-01 03:39:03 · answer #4 · answered by Sptfyr 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
What approximately Russian Poets? My minor became Russian and that i took a Russian poetry class in college with famed Yevgeni Yevtushenko as my professor. His maximum widely used poem Babi Yar is a pair of place the place hundreds of Jews lost their lives in Kiev, Ukraine to the Nazis. I relatively have visited the area and that's unbelievably errie and unhappy to stand on such floor. The monument stands there memorializing the sufferers. His poems speaks approximately it. lots of the Russian poets talk from extreme discomfort and suffering (from their lives below the shadow of the communism). So somewhat some emotion for you. i might recommend - Yevgeny Yvetushenko, Anna Ahkmatova, Anton Chekov, Alexander Pushkin. stable good fortune!
2016-11-13 03:20:20 · answer #5 · answered by Erika 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Practice in an empty room. You'll have no distractions, and you'll be able to get comfortable with the material, as well as speaking to a "room." It also won't hurt if you think of yourself as a performer, an actor playing a part.
When I worked at IBM, one of my jobs was giving classes to customers on photocopiers. I gave classes to an empty room until I felt ready to face an audience. By the time I taught the first class, I was so comfortable with the process that, after I got over the initial shock that there were people sitting in the room watching me, it went very smoothly. In fact, after the class, several people came up to me and told me how much they'd enjoyed it. Imagine that! People enjoyed a class in IBM copier key operator training.
Good luck, and enjoy the experience.
.
2007-12-01 02:17:42 · answer #6 · answered by YY4Me 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
For a lot of people getting up in front of others, and sharing something that means something to them is scary. The only way you get more comfortable doing something is by doing it--over and over again.
Here's a few things to keep in mind:
People want you to succeed. There is no one out there looking to mock you, or laugh at you.
My wife gets scared getting in front of people too, but this is the truth, as scared as you feel, as nervous as you are--you are really doing much better than you think you are.
Read it in front of friends first. Read it in front of the mirror. Practice it non-stop. When you get up in front of people try to imagine they are all your close friends and share your poetry.
You will do well. The second time will be better than the first. Your third time will be better than the second.
Just keep going. Don't give up. Maybe bring some friends with you to encourage you.
2007-12-01 12:18:38 · answer #7 · answered by Todd 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
good luck with trying that underwear picturing thing, i just hope for the sake of vomiting there are no old really people there lol. but seriously, as a singer, a college english/writing major and poet on the side, ive presented my creative, and research oriented works a number of times in front of large audiences, (mainly poetic ones however) and i'd say the most important aspect is not physical presentation like a dancer, or certain varieties of entertainers, which isnt to say you shouldnt look your best, but its your delivery, namely the clarity of your speech, enunciation of words, and such, but most importantly, is the actual poem itself. if you or someone else wrote it, you preferably would want it to be something you like to read or are interested in it enough to memorise, that way you can speak it with more composure, even a little added theatrics, and more importantly, maintain eye contact with the audience, while captivating many with the words simply because you are captivated (or seem to be interested in them). in that regards ive noticed presenting poetry is much like singing, noone the audience expects you to know the song/ poem and entertain or interest them with it. lastly, whether you memorise it or not make sure you are familiar with the message yourself, the breaks between the line, the pronunciations, and present it in the meter is is written in unless it is free verse of course. anyway, stand up straight, project into the mic, a little more arm motion is allowed then if you were giving a speech, but little or no pacing about, and be sure to emphasize rhyming syllables if there are any, and extended puases at the end of each line to allow time for digestion. best of luck m8
2007-12-01 02:29:05 · answer #8 · answered by Chad M 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Since every one else has given advice on practicing already, I am going to give some suggestions for relaxing your body and mind. Because even if you have practiced it hundreds of times going up on stage stressed out can cause you to forget it. (Trust me I have done this before.) First of all, if you can have a cup of herbal tea or green tea before you go up to perform. Also, I would suggest that even if you can't get a cup of tea, bring along a portable cd player and listen to a favorite cd for a while as a way to meditate. IMPORTANT: DO NOT use a cd that has singing on it. Use a cd that is all instrumental like a flute or harp cd. If you use a cd that has singing it will cause you to have the songs in your head and mess up you memorisation of the poem. (I prefer Celtic music myself but I know there are other types like native american and classical.) Most important though is to just remember that the people in the audience want you to succeed. They are not there to laugh at you. (Unless of course it is a funny poem and you want them to laugh.) Just remember that those who come in to laugh at you and try to mess you up do it because they have neither the talent nor the courage to do it themselves. Good luck I am sure you will do great. (Also could you send me a copy of your poem I would like to read it.)
2007-12-01 03:22:00 · answer #9 · answered by West Coast Nomad 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes when we're really not confident of ourselves, it's best if we at least pretend to be extra-confident. Think of all the positive things...be very sure that your poem is such a brilliant masterpiece that reads well. Perform it passionately, make sure the expression really shows on your face. Have confidence in yourself and in your writing, so that your performance will look convincing and eye-catching. Even if you don't have it all, fake it. Good luck dear.
=)
2007-12-01 02:55:43 · answer #10 · answered by Dark Dickinsonian 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋