Tricks to Help Irish Dancers Stay Calm on Stage

Let’s be honest, Dancing under pressure is hard! Whether it’s your first Feis, the Oireachtas, or a Major, those nerves can creep in quickly. The good news? Feeling nervous just means you care and caring is a superpower ❤️

But when the pressure builds, your focus can scatter. So today, we’re diving into three easy tricks to help you stay calm, focused, and proud on stage - no matter what’s happening around you.

🧠 Trick 1: Focus on What’s Familiar, Not What’s Different

Your brain loves safety and “different” often feels unsafe. So, when you’re at a big Feis, new venue, or massive stage, your mind might panic and whisper things like:

“It’s too big!” “There are so many people!” “What if I mess up?”

Here’s the secret: remind your brain what’s the same.

💚 Same music.
💚 Same shoes.
💚 Same dances.
💚 Same amazing YOU.

By noticing what’s familiar, you tell your brain, “I’ve done this before…I’ve got this.”
That shift (which Annabelle helps Irish Dancers use all the time in her 1-1 sessions) helps your body relax, your breathing slow, and your mind focus back on what matters: dancing your best.

✨ Trick 2: Pick One or Two Focus Points and Stick to Them

When your mind is full of “turnout, posture, toe height, crossover, timing, smile, new steps, rhythm…” - no wonder it feels like too much!

In your 1:1 Mindset Sessions or Gold Club Mindset Classes, we always talk about clarity equals confidence. So before each dance, pick just one or two focus points.

🎯 Maybe it’s “stretch my legs” and “breathe.”
🎯 Maybe it’s “smile and perform” and “keep my arms in.”

You’ll find it easier to stay calm, and your Dancing will actually look cleaner and stronger because your brain isn’t juggling ten things at once.

🌈 Trick 3: Break the Day into Tiny Chunks

Big days can feel massive when you think of everything at once…getting ready, warming up, dancing, results, the lot! 😅

Instead, use a little NLP trick called chunking down. It simply means breaking big things into smaller, manageable parts.

🕗 Morning routine → Warm-up → Round 1 → Rest → Round 2 → Round three → Results.

Each step has its own focus, and once you finish one, it’s gone - done, ticked off, move on! It helps your brain stay present, not panicky.

Try it at your next Feis - you’ll be amazed how much calmer the whole day feels.

Mindset isn’t just something you “do once.” It’s like your dancing…it improves with practice.

If you want support learning these strategies in real time, join our Weekly Mindset Sessions inside the Gold Club or book a 1:1 Mindset Session to get personalised tools that fit your brain.

Remember, every Dancer, from beginner to World Champion, can learn how to manage nerves and perform at their best. You don’t need to “get rid of” nerves… you just need to learn how to use them 💪