Tips on managing stage fright
Stage fright is very normal and it provides energy which, if channelled correctly, can give you the enthusiasm for a successful performance. Here are a few tips that will hopefully help you manage stage fright.
1. Know well the music you are performing to and rehearse your dance enough times. The fact that you are familiar with your music and the movements you are going to perform, will alone make you  feel more secure. It is especially important to know your music well because, if you forget a piece of choreography, you can always follow the music and rely on it, until you get back on track.
2. Before the performance, try and get rid of the adrenaline by either running on the spot or tensing and then releasing the muscles of your body. I tried this and it works.
3. Breathe. It seems a cliché, but the old yoga breathing techniques really help relaxing your body.
4. Practice positive visualisation in the days leading up to the performance. Relax your whole body, while breathing (there are several books that give guidance on how to do this) and then visualise yourself on stage, giving a great performance without feeling fear. When you visualise, really try to imagine every sensation as if it was real, including the music, the lights on stage, the smell of your own perfume, the feeling of the stage under your feet etc. This helps making the visualisation more effective.
5. Remember that people in the audience would be as nervous as you to perform, and some of them would never do it. Give yourself some credit for being able to perform on stage and be proud of it.
6. If you forget a piece of choreography, remember that it is not the end of the world. Do not stop, but keep on dancing and smiling. This will be easier if you are performing solo, as the audience will have nobody to compare you to. If you are dancing with a group, some people will notice the error, but do not panic and keep on dancing.
7. Focus on how much you enjoy dancing during the performance, rather then thinking about what the people watching you are thinking.
8. If possible, try and rehearse in the venue where you will perform, as familiarity will make you less nervous.
9. Focus on the fact that dancing on stage is not a life threatening situation and, whatever happens, your life will not depend on it.
10. Try and get over the first few seconds of the performance, as they are usually the hardest. Once you have danced for a few second you should feel more and more relaxed
11. Try and channel all the energy that the stage fright gives you into something positive. Rather then thinking that you feel agitated because you are scared, see the signals that your body is sending you as sings that you are excited! You are going to dance on stage, so think that you will dance well and enjoy it!
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