What Is Stage Presence? (And 5 Tips Every Pro Cheerleader Needs)
Being a highly effective cheerleader isn’t just about having great dance skills, makeup application techniques, or a fit and healthy body. You also need a certain X factor that would make the crowd go along with the performance of your squad in cheering for your home team.
This X factor is called “stage presence” and the judges will see if you have it during the auditions. Some may argue that having this kind of asset as a performer is innate within a person.
However, you can learn how to make crowds go wow even as an aspiring pro cheerleader. Read more to discover how to build your stage presence. But first, let’s define it.
What is Stage Presence?
Stage presence is the charm and charisma that performers have that commands the full attention of audiences. In pro cheerleading, stage presence as a dancer is very important because it amplifies your cheering power, invites the crowd to cheer along, and boosts the support for the players of your home team.
Not only that but it also makes your performance entertaining and enjoyable to watch. As a result, your minor dancing mistakes aren’t that noticeable, making you more focused and confident while dancing.
5 Tips to Boost your Stage Presence
1. Wear the right clothes
During the auditions, your attire becomes a huge factor in determining your level of confidence. By wearing the right audition outfit that matches your taste, the event, and comes at the right fit, you’ll be able to give your all and amaze the judges with your charm and charisma.
2. Mind your body language
Your body language and posture control half of what your audience thinks about you. It doesn’t matter if you‘re dancing with high energy when your face doesn’t look happy. You’ll still end up looking lifeless on the stage and arena. So smile, look at the camera, make eye contact with the audience, and stand proud.
3. Find your drive and use it to power your performance
What is your reason for wanting to be a pro cheerleader? That reason is your passion for the career and you can use that motivation to dance with full of energy. Once you feel being powered up, the audience or judges will also start to feel your energy, have their eyes on you, and get pumped up as well. Then, they’ll notice your high levels of stage presence and give you a good score during the audition rounds.
4. Project your pro cheerleader’s persona
When you’ve become a bonafide member of a pro cheer squad, there is no ideal self but more of a collective persona for a unified stage presence. And this persona is a combination of cheerfulness, glamour, positivity, and optimism.
How to show this pro cheerleader’s persona? Well, you’ve already learned them by smiling, looking at the camera, making eye contact with the audience, and standing proud.
5. Connect with the audience and work with them
Image source: MINNESOTA VIKINGS Cheerleaders Instagram
There might be a few opportunities where you can connect with the audience during the audition and live performance. It’s best that you should grab them when available. Examples would be during your dance intro where you can smile and wave to the crowd or judges, hype your team’s fans up when an interviewer gives you the mic, or when the camera focuses on you in the arena.
The strategies singers and dancers use to boost their stage presence are alike in many ways. It’s important to learn what other types of performers do to connect with their crowds and find a way to use them for the auditions and arena performances. Do more research online by watching how artists perform at concerts.
Know more tips to be a better pro cheerleader here!
- How to Develop Fluidity as a Dancer
- Dance Like A Pro: How To Avoid Feeling And Looking Awkward On Stage
- Feeling Insecure About Your Dancing? Build Your Confidence With These 6 Reminders
- 8 Struggles Only A Dancer Can Understand (And How To Overcome Them)
- Showmanship: What It Is and Tips from the Pros
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