Performing is equally amazing and terrifying for most! If you have taken the leap and decided to perform, congratulations for being so brave and incredible, cause it really isn’t easy and you should already be so proud of yourself!
We’ve put together some top tips that we hope help you feel more comfortable whether you’re a newbie or a pro looking to develop further! We also run 121’s and off the pole consultations where we can work specifically on choreo, performance and individual coaching!
- Choose a song you love! You will be listening to it on repeat, so make it a good one. You need a song you won’t get sick of as you could be hearing it for months, when you’re writing your choreo and running your routine constantly. You don’t want to make it to show day only to feel fed up and tired of hearing it. You want to feel hyped and be excited to dance to your song, as not only does it make for a better performance but it will help you overcome any nerves.
- Stamina is key! Don’t save all of your big moves for the end. We understand it can be more than tempting to save all of those big strength tricks you’ve learned for the climax, but you are only doing yourself a disservice. After 3 minutes straight of performing you will be filled with adrenaline and likely more than a little sweaty! You will also start feeling the fatigue and you want enough in the engine to do those moves justice and execute them well and safely! It’s better to have them earlier on when you have plenty of steam and can give them more yaldy, causing them to have more impact!
- Control is sexy. Putting together a routine filled with tricks you’ve just learned isn’t wise, no matter the temptation. What makes performances look effortless and amazing? Control. Being able to control your body in every movement so entrances and exits look just as smooth as the trick itself. Adrenaline in your body will already make this harder for you as well as any nerves, best to give yourself more of a fighting chance by using tricks you know you can control throughout, ideally on both sides. Simpler is better.
- Practice Improvising. Something will go wrong on the day, it just does. There’s no such thing as a perfect performance. What puts you above everyone else, is being able to cover those mistakes and keep going no matter what. Have a short combo of tricks you can do in your sleep so if you miss an entry or forget what you’re doing, you have something you can throw in without a moments thought. Whilst your body is doing something familiar, your brain can be figuring out what to do next. The best way to be prepared for this is to simply practice improvising. Pop a song on and just dance, don’t think. You might find you do the same things but then you know your body will always keep moving regardless. The more you do it, the better you get and the better prepared you are for the inevitable issues.
- Don’t drop character. No matter what happens, you sell the s**t out of your routine. If you maintain character throughout, audience members won’t know something has went wrong. You show it on your face, then they’ll know. You can make almost anything look intentional, simply by staying in character. At the very least you’ll have them doubting, wondering if that was a slidey fall or a deliberate drop.
- Take a breath. When writing your choreo, give yourself planned breathing space and breaks from those big combos. Factoring in some floor work or basework between the combo’s gives you time to breath and helps you maintain stamina throughout the entirety of the routine. You want to be able to make it through the whole thing, too much too soon and you’ll struggle later. Flowing between moves also makes it feel like one whole cohesive piece and gives it that effortless, wow factor.
- Be present. 3 minutes might feel like a lot but it will fly in, especially once the adrenaline kicks in. Most people barely remember their first ever performance because they were too focussed on getting it right than being present and enjoying the moment. If you’re having fun, the audience will enjoy it. Eye contact invites them in to your routine and engages them more fully, making you more memorable. They’re also a great resource to bolster yourself with. Enjoy those cheers and really relish the praise, cause asking for it afterwards is frowned upon.
- No one knows your routine but you. You will know when you make a mistake or when something hasn’t quite gone to plan but no one else will unless you tell them by reacting, stalling, making a face, acting upset etc. On that stage, you pretend everything was intentional and planned, they are in your world and they will get whatever you’re giving them!
- Plan Ahead. You’ll be nervous enough on the day, don’t make things worse with a last minute panic gathering your stuff together. Make lists if you have to but get your bag ready the night before. Go through everything you will need before, during and after your performance. Things that are commonly forgotten like; water, food, mirror, wipes to take off the grip afterwards, safety pins in case, boob tape for any last minute adjustments etc.
- Friendly filming. Get a friend to film your routine for you on your own phone or theirs. If there’s a professional video, great! But don’t just rely on it as you don’t know what they’ll film, how they’ll edit or what the end result is going to be. You also won’t receive it for a couple of months at best as they take time to edit. Having your own record means you can watch it as soon as you wish and might help put your mind at ease about any mistakes made. It’s also a great backup if you don’t like the professional video as well as good to use for competition entries as they always ask for unedited wide shots of a performance.
- Be specific. Listen to your song intently and find those distinguishing beats, anything that is underneath the obvious and write your choreo around it. There is nothing more satisfying than landing a move on the beat of a song. Imagine you are the physical embodiment of the music, a reflection of the piece. Your timings are everything and can be practised months before.
- Make a list. A playlist that is. Ever heard a song you thought would be great for a routine only just to forget it later? We’ve all done it. Start a pole playlist on an app like Spotify and add any songs you hear and want to choreograph to over time. It means when you come to write a routine you know exactly where to go to get inspiration. Also useful to use this list to start those improvisation practices mentioned earlier.
- Nerves are ok! Nerves mean you care. Many seasoned performers still get nervous! It never goes away, all you can do is learn how to manage them in a way that works for you. Make sure it doesn’t stop you eating during the day so you have loads of energy for your performance. If you know you’ll need a nervous wee before going on stage, delay putting on your costume, or factor it in when deciding what you’ll wear. Is it easy to get in and out of? Experiment each and every time you perform to find whatever works best for your own process.
- Be creative! There is nothing worse than seeing a creative and cool routine that loses it all the moment you just walk to the next pole. Make your choreo feel like one piece and work on that flow! Stay in character at all times and make the transitions interesting! Especially if you are ever competing, this is the most common way to lose marks! You’re performing for you, no one else and so do what feels right and what means you’ll have fun and enjoy every moment! Express yourself and your style of movement, telling your story!
Juicy Pole Glasgow 