Being a performer since the age of four in activities like cheerleading, dance, and musical theater, I have been taught so much. Everyone who has ever been in the performing arts, or activities alike, will realize the bonds we have created and the lessons we have learned. Here's a list of a few common trends I found while being a performer.
1. Hair and makeup are a bonding experience.
From stage makeup with the crazy red blush to cheer competitions with your eyes caked in glitter, it’s always been a time to bond with your team. I’ve become best friends with people just by gluing eyelashes to their face hundreds of times. The times of teasing a ponytail to perfection and making sure that your red lipstick is just right has the same impact as a sleepover with all of your best friends. You gossip your hearts out and laugh until you can’t breathe. I will never forget the bonds made while curling hair into perfect ringlets.
2. You will never forget your routines, ever.
Every time I hear that song certain song in a grocery store, my brain immediately thinks “5-6-7-8” and the moves come right out of me like I’ve been performing them every day for weeks, even though the last time I did that routine was in 2010. You will still remember every line of a song from your freshman year musical and all of the sharp moves from the cheerleading routine you did when you were eight! The songs will bring back all of the memories, and your feet will just start tapping away. When you're in the club and all eyes are on you, you choose to rock out to the hip-hop number you did to “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO.
3. Your stage family will be with you forever.
Whether it be your cheer squad or your stage family, they will always be by your side whenever you need them. They have been through a lot with you, and they will continue to be with you until the end of time. They have seen the tears, the laughs, and have been through all of the struggles you may have faced. Also, you spent almost every day with them for several years. Some weeks it seemed you saw them more than your actual family! They are your family, and you will always be able to call on them anytime you’re in need because they’ve seen you ugly cry.
4. Someone will always be better than you.
Every team had their rivals or had that one girl in your studio who seemed to dance with the grace of a thousand angels, and you always envied those people. They just seemed to do that one thing better than you. Maybe it was their angelic voice or the perfect point of their foot. Whatever it was you knew you could never stand up to them. There were countless times that they won over you, they got the part and you were left standing behind. At some point, you come to realize that they probably do deserve the part because they are working that much harder than you. You learn to accept your defeat, and then you strive to work that much harder.
5. Confidence is key.
Confidence can make or break you. If you walk into audition eluding confidence, the judges will immediately notice you, even if you may not be the best performer there. You’ll become memorable, and that’s what sticks in a judge’s mind. I learned that if you believe you will get the part, you have a much better chance of it actually happening. This isn’t just a lesson used in performing, but in everyday life. If you carry confidence through your everyday life, you will be much better off than the person constantly putting themselves down. Believe in yourself, and believe in your actions and you will live a happy life.
