In a seminar with Mr Gong and Martin we discussed the common problem of stage fright. Everyone
can suffer from it, even experienced performers and professional presenters. Even if your preparation
is perfect, you will feel nervous and, what is worse, your hands and body may start to shake
before or during the performance.
To train myself at school, I took part in some interviews of students’ associations. I felt nervous
before the interview even if I was well prepared and had practised many times. And during the
interview, the feeling of tension was strong and my heart was beating faster.
There are some things I learned through these interviews, which you should do before you get on
stage. First of all, it is essential to make adequate preparation before your performance. It can
reduce fright to a certain degree. Secondly, you should practise in front of friends, empty chairs
or a mirror, so that you get used to performing in front of people. The more you practise the more
confident you will feel. Thirdly, the first impression is important, in other words the way you dress
is important. Wearing something that is suitable and that you are proud to wear, will make you
more confident. Lastly, do not tell people you are nervous. That may make things worse and cause
the audience to lose faith in you.
Before you start performing, you better take a deep breath and try to relax. You can pretend that
you are practising at home or somewhere with your friends. If you mess it up when performing,
don’t stop, just continue, because nobody will know that you made a mistake unless you stop. It
is very important to stay physically active during the performance. It will help to ease your tension
and keep the audience’s interest to some extent.
If you really want to overcome your stage fright, it is a good way to ask your audience how you
did. On the one hand, you can find out your shortcomings through this feedback, on the other hand,
knowing how to improve from the audience, you feel stronger the next time you get on stage.
There is no shortcut to conquer stage fright. It is a long way to go before you overcome it. Only
through practising and not being afraid of losing your face, you will succeed.
By Echo