The Holistic Dance Teacher Guest Blog Series
Welcome to the The Holistic Dance Teacher Guest Blog Series! Through this blog series, I will introduce you to some of the amazing dance industry professionals that I have had the opportunity to work with and be inspired by. The artists and educators in this series all align with The Holistic Dance Teacher Approach, and I think you’ll find their contributions interesting and helpful for your own teaching and creative practices.
Our next guest blog post author is April Lorenzi, a dance performer, educator, choreograph, and author of The Secret Dance Technique, The Daily Dance Diary, and Travel Like a Local Orlando. April is an advocate for mental skills for dancers, who holds dual degrees in performance psychology and psychology with a minor in dance. She is committed to publishing more insightful books and resources on mental skills for dancers. I think that dancers and dance teachers will find her work illuminating and very helpful. I hope you enjoy her guest blog post, and encourage you to check out her books as well!
Mental Skills for Dancers
Take a moment to reflect—what percentage of dance do you think is physical, and what percentage is mental? How much of achieving your goals as a dancer depends on the mental side of dance?
Maybe your goal is landing your dream role, choreographing an extraordinary piece, or mastering a challenging routine. Of course, physical training is essential, but pause for a moment—can you recall times when the mental aspect was the deciding factor in achieving your goal? I certainly can!
Think about the moments you struggled to pick up choreography during an audition, blanked during an important performance, or hesitated to take a creative risk that could have set you apart. Now, consider someone who didn’t hesitate—how much more likely were they to achieve their goal, regardless of their physical technique?
I’ve faced all these situations and many more where the mental side of dance made the difference. That’s why, when I began learning about mental skills, it felt like uncovering a hidden secret. The good news is that these skills can be developed just like your dance technique.
In this post, I’ll share some tools that have genuinely helped me, and I hope they’ll do the same for you. We’ll explore confidence, managing performance anxiety, and making simple mindset shifts. Though they may seem small, I’ve found they create a ripple effect that can determine whether you achieve your goals. Let’s get started!
Reframing Anxiety as Excitement
One mindset shift that has significantly helped me is reframing nerve-wracking situations as exciting opportunities. If you think about it, the physical reactions to nervousness and excitement—like a racing heart and sweaty palms—are the same. The difference lies in how we interpret them. By telling yourself, I’m excited instead of I’m nervous, you can shift your mindset and approach the performance with positive energy.
For example, I used to feel overwhelmed by last-minute performances with little rehearsal or when something went wrong mid-performance. But I began shifting my thinking: I’m excited. I enjoy this. Over time, I started to genuinely look forward to those challenges.
It felt like a game—what once caused me stress became a fun, exciting challenge that was out of the ordinary. The best part? When I successfully navigated those situations, the sense of accomplishment was incredible.
For instance, if something goes wrong on stage, how can you problem-solve in the moment and enjoy the thrill of quick thinking? Maybe a prop is out of place, and you have to creatively retrieve it without the audience noticing. Once, our cast had to remove an item from the stage discreetly, turning it into a fun, collaborative effort. The audience never noticed, and the experience became a memorable highlight.
If we had approached it as a stressful situation, both the audience and our team would have felt uncomfortable. It might have even impacted whether the audience returned or, since it was a job, our chances of being rehired.
This technique also applies to auditions. Treat auditions as an exciting game. In games like Monopoly, you don’t always win, but you enjoy playing. Similarly, auditions aren’t just about the outcome—they’re about dancing, learning, and growing with each experience. Tell yourself you’re excited to perform, with the added potential of an opportunity at the end.
Building Confidence as a Dancer
Confidence plays a critical role in auditions, performances, and daily training. You’ve probably seen dancers with immense talent who underperform due to a lack of confidence. Confidence can be the deciding factor between seizing opportunities or holding back.
One way to build confidence is by reflecting on your past successes. Write them down—moments when you nailed a difficult step, received positive feedback, or felt proud of your performance. Date these entries in your journal. Over time, this list becomes a powerful reminder of your progress and a source of empowerment.
Ask yourself: What would a confident dancer do right now? Picture yourself in their shoes, embodying their attitude and behavior both on and off stage. Begin to act as though you already are that confident version of yourself. This shift can have a profound impact, helping you grow into that mindset both immediately and over time.
Confidence also comes from preparation. If performance opportunities are scarce, create your own! Perform for friends, upload a dance video, or volunteer for experiences that push you out of your comfort zone. Confidence grows through experience, so take charge and make those experiences happen.
Redefining Failure as Feedback
A key mindset shift is rethinking how you view failure. Instead of seeing mistakes during performances or auditions as failures, treat them as valuable feedback. Every misstep offers an opportunity to learn and improve.
This perspective has transformed how I approach challenges. Taking risks and stepping outside your comfort zone fosters growth. For instance, you might audition for a role that feels beyond your ability, and it doesn’t go perfectly. Rather than labeling it a failure, see it as constructive feedback that’s helping you advance.
Redefine what success means to you. Success doesn’t have to be landing the job or winning the trophy. It can be about giving your best effort, enjoying the process, or improving one aspect of your performance. When success is within your control, you stay motivated to keep going.
Strengthen Your Mind, Strengthen Your Dance
Mental skills like confidence, resilience, and mindset shifts are vital in dance and life. Building mental strength equips you to overcome challenges, stay persistent, and achieve your goals. If you’d like to explore these concepts further and discover many more mental skills for dancers, check out my book: The Secret Dance Technique.
So, what percentage of dance do you think is mental? Which of these skills resonate with you the most? I’d love to hear your thoughts—and what you’re excited to try!
About the Author
April Lorenzi is a performer, educator, and author with a diverse background. A native of New York, April recently relocated to Spain. Throughout her varied career, April has performed around the world, including dancing a lead role at Motiongate Dubai Theme Parks, Parque de Atracciones in Madrid, and on a cruise ship traveling across Europe, the Caribbean, and Brazil. Notable achievements include three years of performing in various shows and entertainment activities at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Her work with contemporary dance companies and roles in diverse dinner shows highlight her passion and versatility in dance. Along with her performance work, April has taught and choreographed dance in several states across the United States, working with dancers of all ages and abilities. April is the author of The Secret Dance Technique, The Daily Dance Diary, and Travel Like a Local Orlando. She is committed to publishing more insightful books and resources on mental skills for dancers. April believes in the importance of training the mental side of dance. An advocate for mental skills for dancers, April holds dual degrees in performance psychology and psychology with a minor in dance. When not focusing on dance, April teaches English in Spain at a public elementary school, serving as a North American Language and Cultural Ambassador. Learn more about April at her website, and connect with her on Instagram (@april.lorenzi) and TikTok (aprillorenziauthor).
