Sarah Brenay - SOHH - Ch. 13

Sarah Brenay - SOHH - Ch. 13
Summary: Ristad describes the effects and causes of stage fright. Her ideas for curing stage fright remind me of the Ted talk  we watched about stress. Trying to suppress our reaction to stress causes more harm. Ristad believed that trying to increase your anxiety and will your physical reactions to become worse helps you become less frightened. Exposing yourself to adrenalin reduces its effects. She also advises people to use role playing as a cure for nerves; she told one student to walk on stage as if he were the greatest violinist in the world, and not only did his nerves vanish, his playing improved as well. Consciously moving your mind out of your head and putting all of your awareness and energy into your instrument can also help you maintain calm and avoid letting your judges distract you from the performance. Not all nervousness and tension is bad. Only excess tension is damaging. The feeling of anxiety we experience before we perform is similar to the rush the body experiences after exercise. It can be a positive feeling.
Key Concepts: Don't let nerves control you. They won't kill you! They have limits. Lean into the fear, and let it become energizing. Role play in a performance to bring out your confident side.
Making Connections: I'm excited to try some of these things next time i perform. I want to try the role playing especially. And I love the idea that the stress is there to help you.