Whether it's your child's first performance at their dance studio or their 20th, stage fright can strike at any time and be a consuming fear many young dancers share. While this trepidation is normal, it can keep a young dancer from enjoying their experience on stage and inhibit them from trying other activities they might love in the future. Here is a guide on how to help your little one feel capable and calm under those bright stage lights. 

How to Help Your Child's Stage Fright

1.Turn Anxiety Into Excitement

Feeling scared and excited often share similar bodily reactions. Talk to your child about how it can feel: heart pumping, mind racing, and charged by emotions. Comparing their feelings surrounding stage fright with feelings of excitement can help your child bridge the gap between the two emotions. This may help them shift their mindset to a more positive one, knowing something special is about to happen rather than something scary. 

2. Teach Grounding Techniques

Anxiety about performing in front of a crowd cannot always be quelled by logic or more practice in the dance studio. It's important your child has tools they can count on to calm themselves before going on stage. 

Breathing techniques like the 4-7-8 method helps send a signal to the nervous system that calms the entire body. Another grounding practice is meditation. Whether it's a five minute guided mediation through a phone app or a few quiet minutes with their eyes closed silently repeating a mantra, mindfulness practice can help a child manage stressful situations better. 

When your child is calm and centered, they can tap into their own skills and muscle memory without the interference of nerves. 

3. Remind Them No One Is Perfect

If you make a mistake during a performance, it's much better to move on to the next piece of choreography you remember rather than doing anything to draw attention to a misstep. However, it's crucial your child understands that making a mistake is normal and nothing to fear. 

The most skilled and trained dancers have made mistakes and continue to have incredibly successful careers. Mistakes are an important opportunity to learn and grow as a dancer. While making errors is uncomfortable and can be disappointing, they can be the catalyst for much bigger things.

Confidence is one of the many benefits children experience after joining a welcoming and supportive dance studio. This is why residents in Broomfield, CO, choose Elite Dance Academy for their young dancers. Children of all skills levels, ages two and up, can take part in group classes and competitive teams or private dance lessons for jazz, contemporary, ballet, tap, hip-hop, pom, and silks. With flexible class times and experienced instructors, your child will grow as a dancer and an individual. To sign up for a trial class, visit them online or call (303) 466-8626.