Stage fright is classified as a fear or a phobia that is usually aroused by the requirement to perform in front of a large audience. Stage fright is one of the most common phobias, and it appears to be part of a large pattern of social anxiety disorder. In fact, according to Tom Antion, “Many of the top performers in the world get stage fright.” Additionally, like diseases, stage fright comes with several symptoms including: dry mouth, tight throat, sweaty hands, cold hands, shaky hands, nausea, increased pulse, trembling lips, and shaky knees. Regardless of the symptoms, there are many methods you can use to your advantage to finally overcome stage fright.
1. Be Well Prepared
If you are prepared, you have nothing to worry about. You should have previously memorized your lines or made index cards with what you’re going to present. If you are a dance performer, you should already have your routine down. A well-prepared person usually faces little to no difficulty. If you are prepared, you should have no problems.
2. Use Eye Contact
Too many people feel the need to look down because nervousness kicks in. However, if you don’t have eye contact with the audience, they might not understand you, and you might bore them or confuse them. Just remember to look at the audience in general.
3. Listen to Music Before the Program/Presentation
Although this sounds useless, music has the power to relax and comfort people. Cerebromente believes music has been found to cause physical responses in many people simultaneously. Music also has the ability to strengthen or weaken emotions from a particular event, such as a funeral or party.
4. Warm Up Your Voice and Muscles
If you don’t warm up your voice, it might crack, and that would be very embarrassing. When warming up the voice, practice thinning and thickening the vocal chords. You can also try scales and talking in different pitches. You should also warm up the muscles so you’re not stiff. Warming up the muscles is important, especially if you are doing a dance routine or exercise routine in front of an audience.
5. Don’t Hold Notes or Paperwork
If you can, try substituting notes on paper with index cards or three-by-five cards. If you become nervous, the audience can see the flimsy paper shake.
6. Concentrate on Your Audience
Your sole purpose of presenting is to satisfy the needs of the audience and/or instructor. Concentrate on the individual faces. If they become intimidating, try focusing more on your notes, voice, or performance.
7. Double Check the Equipment
Finally, before the performance, you need to make sure the microphone and other equipment work. The first thing you want to avoid is a microphone that cuts out or random screeches during your presentation or routine.
Overcoming stage fright may seem difficult at first. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different performance strategies. Some might work, and others may have flaws. In the end, if you follow these tips, you will learn to control stage fright, and it should no longer be a problem.
Daniel Morales - Daniel Morales was involved with professional gamers, and semi-professional gamers during high school.
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