I noticed "Stage fright" has cropped up in a thread on here recently. Firstly everyone gets stage fright and nerves before and even during a performance is normal. All that is different is how you deal with those nerves.

It is worth just stopping and thinking about what stage fright is. If you look at the physical reaction of stage fright it is exactly the same as excitement. The same hormones are released and the reactions to the hormone ore the same.

You may be wondering why some people can deal with this and others can be frozen opn the spot gasping for breath. The main reason is what you do with the first thought. Most people that suffer with bad stage fright have a thought and they then elaborate on their thoughts with each though getting worse. So how can you stop this process.

1. Change the picture you have in your mind. Stop now and think about performing, note what in that picture scares you, is the picture focused or blurry, colour or black and white, ius the noise loud or quiet. Now stop and have a good look around and calm down. Next you are going to build your perfect performance picture, all the qualities that you noted in the previous thought you are going to reverse. if the picture was small, blurred, black and white you are going to make it big, colour and well focused. You are now going to add a few extras. you are performing the perfect effect, every slight, movement, word spoken is perfect and the reaction of the audience is perfect. The final part is where you are in the picture. You must be in the picture, looking through your own eyes, not watching as a by stander. You must be living it as you are really experiencing the performance and you are enjoying your audience and performance. Practice with this until you create the perfect image and you have mastered creating the perfect image and you are enjoying what you are doing. Once you have done this run through the image and as you do it riffle a pack of cards or pinch your first finger and thumb together when you feel excited and enjoying the experience.
2. Start by perfecting a small routine, then start performing it to one or two people. Just before you start performing run throiugh the image you learned earlier and pinch your finger and thumb or fiffle the pack. As you gain confidence build up the audience and find new places to perform.

There are other technoques you can use but this one is a good starting point. One other quick technique I was taught when I started to perform was to imagine the audience all sat on the toilet with their trousers around there ankles. But most of all ENJOY YOURSELVES.

Nic