Stressed before competition? Here is what to do.

There are some things I can recommend that helped me during my pole journey to be less stressed before and during competitions.

If your performance is fully ready, make sure to run it many many times so you can almost do it with your eyes closed. It will help you to relax and remember all the moves and transitions better. Because what usually happens if the routine is not well rehearsed - you can forget what to do on the stage - which is very normal and happened to me too. So in order not to have it - make sure you show your beautiful act to someone at least 2 times before the competition.

Ask your friends or teachers from the studio to come to the studio and watch you do your full routine non stop in your costume. If nobody can come, you can do it online.

Ask your friends to watch you doing your full performance in costume through zoom. Or maybe some of your friends can watch you through FaceTime or WhatsApp video. It will help you so much.

BUT! Important that you do it fully prepared. Costume, make up, hair. Just like you will do it during competition. This way you can see how the costume and make up work with routine during the dance.

Doing this (showing your routine to many people) will calm your nerves and will help you to be less stressed and actually to become more confident.

Now about pole tricks - the best is to do only tricks that you are good at.

If you cant do a trick 2-3 weeks before the comp -  remove it and substitute it with a shape or movement that is easy for you.

Because you don’t want to struggle with tricks on the stage.

You want it to be light and pleasant for you. So you have a good experience.

Meanwhile of course work on the tricks that are out of your comfort zone.

And if they will be ready for competition you can use them.

Remember you don’t need to prove anyone anything.

You are enough.

The other thing that makes us nervous is thinking that people are judging us.

They don’t. We judge ourselves and think we are not good enough. Or pole move is not good enough etc.

The best and I know it is hard but to tell yourself that what you do is enough. You are enough.

And that people love you. They truly do.

Even when we fuck up on the stage and forget the moves or fall down they cheer for us. They want us to feel better, because they know how hard it is. So they are on our side.

So feel it. Feel the love from the audience. Feel that they support you.

It will help you so much and you won’t be stressed at all. You will feel that you give back to the audience with your beautiful dance. You share with them a part of you and you know that they appreciate it ❤️

It took me a long time to get to that mindset. So I know it is not easy.

Really feel it. Maybe before the show close your eyes and imagine love. Pure love and support from the audience.

With Love

Ana