The Dancer and the Audience

[pygmalion]

For you dance competitors and performers out there, just curious. How does the audience affect your performance? Are there things an audience can do to help or hinder your dancing? Are there ways that you can"tune out" a difficult audience?

[dancergal]

Well in some ways the audience affects me in different situations. I entered a WCS Jack & Jill last weekend at a Tahoe dance convention. I tuned the audience out so I wouldn't get nervous and just concentrated on my dance partners. So in that situation, I was dancing for my partner. That was only way I could get through the competition.

Later that weekend, my b/f and I wandered to a little lounge in another casino. They had great music and no one was dancing so we took over the floor. We knew we were the center of attention, so I think we were dancing for each other but for the audience too. We were very aware of them watching us. We made our dance more showy than usual because of it and it was great fun. (btw-We got a lot of applause) :D

[Vince A]

Too kewl!
Go Pam. Go Wayne!!!

[salsachinita]

Later that weekend, my b/f and I wandered to a little lounge in another casino. They had great music and no one was dancing so we took over the floor. We knew we were the center of attention, so I think we were dancing for each other but for the audience too. We were very aware of them watching us. We made our dance more showy than usual because of it and it was great fun. (btw-We got a lot of applause) :D

I LOVE when these situations happen :bouncy: !

I think being aware of the audience is a good thing, as you can feed off their energy and enhance your performance.

The 'stage fright' factor could have the opposite effect....(one of the things I suffer from in sudden 'attack' forms, JUST before my cue.....very annoying :x ) but the fear can be used (in theory) as an 'edge' to enhance your performance :wink: (I am still working on it!)

I find that the older I get, the more 'thick skinned' I become :P . What do you guys think?

[Adwiz]

Are there ways that you can"tune out" a difficult audience?

Can you explain what you mean by a "difficult" audience? Do you simply mean one that's unresponsive or have you encountered actual hostile audiences?

I've only competed in three events to date, but I can say that there's nothing like hearing your number called out!

[pygmalion]

Hi adwiz!

For me, a difficult audience is one that's either unresponsive or distracted. I've done performances where no one seemed to be engaged at all -- no noise, no clapping, no nothing. Boos would have been better. :lol: (edit: Applause at the end, of course. I prefer applause DURING the performance. ) Even worse are the audiences where people are talking among themselves, eating at the buffet in the back, hanging out and laughing. I've done those too. But that's just me and my preferences. I'm sure a "difficult" audience is different for each of us, depending on our personalities.

[Swing Kitten]

Like performing in a mall!!! :shudder:

[bouncybouncyweee]

Yeah, I hate the ignoring audience! Especially when I know that it could have been avoided. I just did a performance for an alumni party where the music was played too quietly, so it was even hard for me to get into it! And they weren't nearly as excited as I wanted them to me.

I'm a ham, so I love when there's an audience. I make love to them. I sing too, and I need someone to sing TO. Mind you, when dancing, I get so into the audience and the fun, I sometimes forget the dance, and lose conentration, or speed or slow down 'cause I wanna watch their reactions.

[dancersdreamland]

From my recollection...I've only really performed dance on two occassions and to me, performing in front of an audience makes all the difference. I think that rush of nervousness that released endorphines before going on stage make the performance all that much better.

In terms of tuning out an audience, when I dance there is no one else but me. I don't really recognize how the audience is or is not responding.

[Sagitta]

I must agree with dancersdreamland on the endorphine rush due to the nervousness of having an audience, and making the performance come out better. Same thing happened when I did this west african dance I think, with a group of people, to Black Lady Mombaza....it was a while back, a year ago...That also happens when I read at mass so that's the selfish reason people see me out there... :)

[dancergal]

Sometimes having an audience works against me. Same situation a few months back. At a local nightclub, the band was playing this great song, no one is dancing. The place is dark and the whole nightclub faces the band and the dance floor is the only lighted place. My b/f drags me on the floor and we are the only ones out there. I was too nervous to dance good. I was tight and nervous and barely got through the dance. :cry: It was just my frame of mind I think. I was not ready to be out there, and I wasn't warmed up at all. We came right in from outside, straight to the dance floor. I think I have to be at least warmed up to dance well. It looks could kill, my b/f would've been toast for that dance. :roll:

[SwinginBoo]

warming up definitely makes a huge difference in that 'lone couple on the dancefloor situation' I've gone out with my b/f a few times before warming up and it's been uncomfortable because we want to dance well if everyone is watching but we haven't warmed up so that puts pressure on and then you are aware of all your feelings surrounding the spotlight blah blah blah...

[salsachinita]

True, true.
It ain't easy being the first couple on the dance floor :shock: !
.........but we NEED these brave souls as 'floor warmers'!
(you know.....those people standing around watching the band are probably just DYING to dance.....! *'Just wait 'til somebody else gets on that floor first...!'*)

I am such a ham, that :wink: I usually hop right in (if I happen to be able to grab a 'male ham' 8) )....! Then, more often than not, everyone else also jump in :wink: .

[pygmalion]

A lot depends on my mood. I can be alone in the middle of the dance floor, having a blast, and feel just fine. Or I can be in the middle of a crows and feel self-conscious. I'm not sure yet what causes either reaction. :?

[jon]

I am such a ham, that :wink: I usually hop right in

Interesting. I'm willing to jump in first not because I'm a ham, but because I don't care whether someone's watching or not.

[salsachinita]

I am such a ham, that :wink: I usually hop right in

Interesting. I'm willing to jump in first not because I'm a ham, but because I don't care whether someone's watching or not.

8) Even better! 8)