Audition Advice: Useful Tips to Gain Confidence When Speaking In Public
During the auditions of your professional cheerleading squad, you will be asked to introduce yourself in public. Not only that, but there will also be an interview portion by a panel of judges.
Depending on the squad’s management, those interviews and self-introductions might be done in front of a large crowd or in a stadium. What if you don’t have public speaking skills? It really is one of the attributes that aspiring professional cheerleaders should possess.
Here are some confidence tips to make sure you’ll rock that audition with your public speaking skills.
1. Prepare yourself and organize your thoughts
Start with writing down the flow of your speech. What would the judges want to hear from you? Write down the sequence of your speech in an outline. For example, greeting first, introduction next, then some personal information, the reason why you want to join the squad, and finally, express your gratitude. After preparing your introduction, memorize it.
2. Practice beforehand
You can practice by facing a mirror as this would give you a clearer view of how the judges and the crowd sees you. The technique will also help you improve on your gestures and mannerisms allowing you to remove the unnecessary movements and practice to have better ones. You can also practice in front of friends and family then ask them to give feedback.
3. Adopt a body language of confidence
Aspiring professional cheerleaders are like pageant contestants. They smile when they perform and speak. So practice smiling when facing crowds and panels of unfamiliar faces. Look at your audience especially the judges. Look them straight in the eye while answering to their questions. Learn to use gestures in emphasizing points.
4. Use your nervousness to your advantage
If you’re really new to public speaking, being nervous cannot be avoided. So instead, find use in it. For example, if your nervousness causes you to be excited then show your excitement by smiling in the audition interviews. The key is to show that you have what it takes not to cower in front of crowds despite a nervous pressure.
5. Free your hands
Here's a piece of advice to further help you with your gestures and emphasize points about yourself. Don’t put your hands behind your back. Learn to hang them free on your sides or better yet, put them on your waist. You’ll even flex your body more that way while speaking. Experienced public speakers also say that free hands during a speech reduce their tendencies to stutter with “uhms” and “aahs”.
6. Take your time and speak slowly
Speak clearly and slowly. Breathe slowly but steadily to avoid being out of breath. Learn to pause when you’re going too fast as to not confuse your listeners. This gives them time to absorb the information from you. Pausing also helps you give time and thought to what you’re saying.
7. Find friendly faces
Another way to fight nervousness is to look for faces in agreement among your listeners. Find listeners who nod to you while you speak. Look at them and smile while continuing your talk. Also, look for listeners who are smiling. An agreeing face in the crowd helps public speakers gain confidence in their speech.
These are the keys to graining confidence when speaking in public. Most importantly, don’t let thoughts of negativity and distractions come in. I'm sure you'll be able to show your best! Remember that your job is to introduce yourself and answer questions - this isn't a life and death situation.
Stay updated with Pro Cheer Life's best fitness, beauty, motivation, and audition day tips
Our professional cheerleading community has all the tools and resources you need to achieve your pro cheer goals. Whether you are a dreamer, pro cheer candidate, newbie or veteran, Pro Cheer Life is here to help you succeed.
Join our community by signing up for our mailing list below. What’s in it for you? We offer you free pro cheerleading advice that will boost not just your pro cheer career but also improve other areas of your life.