Developing your Performance Skills pt2
November 11, 2009
In our last post we spoke about learning your material and being yourself which should be the first things you think about when performing. The next area we are focusing on is one of the most crucial things to any type of performer and is missing from many.
3. Confidence
Now some people may say this should be the first thing spoken about but how can you be confident when you haven’t learn what you are doing?
If you are and artist and like in the Concept development article posted previously you know who you are as an artist (who or what are you selling) and you know your material inside out then their should be no reason you shouldn’t feel confident in your performance.
It’s hard to control various things when appearing on the bill at an event, so many thing can go wrong, but the one thing you can control is your performance. If you concentrate on your performance and not what is going on around you, you will be OK.
Many people have Fear issues when it comes to their performances. If we look at the dictionary definition of fear we find:
“A distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.”
Note a key word in that definition Imagined. Often artists issues come from imaginary scenarios thought up by the artists.
What if I get booed? What if you don’t?
What if something goes wrong? What if it doesn’t?
Don’t think about what could happen, think about what will happen and that is you will give a performance to the best of your ability.
The next area is one many performers have difficulty with.
4. Connecting with your audience
The reason audiences come to see performers is they want to enjoy a performer, to feel something, they do not want to be impressed but are generally glad when they are. Many people nowadays are conditioned to what they see on X Factor but not everyone is judgemental like Mr Cowell.
Remember you are performing FOR your audience NOT TO your audience so involve them if in any way possible, even if it is just speaking to them in between songs. If you are not confident speaking to audiences, what do you do? You rehearse! One thing to remember when you are speaking to an audience, take your time. Performer who are unsure of themselves tend to rush themselves through a performance so they can hurry up and get off stage. A performance should be enjoyable it’s the reason you are in the biz so if you don’t enjoy performing then why are you in it?
There is a running theme to this topic and it centres on the term REHEARSE! Fortune favours the prepared so prepare each aspect of your performance. If you need to practise interacting with an audience put on a small performance with friends, or find some small open mic venues and perform as much as possible. You will be able to build some experience of what aspects of your personality and performance connects with your audience.
You can go to the extent of choreography and getting a performance tutor (yes there is such a thing) but nothing beats practise and experience. Oh I nearly forgot research!! Study performances not just dance routines but how people interact with their audience and emulate NOT copy.
There are many other aspects to refining a performance, little things that make a difference like moving your mic stand out of the way when you remove the microphone (pet peeve), in time and practice these things will become natural if you PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!
