#cyttucson

You have heard it said, 'your audition starts right when you walk in the door.' Well, it is true. And if this is the truth, which trust us it is, why do so many people continue to neglect their body language when entering an audition room? Here are 3 body parts that deserve your time and attention.

Your Eyes

Dodging eye contact with judges is never good, but dodging eye contact with your peers can be even worse.

By not looking at your competition and not gracefully meeting the eyes of your friends (and yes, competitors) you not only appear less then prepared, but you are putting yourself into a mental state of submission and insecurity.

You are producing energy in your own body that is saying ' look down, be quiet, you don't belong.' This is not the energy you want manifest in your body before you take the stage and it is definitely the wrong vibe to be communicating to the judges. 

Your Mouth

What is your mouth doing? Don't walk into a room with a gaping fish mouth look of surprise, raising the question, ' who pushed you through those doors?'

On the other hand make sure you aren't walking in with a clown plastered smile, forcing all the judges to check emergency exists. 

Take the middle ground- mouth- road.

If you are truly happy to be auditioning, let us know. Think of a pleasant memory or feeling that makes you smile and feel calm. This is a good compromise between, 'I can't believe I am here' and 'Bride of Chucky.'

Your shoulders

This one is simple. Pull them back. Pushing them back will force you into straighter posture and this important for three reasons:

1. Standing up straight puts your body in a 'power position.' Power positions raise cortisol levels. Cortisol lowers stress levels in your body. You will essentially trick your physiology into thinking you are relaxed.

2. Good posture commands the attention of the room. This way you don't have to act crazy insane to get attention from the judges- just do your thing and do it standing tall. 

Things to consider: 

1. Which aspect of performing arts has you, or your child, feeling the least confident?

2. Is there a class currently being offered that you, or your child, cannot take at another time in the year?

3. Is there a teacher who will not be available during a different time in the year?

4. Is there a part you, or your child, want(s) in an upcoming show that requires strength in an area you are weak?

Too often students register for classes that they already excel in. Though this helps build their confidence, it may be leaving them deficient in other areas.

If you or your child is an incredibly talented dancer, it maybe be better to place him or her in a studio that will challenge specific aspects of their raw abilities. Or, contact a CYT instructor to enquire about the option of taking private lessons. This way, there is concentrated focus on a previously developed skill, while leaving room to focus on underdeveloped areas in the CYT courses. 

The creative personalities in this world share a common struggle:

We want to create

We have trouble finding time to create

We beat ourselves for not creating

How often have you reviewed a week of your life and hyper-focused on all the hours you should have spent working on your art? Do you know that feeling of sudden self-disappointment? Do you tell yourself you could have done better, and next week ‘you wont be so lazy?’

We all do it.

We suffer from an innate need to artistically express, yet never seem to find the right amount of time to really dive in and get started. Lets face it; part of stewarding our artistic talent requires an element of self-disciplined training and hard work. 

But how do we create a balance between working on our craft and forgiving ourselves when we skimp a week?

Self- hatred chokes out any feelings of safety and self-love that are needed in order to take artistic risks. We can't turn our spaces of free self-expression into a den of unsupportive critics who are only there to remind us, we just don’t have what it takes.

 Eric Maisel, Ph.D, is a creativity coach who has written a variety of books helping artists find their sweet spot and thrive. In his latest book, Making your Creative Mark, he urges the artists to view their art form with a sense of devotion, rather than the dread of discipline.

 Devoted relationships with our friends and family are full of love and support, leaving room for err, forgiveness, and understanding. We trust these relationships understand our conflicts and we reschedule when time doesn't permit a nice, long, hangout session. 

A good question to ask ourselves is, are we letting our creative passions love us back?

God gave us a desire and love for a specific form of creating art; it should be received as a gift to us, not a ball and chain. 

This is a unique relationship given to us. Yes it will challenge us, and there will definitely be times where we have to make sacrifices and changes for this relationship, but we also have to let it forgive us, understand us, and love us back!

  Questions to Ask:

What is your art form? Are you letting it love you and forgive you? Do you think it truly understands you? Or is it just a taskmaster, forcing you to feel poorly of yourself any time you chose to do other things over it?

Exercise:

Making Your Creative Mark: Nine Keys to Achieving Your Artistic Goals [Ph.D. Eric Maisel] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers.

"Education in the arts should not be reserved for the talented few, but promoted as the means for all children to develop skills in: creative thinking, confidence, problem-solving, accountability, relationship building, communication, adaptability and dreaming big."

It is easy to assume that if our children aren't shining bright with singing, acting, or dancing talents we should sideline the task of placing them in some sort of performing arts training.