How you show up in the spotlight is 90% about what happens backstage. #accordingtome
Backstage in this context means both in the wings right before showtime AND throughout all the prep and process leading up to that moment. Your entire life, really.
Sure, your current mood and whether or not you have your period and who’s in the audience and “will I mess up” all play a factor in how you’ll feel as you perform, but it’s not JUST about those things.
The product is only as strong as the process behind it.
My latest story about this -
In our final session of the You Can Dance Again program on Monday, just 2 days post showcase, I asked each woman to share her most memorable moment of the show night.
One said:
“Performing on stage for the first time ever was huge for me, but honestly, it was the time backstage that was most meaningful and memorable. I felt such a connection to the women who were there with me - even the ones who I just met. We talked and laughed and it felt like such a safe space to be me. By the time I was ready to walk on stage for my solo, I felt ready. And it was because of all that happened before.”
I know that not every show will automatically come with that level of support backstage, but it is possible for you to create it. To be it. To enjoy YOUR process so much that it’s contagious to those around you.
A few things you can do backstage to get in the zone:
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Get bodied. In your body. Out of your head. (#dancebreak, anyone?)
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Connect. To yourself, to others, to spirit/universe/the muses/whatever inspires you.
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Breathe. Remember you always have your breath. Tap into it.
Remember that the moments on stage are so fleeting. Live for something more than just that short moment. Make the whole process an experience you love and live for.
Do you crave being on stage, even though it might terrify you?
Want to free up your inner dancer and let her loose?
I can help. There are openings in both my private coaching practice and the next round of You Can Dance Again, and I would love to talk with YOU to see if either speaks to your soul. Contact me now and tell me a bit about your dance story and I’ll reply back asap.
with backstage hugs and a loving nudge,
Jess
