Nervous and scared.

joni1 started this discussion · 6/11/2013

Hi everyone. My 1st routine pole performance for a showcase is this sat. I am so nervous performing in front of my peers that I could throw up. I'm wondering what I got myself into. I could do my routine in my sleep and have listen to my song 1000 times but Im scared S--tless. What if I blankout? What if I fall on my head? What if I throw up on stage? Performing for a showcase was one goal on my bucket list. But I am realizing my goal of my bucket list last year which was jumping off a plane skydiving was so much easier and less stressful than my 1st showcase performance. Any body been in my shoes with nerves?

15 replies

Charley · 6/11/2013
Every single time I perform I am a ball of nerves, in fact I don't like to perform at all. Once you hear your music, your body will go into auto pilot, I promise. You won't blank, you've run the routine, know the song, trust me your body knows what to do when it needs to do it. You will be great, your performance will be a blur and you'll want to do it all over again :D
luvlee · 6/11/2013
Yes! I get nerves BADLY! I almost threw up before my last performance at the Venus Pole Festival. I was going to back out too. Nerves messed me up so bad. I do go blank and I had this deer in the head lights look on my face the whole time. Only about a fourth of it is how I wanted it to go and had practiced. This is a problem for me. I actually want to do more to work on the problem!!! I do get a rush after it is all over though and I am glad I did it. I will say this. PRACTICE more. Even if you know it, do it more and do it in front of friends!
joni1 · 6/12/2013
Charley, I hope your right about auto pilot. Luvlee, I hope your wrong. But knowing me, my nerves will probably mess me up. I know I would be upset at myself if I messup badly as sooooo much time and practice has gone into a 3 1/2 min routine. I will post a vid here after good or bad. Any last minute advise on performing well?
Runemist34 · 6/12/2013
Hey Joni1! I have done some burlesque performances before- both of them were at least semi-choreographed, and both of them I was horribly nervous for! I don't like being on stage, in front of people, and... well, I guess I decided I was crazy because I did do it! My first performance I did actually screw up. I had the timing of the music down, but not my own timing- both my gloves were off in the span of time it should have taken for one of them! I realized this about partway through. I knew my music well enough though, and improvised the corset removal to be longer. I teased the heck out of that audience! It was a lot of fun, and I wouldn't have discovered it had I not been so nervous and screwed up a little bit. On the flip side, I did my other performance fairly well, and got... lackluster response, mostly due to my music. I was also really nervous for that one, but I remembered everything I'd wanted to do. So, couple tricks for you: Firstly, practice! I know you have been doing, and I know how very boring it can be. You just want to dance, why do you have to do this routine AGAIN? Ugh! But, it can save your bacon later- knowing your music, knowing what you wanted to do if you screw up (so that you know where you want to be, and can get there, and make it look kinda good!), and besides that, it can really help with the anxiety of performance. You can tell yourself "I KNOW this routine! I'm going to ROCK this thing!" And that's my second trick: Tell yourself positive things. I can't tell you how important this is! Tell yourself you're going to rock, you're going to have fun- you're not nervous, you're excited! The things you tell yourself become a big part of how you feel. This is actually a huge part of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which they use to treat things like anxiety in daily life. Tell yourself good things, be nice to yourself, and suddenly... you won't feel so horrible about stuff. The incessant "What if"s that you're running through can be really freaky, and I know that they plague me daily, constantly. It's an issue I'm dealing with. But, you can try to answer those questions and see what happens. What if you blank out? Listen to the music and take a moment. Do some sexy stuff- people like the sexy stuff. What if you're so nervous you throw up? Well, I have a friend who does that with things like public addresses, and she just tries to hold off till she's done, and then she runs off to the bathroom. See about doing that. Work on slow, controlled breathing, eat a proper meal, give yourself time to digest before performing. What if you fall on your head? I'm pretty sure all pole dancers have to face down that fear, even without performing! I'm sure that, by now, you're able to detect whether your hold isn't quite right, or your slipping a little bit. Breathe, and think of some ideas on how to counteract those issues. Mainly, have fun. I know that everyone says that, but if you've ever had the mentality of "Laugh it off" then that's the best one to have when you're performing! Things will go wrong- I've seen girls slip on stage, lose their pasties, have zippers get stuck, all of that. It HAPPENS. It's just like any major event in life- weddings, babies, christmas parties. I'm excited for you! You're doing something amazing that you've always wanted to do! Go get it, and be just as awesome as we all know you can be!
luvlee · 6/12/2013
Well, we have all had different experiences. One can not be right or wrong.... I certainly hope yours goes well, with it being your first one, you will be able to see how it goes for you personally. I have done 3. My first was the best and the third was the worst for me nerves wise. It was a bigger event.
joni1 · 6/12/2013
Wow Rumemist, these are awesome tips. I'M GONNA DO GREAT, I'M GONNA ROCK IT, I'M GONNA BE AWESOME. I can feel and see it already. Thank You sooooo much for the great advice.
joni1 · 6/12/2013
Luvlee, this is at a large opera theater with 200 plus people watching. Yikes.
aliceBheartless · 6/12/2013
I actually find that performing in front a larger audience helps me out nerve-wise. When the audience is larger, they are usually also further away. There's just something about that which is helpful for me. Just breath, make sure you rehearse, rehearse, rehearse, and also, a big kicker for me, because nerves make me not hungry at all, make sure you have been eating enough that you have the energy you need, and make sure you are hydrated. After this performance, you will know whether you like performing or not. No matter how many nerves I have, the rush of performing makes all the rehearsals, etc, so worth it! :)
monica kay · 6/12/2013
my advice is to remember this: you don't have to win anybody over- the audience is already on your side. they want you to do well. our own selves are our worst critics and others usually are not so hard to please. this is what i think about before I perform and it helps me alot.
aliceBheartless · 6/12/2013
Plus, they have no idea what you are going to do. So as long as you own it, you will be awesome no matter what you do and the audience will agree! :)
joni1 · 6/14/2013
So, I went to rehearsal at the theater for tomorrow night's showcase and was shocked on how spinny the xpole celing mounted pole was. It is 50% more spinny than my PS Star stage pole. I am so screwed. 1 min of my routine is on spinny. I felt out of control with the spin with the amount of takeoff I was use to and been practicing. After crying, hyperventilating and an anxiety attack at the theater, I kept trying some more. I found that I had to put very little push with my toes only and only lift up into my sitting ballerina. And The room is still spinning for a few seconds on me before I walk over to the static pole in which is 9 feet away and 10 sec to get to it. HELP
Legs4Days · 6/14/2013
I have performed in dance recitals and our instructor always says that no one will know u messed up besides you. I know that pole can be different with all of the moves etc. but just keep going with it and add to it if u have to. Solos are scary but they are the easiest to add-lib....I am probaby not spelling that rite ....good luck! For dizziness, I just walk in the opposite direction of the spin when I land. A fellow veener gave me this advice and it works for me!
glitterhips · 6/14/2013
Hey!!! I am so sad to know you feel so scared because performing pole is one of my favorite things ever! I only skimmed the thread, is it a studio showcase type thing? The first time I ever performed was actually at a showcase miss Charley put on, and I remember I was so sure I was gonna fall I made my fiance sit right up front and promise to come pick me up off the floor if I fell off the pole!!!! LOL. I was quite nervous too but I picked a song I really enjoyed and then when I got up there I remember smiling!!! And I ended up having a great time. Do what Runemist said and do the mantra! Listen to the rocky theme song and dance around your house before you go in your underwear, do whatever you have to do to get into your big girl confident panties!!! YOU CAN DO THIS. You do pole for fun right?!? This is fun!!! If you get nervous, google some stage fright/relaxation techniques. It helps me to listen to my song in my headphones and kinda zone out a little before I go on stage and run through it in my head a few last times. Do you have any friends, husband, family going to cheer you on?! Take deep breaths and dont forget to breathe throughout, Charley is right on all points and after I'm done I'm always like, did that just happen?! Post here and let us know how it goes! Re; spin pole - just adjust with doing poses you can hold easily or shorten the section but I would just do simple poses or hold simple spins. You can milk poses on spin pole for at least 8-10 seconds in emergency situations ;) and body waves are always crowd pleasers! Good luck you will be fabulous! I am a seasoned performer I promise you its not scary :) may the glitter sparkle be upon you!!!! xoxoxo
monica kay · 6/15/2013
when dizzy, i find it is a good idea to crawl dramatically instead of walking :)
joni1 · 6/16/2013
Thank you so much everyone for the great advice. Charley you were right, My body went to auto pilot when my music came on. I was having a panick attack backstage before my performance and wanted to drop out but my husband and everyone wouldnt let me. But now I am so happy I did it and had the time of my life. I posted a video tittled Bridal Routine.