How Dancers Can Stay Engaged During a Performance

Performing for an audience affects every dancer differently. For many dancers, the presence of an audience helps them to bring out the best of their abilities. For others, performing for an audience doesn’t come very naturally.

Fuel Your Body

You need the right level of nourishment in your body to feel good physically and mentally. Consider taking a supplement that can help you stay energized with natural vitamins and minerals. Avoid energy boosters that give you a quick burst of energy with stimulants and could cause unpleasant side effects. Opt for an energy enhancing supplement with natural ingredients that is reported to have minimal side effects. Thrive side effects have been shown to be relatively minor compared to stimulant-based energy supplements.

Avoid Burnout

You won’t be able to perform at your best if you’re not well-rested. Running out of energy mid-performance will cause you to appear out of sync with other performers. Moreover, it will likely be apparent that you’re not enjoying yourself. Your schedule may be demanding, but you have to give yourself adequate time for rest. Make it a point to get seven to eight hours of sleep each night.

Get Comfortable in the Clothes That You Wear to Perform

Being uncomfortable in what you’re wearing can be very distracting while you’re trying to perform; it might even make you feel self-conscious in front of your audience. If you’re choosing what you wear, pick something that fits you comfortably and makes you feel confident. If you have to wear something that’s provided for you, make whatever alterations may be necessary to ensure a good fit. You certainly don’t want to be fearful of a wardrobe malfunction occurring while you’re trying to perform. Lastly, be sure to rehearse in what you’re wearing several times before your first performance. You want your clothes to feel like a second skin and not like something that’s totally new and unfamiliar.

Enjoy Your Performance

All dancers strive for perfection, but trying to be too perfect can make you look stiff and infuse your dancing with a forced-looking quality. You want to emanate joy, effortlessness, and expressiveness; if that widens your margin for error, it may be worth it. Audiences feel most engaged by dancers who exhibit passion more than those who are fixated on perfection.

Recover From Missteps Quickly

In any dance performance that involves a lot of physicality and synchronicity, mistakes are simply bound to happen. You have to move on from a mistake quickly if something goes wrong.  It’s understandable that you’ll be thrown off track, but you need to keep your attention towards the next elements in your choreography. Stay focused on what’s ahead in your performance, and don’t keep replaying missteps in your head or you’ll be likely to repeat them. If it’s not you but rather or a partner or team member has made a misstep, don’t get distracted by it. Staying grounded will help them recover and stay on course.

Don’t Focus on Distracted Audience Members

Performers may tend to feel the most distracted by the audience members who are giving them the least attention. Instead of trying to win over the attention of the people who appear disinterested, focus on connecting with the audience members who want to be engaged by your performance. Feed off of positive energy and disregard neutral or negative energy.

You’ll give your audience a good experience when you dance with energy and confidence. Taking on the right preparations in advance of your performance and maintaining a positive attitude during it will create the optimal conditions for a memorable show. Foster a strong connection with your audience by being receptive to their energy and not guarding your own. You can’t feel inhibited by nerves or insecurity. Set your expectations for yourself high, but don’t be your own worst critic. Strive for continual improvement with each performance and you’ll become increasingly skilled at engaging your audience.