I have been dancing 15 years and am set to apply for the new dance show "Strictly Dance Fever" with my brother. We have set about a Jive routine and I love dancing it. Just a little worried that nerves will get the better of me. I have always wanted to enter something like this and being part of a small dance school doesnt really give me the opportunity to do many competitions.
Any advice on how to get rid of the nerves??

Experience is usually the best antidote. Can you arrange to do some performances in your town? Like at a school or a senior center or shopping center or at a party or things like that? The more times you can go up and dance your routine in front of people the easier it will get. Good luck to you!!

Thanks for the advice. Im doing a performance at a biggish function next saturday which is when we are recording the routine to send it off so hopefully that will give me some confidence!

When you watch a ice skater either solo or a pair, you are watching what they are doing, you are not actually watching the persons. Concentrate on your performance. Look in my direction yes. But first Look at what I can do. Look at the shapes in space that I can create and my musical interpretation. Even though you are dancing with your brother remember to look at each other as well as looking away. When you see a top couple dancing every look every mannerism has been rehearsed over and over again. Think along those lines and you wont have time to get nervous. Remember you are trying to bring your audiance to you and not you to them.

Getting nervous, On a practice night, even if you are the only one on the floor at that moment. Practice a few solo spins. A three step Spin would be fine. I'll bet you are thinking more about who is watching you than what you are doing. Now have another go and this time ignore who ever may be looking in your direcion and think about what you are doing. I learnt a long time ago that to wonder if some person might think you are showing off or whatever is not the way to go. Once upon a time i was as nervous as its possible to be. Now i could go onto an empty floor and do the whole of my Waltz routine and know that it is good. I wont even see who might be watching because i am concentrating on what i am doing.Remember this. It is impossible to think of two things at the same time. So dont try.