DanceMind:Dear Janie, Shy, Confidence and Nerves ...

Hello Janie,  Your last post was very insightful. I am happy to read your thinking. You are more curious and interested in your expression of dance and recognizing that emotions do play an important role in how you perform.

Let's take the first paragraph - You said that last year "you felt nothing ..."  Do you know that is also an experience of fear and worry?  Feeling nothing is akin to being devoid of emotion and 'not inhabiting the body.' The energy has left the building. (LOL) It is understandable that being new to the company, your first professional position and moving to a foreign country would be 'unnerving.' You had a lot of adjustments to make. You courage was admirable and exciting to watch. Do this - Read through the posts from last year around this time? It is a good way to note how you 've changed. It is a good parameter.

Here is a suggestion :  Use the CD's to BREATHE into your body. Move in,so to speak. It is really important. IF YOU WANT TO EXPRESS yourself more, than you must inspire your body with the fullness of breath. THIS IS WHEN YOU RELAX, not before a performance.

YEs, the body responds in the same way as you rise toward a performance. Your mind associates thoughts and words can lead you down the path toward struggle. KEEP YOUR THOUGHTS routine at first --  "I am strong."  "I work hard."  "I am excited to perform this piece."  THINK what you want to experience. The brain accepts positive or negative. TAKE change of what you put into the brain. THEN you begin to associate positive energy with performance.

Let's say you have an amazing day. You were on!  WHat do you say?  Those words can be your inspiration. Ck it out.   

Love ya, kiddo and all you FANS OUT THERE!!!

Sanna

P.S.  I do phone sessions for those of you who have been wondering. There are many aspects of performance that can be strengthened with guided experiences. You want to do you best and your mind determines whether you do. DO NOT leave it up to chance.  

I am interested in doing a tele-seminar in early OCT?  On performance issues. What do you think? Send me your questions or needs. and we can plan it. sanna@mentalperformances.com.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Dear Sanna - transforming fears

I am trying to do what you said and transform my fears into excitement, and it's actually really easy to think of it that way, because my stomach is kind of the same anyway whether I'm excited or nervous. I also appreciate both of these feelings, because even nerves are much better than no feeling at all. I remember last year around this time feeling nothing besides maybe fatigue and boredom. I was barely doing anything, and I really felt nothing before the performances. I wasn't nervous or excited or anything.

Now I am excited about the roles I am dancing, but happy to do them, so even when I am scared it is still a good feeling. I guess at the end of last year I had a sense that the artistic director liked me, but it is so weird and exciting to find myself really one of the favorites. The director often tells me I am too humble and shy, and I need to break out of my shell. A member of the staff told me the other day "I hear you are on the way to becoming one of our next primas, but you are just too shy."

I think it's pretty clear what I need to work on this year, so my goal is to be more confident in my dancing. I just feel so self-conscious sometimes, but the more I dance a role and the longer I am with a company, I think I feel more comfortable and it shows in my dancing. I am definitely in a good environment to work on this goal. Everyone has been very encouraging so far.

Janie

Welcome Back Janie!

Hello Janie! I am happy you have returned and are enjoying a grand start for the new year!

We'll be patient while you get set up with internet.  Keep us posted.  

Have you considered transforming the fears toward your dance partner into excitement. Could it be that your body is revving up to dance with someone you admire and enjoy dancing with?  Change the mind behind the physiologic response.   " I love dancing with Bob."   " My body gets all jump and happy when I partner with Bob."  

The sensations in the body for fear can be misinterpreted by what you think. Take the current 'mind set' away and notice what happens.

Sanna

Mentalperformances.com

PS - Just finished another article for Dancer Magazine on attitudes!

PPSS - I am thrilled that more dancers are realizing that their mind matters and audio programming helps.  Here is a new testimonial - "Mrs. C., I am a different dancer after three weeks of sleeping better.  I am amazed, stunned really. I would not have guessed that it would be that important. Everyone is commenting!" Julie Smythe, age 19.

Mountain DEW Cubed!

How much sugar in the yummy treat?

Dear Sanna - An exciting year ahead

I am sitting in an internet cafe for another precious internet session! It's amazing how important the internet has become for me, especially abroad.

Well the night after my last post I was sick all night and could not even go in to the studio the next day, the first time I can remember since early high school, maybe even longer. The next day I felt better and tried to take class, but by grande battementes I had to go lie down. I hate to stay at home and miss things! So I stayed and watched a new girl step in to my (soloist!) part in one of the classical ballets we are doing this year. Then I marked the arms for my first rehearsal understudying the leading soloist in the same ballet (the second-biggest part in the ballet). Of course understudying DEFINITELY does not mean I will ever perform this role, but I am thrilled that I was even considered as the understudy. Then I finished the day being cast as demi-soloist in the ballet we started learning at the end of last year, which I was very excited about!

So besides being sick, it was a pretty great way to start the season. I am so glad the director sees me in these larger roles and will give me a chance, because even though a lot of good dancers did not return this season, the director could've chosen other dancers over me who are still in the corps at the moment.

I am also almost always dancing with my favorite partner! (Who makes me really really nervous by the way, but I sort of like that feeling and I like that we were paired up anyway.)

So that's all my time for now but I thought I would share my exciting news.

Until next internet cafe!

Janie

Dear Sanna - back!

Hey I still need to set up my internet connection, because I literally arrived back here yesterday evening and started work today! So sorry I haven't been on - haven't even read the posts I missed when I was gone yet, but I will save them and read them later when I am back home without internet (I am in an internet cafe now).

But my vacation was amazing, and I don't even think I got too out of shape! The director was relatively nice today, too. Seems like it is going to be a good year - so far I have some pretty decent parts.

Hopefully I will have internet and post soon! I hope everyone had/is having a great summer.

Janie

Sanna in Dancer Magazine

Enjoy this Read - FLY GIRLS, Tips on Managing Fear, Dancer Magazine, Aug. 2009

Janie will be back real soon!!! 

I believe she is in route back to her country.

Sanna Carapellotti, mS CHt

PS - I will address the goal responses in the next few days.  Thank you very much for your interest. Any one else?

Goals for this year -

What do you really want out of this NEW year? 

Get clear with WHAT YOU REALLY WANT.

Send me some of your thoughts.

Sanna Carapellotti, MS CHt

Performance Coach and Hypnotherapist

PS - "Janie" is off with family and vacationing. She will return here very shortly.

PPSS - If you don't know then you are left to be 'hijacked' by others ....