Dancing is a beautiful and liberating art form that can allow you to express yourself in a way that words cannot. However, even the most skilled and experienced dancers can struggle with feelings of performance anxiety, self-doubt, and pressure. This can often cause a dancer to lose confidence, leading to a less successful dance performance. Here are some of my favorite tips and tricks to help you dance with confidence and succeed on stage.

Tip #1: Hold your balance longer and add your artistic touch

One of the best ways to stand out in a dance performance is to hold your balance just a little bit longer than everyone else. Doing this can add an artistic detail to your movements and make you stand out from the rest of the performers. Don’t rush your balance, take your time, and finish it with confidence.

Tip #2: Use full and expansive movements

Using full and expansive movements is a great way to communicate confidence while dancing. Whether the quality of the choreography is smooth and soft or bold and accented, be very clear about the quality you’re going for. That decisiveness and clarity shows confidence. 

Tip #3: Finish strong

Even if you make a mistake, it is essential to finish your movements confidently by doing all you can to stick the finish and practice holding it for longer than you naturally may want to. This shows that you are owning all that you did, even if it wasn’t all perfect. That attitude of owning it instead of shrinking back shows a lot of confidence. 

Tip #4: Hold your gaze or eye line

Eye contact is a crucial aspect of body language and can really dictate how confident one appears to be. Shifting one’s eyes around too much while you dance or talk to someone can indicate insecurities or discomfort. Practicing holding your gaze in the direction your position calls for instead of looking down or turning your eyes away can be uncomfortable at first, but that simple shift in body language can really make a difference. 

Tip #5: Don’t be afraid to be different

It can be challenging to stand out in a crowd, but don’t be afraid to be different. Add your own artistic touches to each piece or combination and don’t be afraid to stand out in your own authentic way. A confident dancer does not look around to see if everyone else is adding the same artistic details in class before they decide to try it out. They just try it! 

Tip #6: Take up space

This can mean multiple things, including dancing “big”, acting and believing that you belong there and deserve to be seen, and also stepping up to the front or the next group because a spot needs to be filled. Remember, the front of the room is not that much different from the back (you can still be seen back there), so don’t be afraid to step up and own the space. Avoiding the front in dance class is noticeable, so it’s important to practice being in the front several times throughout the class or week. If you are told to be in the front, stand there like you belong because you do. 

Tip #7: Celebrate others

Celebrating other dancers can show that you are confident and not insecure. Being genuinely happy for people can lead to others being happy for you. Being a team player demonstrates confidence and not insecurity.

Tip #8: Address your mental struggles

Performance anxiety, self-doubt, and pressure are common mental struggles dancers face, especially those performing at a high level. These struggles can often prevent a dancer from performing to their best ability. Coaching services can help dancers overcome these struggles and boost their confidence while performing. The Confident Dancer Coaching Program can provide customized, individual mindset coaching designed to help you perform your best consistently.

Dancing with confidence is essential to being able to perform to your fullest potential. Using these tips and tricks can help boost your confidence and lead to a more successful performance. Remember, dancing is a beautiful and liberating art form that should be enjoyed by everyone, so embrace your unique style and have fun with it!

On the Confident Dancer YouTube Channel, I cover more do’s and don’ts of body language and other choices we can make in how we present ourselves to start looking like and feeling like the confident dancer we want to be! Head over to my channel to watch “14 Tips to Look More Confident in Ballet Class (the DO’s and DON’Ts)!”