By TurnedOutPointeOfView on Monday, October 21, 2019
Thank you for the question, rendezvous_at_midnight.
The first step to my pre-performance ritual is that I turn on a country radio! It will be playing in the background while I put on my makeup, warm up and get 100% ready for the show. I find that country music is very calming. Country has many songs about trucks, ice cold beer, a great Saturday night, love, fishing, being happy or just living a good life. Getting ready to perform in front of a thousand people or more can feel a bit stressful, so the idea of something “simple” comforts me.
The second step to my pre-performance ritual is that I ALWAYS put on my left pointe shoe before my right one. I do not know why… I cannot explain why… I don’t even know how it started? But when I sit down to put on my pointe shoes, the left shoe has to go on first. This is true for me at any point during the day when it comes to my shoes. Left before right.
The only other ritual I have pre-performance, is that I always take the stairs down to get to the stage. My dressing room is currently on the 4th floor. I could take the elevator but the idea of getting stuck and then missing my performance is terrifying. I also kind of skip/bounce down the stairs, I take it as part of my warm up.
Those are the steps to my pre-performance ritual… I’m afraid that they aren’t that crazy or superstitious. Honestly, I find that the most important thing before any type of performance is your mind set. More then preparing anything a certain way, or in a certain order. If you are happy, satisfied, and inspired not even your nerves can get in your way. Healthy mind equals performance ready.
xoxo
-Hol