How to build confidence when you dance? Beginners Guide

I was that girl. I used to be a shy, mumbling dancer....with stage fright. ALL THE TIME! You see, though I danced through high school and college, I used to get really nervous before shows, auditions or performances.

Even if you’re an extrovert and don’t know what stage fright is, you can still relate to feeling shy in class or not wanting to look like a fool in front of your friends. We’ve all been there at some point. However, there are a few tips and tricks I've learned along the way, to get myself past my shyness. This got me thinking about others like us who don't want to be the “introvert” of the room and want to step up their game on stage (or at least feel better while they're at it).

1-Nobody is looking at you constantly when you dance

Trust me with this one. Seriously, nobody cares about how you dance or constantly thinking about you. And that’s not an upsetting realization at all! In fact, it’s quite refreshing. It’s freeing.

Just you do you, be you.. Everyone else is busy with themselves, their own moves or just simply enjoying dancing. Dance is not an activity for people to judge you, dance is freedom.

2-Have you ever tried to awaken your dancer personality? 

This is what separates you as a dancer from others. You have the capability to be someone else in a fictional realm, free of all your own restraints, doubts, and fears. Why don’t you use that? 

Dance is performing, it's an art. Something interesting happens when you don’t have to worry about being yourself. Things get a lot easier. Choose yourself as a character and go to the stage, leave your fears away and perform as that character.

Imagine yourself as being the confident character who is just there to tune with the music, smile or close your eyes. Fake it till you make it … 

3- Nobody is perfect and that is okay

First  of all, calm down. You’re not about to get in a criticall surgery where you have to cut the patient's heart and do this and that. There is no death at the end, don't focus on being perfect this will only ruin your performance.
Even the biggest professionals make mistakes sometimes so far they’re still alive. 

Going hard on yourself and focusing on being perfect will only stress you out which will have a negative impact on your performance.
Make mistakes, that’s how we all learn. 

4- Do not compare yourself with others


This is your journey and you are not them, they are not you. Everybody is unique, our bodies do not look like each other, we don’t feel the same thing when we listen to the same song. Why comparing yourself with others then?

Simply everybody has their positive and negative skills, by focusing on others you are ignoring all great skills you have! Take charge of your own growth in your journey and don’t create unnecessary anxiety by comparing fishes and elephants ability. 

5- As long as you don’t give up, there is always another way.