How to overcome stage fright

Most performers know the often overwhelming, anxiety-ridden feeling of stage fright. You’re just about to go on stage and you get the dreaded nervousness, threatening to takeover and undo all of your hard work and commitment.

Whatever your discipline, and whether you’re an amateur or experience professional, performance anxiety can affect the best of us. There are even a whole host of famous celebrities with stage fright who, despite years of experience, still struggle with pre-performance nerves.

Stage fright can result in a number of unpleasant feelings, ranging from intense fear, dread, shaking, sweating, a racing heart and even sickness and dizziness. The good news is, it’s not usually dangerous or a sign of a medical condition. But, at it’s worst, it can put some people off performing altogether.

While some people are more prone to stage fright than others, it can affect anyone at any age just before a performance. So, is there anything you can do about it? While you might not be able to completely get rid of those uncomfortable sensations, there are a

few steps you can take to help overcome the effects of stage fright:

Practice

Perhaps the most obvious (and possibly the most important) is to practice, practice, practice.

Whether you’ll be performing in a group or solo, singing, dancing or acting, it’s vital to make sure you know your routine, lyrics or lines inside out.

Begin learning your performance well in advance and establish a weekly schedule that gives you plenty of time to practice. It’s a good idea to continue practicing in your own time, at home, as well as in any organised formal classes or sessions. And, if you’re performing in a group, make sure to rehearse in your group too! This will also give you time to work on any particularly tricky sections and get help from a tutor, mentor or principal should you need it. Preparation is key for just about anything, and performing is no different!

Dress rehearsals

There are a few reasons why professionals take part in at least one dress rehearsal. And it should ideally take place in the theatre or location where you’ll be performing. Knowing your full routine and the logistics of the venue will give you extra confidence when it comes 

to the final show. It’s especially useful to rehearse in the costume you’ll be wearing on the actual event to establish any challenges that might arise before you go on stage. 

Taking part in a dress rehearsal will also give you an idea of what it will feel like once on stage – the only difference is the lack of audience!

Breathe

It might sound silly but remember to breathe. The moments just before you’re about to head out into the audience can be some of the most terrifying for those with stage fright. If panic sets in, try and spend a few moments concentrating on your breath.

Panic can not only make you feel those overwhelming physical sensations, but it can create mental blocks where you might struggle to remember parts of your performance.

This fight or flight response is a normal bodily reaction but is not particularly helpful in this situation!

The NHS recommends this breathing technique for stress, which can help calm nerves and can be done in any situation. While it might not strictly be an official performance anxiety treatment, it can work wonders when trying to overcome stage fright.

Put things into perspective

Whatever level you’re performing at, it’s sometimes useful to put things into perspective. 

Remember, in the majority of cases your audience is there to watch you because they want to enjoy 

a show - they’re not there to judge or embarrass you. And, more often than not, the stage fright just 

before a performance is worse than actually being up there in front of an audience. 

Most of the pressure to perform well will come from you, so be kind to yourself, as you would with a 

friend in the same situation. And, if you’ve properly prepared, the worst that can happen is that you 

forget a line, or a dance move, or a song lyric – no big deal.

If this does happen…

Don’t panic!

If things go wrong, wing it! Chances are, if you slip up slightly your audience won’t even notice. So don’t let one mistake take over and ruin the rest of the performance for you.

If you miss a move or forget part of a routine, you have a few options. If you’re performing solo, you can freestyle until you pick your routine or lines back up again. If you’re performing as part of a larger group, look to others for cues and you’ll likely find it easy to slip back into the flow.

The biggest challenge here is not to panic. Go back to your breathing techniques for a couple of seconds to re-focus and no one will ever know anything happened!

Be supportive

If you’re performing as part of a group, one of the most important factors is to be supportive of others. If you see someone struggling on stage with you, help them get back on track by offering subtle cues or gently nudging them in the right direction.

Offer encouraging words before and after the show to help build confidence and reduce the effects of stage fright.

Have fun!

Lastly, and most importantly, remember to enjoy yourself! You’re in this situation because you love what you do. So, it would be a real shame to let stage fright take over the euphoria and sense of achievement you’ll get from performing in front of an appreciative audience.

Celebrate your wins and don’t dwell on anything that didn’t quite go to plan. You might find you can’t wait to experience it all again next time!