Your first solo

Mouse · 07-14-2006, 03:52 AM

I was wondering if anyone would care to share their experiences of their very first solo performance?

I'm asking because I did mine last night and the experience was just slightly this side of terrifying. It was only in front of a fairly small very encouraging group, but I was still very nervous to the point where I felt stiff. It gets easier right? :o

Inanna · 07-14-2006, 05:21 AM

I was scared out of my mind before my first solo, I worried about just about everything, I thought that anything that could go wrong would.... everything from forgetting what I was doing, to falling on my face, or being laughed off stage. But then once I got on stage and just started listening to the music, I got a whole lot more comfortable with everything, and in the end I had a blast and was kind of sad that I only had one solo piece to perform, lol. I also got a good piece of advice from another girl in our group who has been doing solos for awhile, she said don't look at your audience as if they are a seperate entity just watching and judging you... make your audience a part of your dance, play with them, and it makes everything a lot less scary.

Aaeesha · 07-14-2006, 06:53 AM

I was *terrified* for my first solo, to the point I felt nauseated for a couple hours leading up to the performance. I had a dream the night before that my music started and halfway through my performance, the CD started skipping and I didn't know what to do. This fueled an immense anxiety that something like this could go wrong. I felt stiff also. The whole experience was a little surreal and I kind of felt a little out of my own body. Looking back on it, I can chuckle about it. The first one is always the hardest. Cheers

Mouse · 07-14-2006, 07:08 AM

Thanks for the replies & advice - very much appreciated!

Aaeesha, surreal is a very good way to describe it, thats exactly how I felt. Even the music felt muted somehow.

Demelza · 07-14-2006, 07:45 AM

concragtulations anyway Mouse !!
behind the nerves, I'm sure you looked and danced wonderfully. Keep it up and you will enjoy each performance more and more
Love Demelza x

slinks · 07-14-2006, 07:54 AM

I was really nervous too !! lol I finished before the music did but I did okay ... it was my first and only solo ... I only dance at home now

Zahiraah · 07-14-2006, 09:41 AM

Hi Mouse,

Congratiulations to your first perfomance! The first one is always the hardest and most nervous one; I can assure you that it can only be better the next time(assuming your breast won't pop out from the bra or something).

My first performance wasn't so nervous; the only thing that disturbed me was the shaking in my whole body, but it got better as I danced. One thing that helped me a lot was my confidence, because I've got quite some amount of it ^_^. My mother was more nervous than I, haha. I think it helps to think that the audience probably don't know more about belly dancing than you do and they won't laugh at you because of some small mistakes(they probably won't see them at all).

I have now performed three times, and I seem to forget about the audience every time; I think you will do too. I now dance because it is fun and they enjoy watching me.

Another thing which may help you a lot is: perform in front of very small groups who you know very well and feel very comfortable with, for example friends or siblings. If you do this many times it will feel a lot easier when it is time for the big gigs ^_^.

Mouse · 07-14-2006, 10:30 AM

Thank you Demelza & Zahiraah

I did enjoy the performance.. after it was done *lol*... and I will definitely do it again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zahiraah

I can assure you that it can only be better the next time(assuming your breast won't pop out from the bra or something).

Now that gives me something to worry about besides my feet! :eek:

Maria_Aya · 07-14-2006, 11:45 AM

Congrats Mouse !!!!!!!!!!
I cant say I was terrofied at my first solo, cause till then I had many opportunities at school dance nigths to dance in front of public even if they were other students.
But I was almost in heart attack when opened a show alone on stage playing tabla for 1min.
The detail that make the difference is that I DONT KNOW TO PLAY TABLA lol
I just repeated for several times specific simple rythms lol

:eek:

congrats to all that have the courage and step for first time on stage
maria aya

Amulya · 07-14-2006, 12:58 PM

My first solo was for an aunts 25th wedding anniversary with lots of people I knew so not that terrifying. It was rather easy. But the first paid gig was different, especially because I never expected it to come up (I was teaching but hadn't thought of performing pro yet). Awfully terrifying: I thought I was dieing! But after it was over it felt different. People liked it and the next time went much easier.
I think it needs time, you get used to it. Or not, some people just don't like it.

07-14-2006, 03:52 AM	#1 (permalink)
Mouse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 514	Your first solo I was wondering if anyone would care to share their experiences of their very first solo performance? I'm asking because I did mine last night and the experience was just slightly this side of terrifying. It was only in front of a fairly small very encouraging group, but I was still very nervous to the point where I felt stiff. It gets easier right? :o

07-14-2006, 09:41 AM	#7 (permalink)
Zahiraah Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden Posts: 38	Hi Mouse, Congratiulations to your first perfomance! The first one is always the hardest and most nervous one; I can assure you that it can only be better the next time(assuming your breast won't pop out from the bra or something). My first performance wasn't so nervous; the only thing that disturbed me was the shaking in my whole body, but it got better as I danced. One thing that helped me a lot was my confidence, because I've got quite some amount of it ^_^. My mother was more nervous than I, haha. I think it helps to think that the audience probably don't know more about belly dancing than you do and they won't laugh at you because of some small mistakes(they probably won't see them at all). I have now performed three times, and I seem to forget about the audience every time; I think you will do too. I now dance because it is fun and they enjoy watching me. Another thing which may help you a lot is: perform in front of very small groups who you know very well and feel very comfortable with, for example friends or siblings. If you do this many times it will feel a lot easier when it is time for the big gigs ^_^. Last edited by Zahiraah; 07-14-2006 at 09:43 AM.

07-14-2006, 12:58 PM	#10 (permalink)
Amulya Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Byron Bay, Australia Posts: 920	My first solo was for an aunts 25th wedding anniversary with lots of people I knew so not that terrifying. It was rather easy. But the first paid gig was different, especially because I never expected it to come up (I was teaching but hadn't thought of performing pro yet). Awfully terrifying: I thought I was dieing! But after it was over it felt different. People liked it and the next time went much easier. I think it needs time, you get used to it. Or not, some people just don't like it. __________________ Blog: What Were They Thinking?

07-14-2006, 05:21 AM	#2 (permalink)
Inanna Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 146	I was scared out of my mind before my first solo, I worried about just about everything, I thought that anything that could go wrong would.... everything from forgetting what I was doing, to falling on my face, or being laughed off stage. But then once I got on stage and just started listening to the music, I got a whole lot more comfortable with everything, and in the end I had a blast and was kind of sad that I only had one solo piece to perform, lol. I also got a good piece of advice from another girl in our group who has been doing solos for awhile, she said don't look at your audience as if they are a seperate entity just watching and judging you... make your audience a part of your dance, play with them, and it makes everything a lot less scary.

07-14-2006, 06:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
Aaeesha Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 75	I was terrified for my first solo, to the point I felt nauseated for a couple hours leading up to the performance. I had a dream the night before that my music started and halfway through my performance, the CD started skipping and I didn't know what to do. This fueled an immense anxiety that something like this could go wrong. I felt stiff also. The whole experience was a little surreal and I kind of felt a little out of my own body. Looking back on it, I can chuckle about it. The first one is always the hardest. Cheers

07-14-2006, 07:08 AM	#4 (permalink)
Mouse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 514	Thanks for the replies & advice - very much appreciated! Aaeesha, surreal is a very good way to describe it, thats exactly how I felt. Even the music felt muted somehow.

07-14-2006, 07:45 AM	#5 (permalink)
Demelza Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Nottingham, UK Posts: 417	concragtulations anyway Mouse !! behind the nerves, I'm sure you looked and danced wonderfully. Keep it up and you will enjoy each performance more and more Love Demelza x

07-14-2006, 07:54 AM	#6 (permalink)
slinks V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Australia, Sunny Queensland Posts: 1,195	I was really nervous too !! lol I finished before the music did but I did okay ... it was my first and only solo ... I only dance at home now

07-14-2006, 11:45 AM	#9 (permalink)
Maria_Aya Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 2,221	Congrats Mouse !!!!!!!!!! I cant say I was terrofied at my first solo, cause till then I had many opportunities at school dance nigths to dance in front of public even if they were other students. But I was almost in heart attack when opened a show alone on stage playing tabla for 1min. The detail that make the difference is that I DONT KNOW TO PLAY TABLA lol I just repeated for several times specific simple rythms lol :eek: congrats to all that have the courage and step for first time on stage maria aya