It seems impossible, but high-profile performers, like singers Adele and Rihanna, suffer stage fright just like the rest of us. Sometimes, such phobia may be part of a larger issue that can include symptoms such as dry mouth, nausea, stuttering, tachycardia, changes in vision, tics, and even tremors. Some people tend to have performance anxiety in the days, weeks or months leading to the performance. Just before going on stage, they may feel tense, fidgety, or lightheaded; their hands or voice might shake.
CAUSES OF STAGE FRIGHT
The fear of speaking or performing in often driven by embarrassment or over worry over how someone will be perceived and judged by others. It can be impacted by a variety of factors, including how well the performer knows their material, the size of the audience, whether the audience members are friends and friendly or strangers.
HOW CAN YOU REDUCE YOUR STAGE FRIGHT?
Fortunately, as this is a very common problem, there are numerous techniques and tips that can help you reduce or even eliminate your stage fright. Some things you should try are:
Practice, Practice, Practice!
Before a scheduled performance in school or a public event, make sure that you and your child are practising the piece rigorously. This includes practising intonation, inflexions and certain non-verbal cues to enhance the performance. For example, if your child is due for a recitation performance, make sure you practice the pronunciations and tonality of the poem, with them, as well as make sure that they know the words.
Visualize Success
Imagine yourself performing flawlessly and receiving applause. Visualizing positive outcomes can help boost your confidence and ease anxiety.
Deep Breathing
Take slow, deep breaths before going on stage. It helps calm your nerves and relax your body.
Warm-up
Do some vocal warm-ups or stretches to loosen up your body and get rid of tension.
Focus on the Audience
Instead of worrying about what they think, shift your focus to connecting with the audience and sharing your passion. Remember, they’re there to support you!
Embracing Mistakes
Understand that making mistakes is normal and part of the learning process. Don’t let them derail your performance or confidence.
Start Small
Begin by performing in front of a smaller audience or in a supportive environment. Gradually work your way up to larger stages.
Constructive Criticism
Children are perceptive beings and can be quite sensitive to criticism. During the practice sessions, make sure you correctly identify where your child needs some work and make sure you communicate that to them in a constructive manner. Every child has a different threshold for criticism, some may take it willingly and work on it, while some children internalise criticism. Make sure to deliver constructive criticism in a manner that works BEST for your child and not anyone else.
Exposure
Frankly, it is human nature to be intimidated by the unknown. Now place a young child in front of an audience for the first time, and you can expect them to feel the strong jitters. To make sure that your child does not feel intimidated or fearful of the stage on D-Day, make sure to expose them to an audience in steps. It can start with family, close friends and even graduate to your neighbours. This can condition them to perform freely in front of an audience, and make it less foreign.
Be Present
A 9 to 5 job, and the 24x7 job of being a parent can be overwhelming, but being present for your child is the best present that you can give them! Be your child’s most vocal cheerleader on the day of the event. Make sure your child has a familiar and kind face in the audience in the sea of strangers to comfort them.
STAGE FRIGHT AMONG CHILDREN
Stage fright among kids is a common phenomenon that can hinder their confidence and enjoyment of performing. It’s essential to support children in overcoming their fears and embracing the stage as a platform for self-expression. Anxiety becomes a real problem when the lead-up or aftermath is stressful enough to impact the child’s normal functioning, which is usually most evident at home.
By providing support, encouragement, and practical strategies, we can help children overcome their fears and embrace the stage with confidence.
HOW DOES BTA HELP KIDS TO OVERCOME STAGE FRIGHT?
At BTA, we conduct ‘Kid’s Got Talent’ on a quarterly basis. Kid’s Got Talent is a talent show that is open to kids aged between 5 to 14 years and offers a platform for them to showcase their talent in music, dance, story-telling, and theatre. This talent show is an initiative not only for talent showcasing but also to help children to conquer their stage fright.
Apart from Kid’s Got Talent BTA conducts an annual performance called ‘JALSA’, where all the kids of our academy participate to showcase their talents and progress. We offer the best platforms for kids to overcome their stage fright and help in freely expressing themselves in front of a huge audience.
Written by
Lekhita
Comments