Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Laura Sharp" <lasharp@n...>
Date:  Sat Apr 8, 2000  3:04 pm
Subject:  RE: [vocalist-temporary] Trembling legs when performing


Hi Marika:


Marika wrote:
"Help! My legs start trembling whenever I'm singing in front of an
audience - or if I imagine I'd be singing there. (SNIP)I don't even suffer
from stage-fright."

It sounds like you do suffer from a form of "stage fright" if it only
happens when you're singing in front of an audience. But clever you! You
keep it out of your voice and confine it to your legs. The next step is
allowing it to exit your body through your feet and disappear into the
floor. Try a different stance. You aren't locking your knees are you? Or
standing with your legs pressed together? Since you're doing pants roles,
you might try a stance of action. Stand with your kness slightly bent
(bouncy), like you're waiting for someone to pass you the basketball, or to
be lifted in a ballet move. Let yourself feel ready to move. Do move a bit
if you like. As an actor/singer, allow your character to choose to do
something different with your legs when you feel the onset of the trembling.
Tell yourself it's excitement, passion, anger...whatever, and let it fuel
your fire. Or try imagery - imagine in your warmup that you're breathing up
from the floor through the soles of your feet. Make the air you breathe a
warm color and "see" it flowing up through your legs as you inhale. Choose a
cool color for exhaling and watch it flow back out through the soles of your
feet. Practice this when you're not performing so that it's second nature
when you are.

It could also be things like your shoes, something you're locking up
elsewhere that's compressing nerves in your legs (do you stand with most of
your weight on one hip?), lousy floor (I HATE singing on a cement, or tile
floor).

Good luck!

Laura Sharp



emusic.com