“She’s got it! Yeah baby she’s got it….”

Photo of Farah performing at the 2019 H Street Festival by Paul Legoy.

Here are three things you can work on to become a kickass performer.

I watch a lot of belly dance shows. And to be honest I see a lot of the same characteristics over and over again. And while I know video doesn’t capture dance performances as well, stage presence is something we can work on now to prepare for when we can perform in front of people again. So here are my big three topics that I would like to help you with so you can become a better performer in 2021 and beyond.

Relax

First things first, relax! (Are you singing the song from the 80s?) The only way you can perform at your highest level is to be relaxed. Show jitters, the inner critic, excitement, expectation, fear, nerves, all these feelings and thoughts will affect your performance. When you relax, you can tap into your creativity, you can get out of your own head and connect with the audience, you can feel the music, you can listen, and you can respond to the stimuli around you. Your audience can read your mental state. Relax your mind and body.

Connect

Now that you’re relaxed, you can connect. Have you ever been at a show and felt like the performer was looking right at you? I have a clear memory of being at a Johnny Marr show with my husband a few years ago. We were standing in a huge general admission crowd and we both thought Johnny was looking right into our eyes and singing right to each one of us. It was magnetic, and unforgettable. I’ve heard a lot of people advise looking above people’s heads or to the back of the room. But honestly, that won’t connect with your audience. That advice is good for beginners or for stage actors who are speaking out “there” but not to anyone in particular. But good performers will actually pick out people to connect with directly. In the front row, in the back row, in the balcony, through the camera. I have a lot to say about connection because connecting also means connecting to the music, but I will leave that for a future post.

Improvise

If you’re relaxed and connected, you can improvise. When I talk about improvisation I know many dancers use choreography and I have nothing against choreography. Choreography helps us learn to organize our movements, to work with other dancers, and can help us remember what we did in the future. But, even choreography needs to come from a relaxed and connected place. If you learn to improvise, you can also learn how to make your choreography look effortless. Just like in acting, you need to be present in the moment even when performing choreography.

Want to learn more about how to be a kick-ass performer? Want to learn how to relax, connect, and improvise? I love coaching dancers to be all they can be and more. These skills will serve you whether you are dancing at home, on a stage, or in a bar. They are transferable for multiple styles.

I don’t want to see blank faces, fake smiles, thinking, I want to see you performing at your best.