CONQUERING STAGE FRIGHT

Even big stars like Adele and Rihanna get stage fright. It can cause symptoms like dry mouth, nausea, stuttering, rapid heartbeat, vision changes, and even shaking. Some people tend to have performance anxiety in the days, weeks or months leading to the performance. Before stepping on stage, they might feel tense, shaky, or lightheaded. Their hands or voice could tremble.

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 performance, ensure you and your child practice the piece thoroughly. This includes practising intonation, inflexions and certain non-verbal cues to enhance the performance. For a recitation, practice the poem’s pronunciation and tone together with your child.

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. Start small and level up.

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. A child's first time on stage? Expect big 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 loudest cheerleader! Let them see your familiar, kind face in the crowd for comfort.

STAGE FRIGHT AMONG CHILDREN

Stage fright is common in kids and can affect their confidence and joy of performing. It’s essential to support children in overcoming their fears and embracing the stage as a platform for self-expression. Anxiety is a problem when stress before or after an event affects a child’s daily life, especially 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 host 'Kid’s Got Talent' every quarter for kids aged 5-14, giving them a stage to shine 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.

Besides 'Kid’s Got Talent,' BTA hosts 'JALSA' yearly, where all our kids showcase their talent and growth. We offer the best platforms for kids to overcome their stage fright and help in freely expressing themselves in front of a huge audience.