Hind Louali: How Performing Arts Benefits Children

Performing in front of a crowd can be nerve-wracking for anyone, but it can be a terrifying experience for children. Whether it’s a dance recital, a school play, or a music performance, the pressure to perform flawlessly can be overwhelming for young kids. That’s why it is important to teach them how to cope with performance jitters early.

By learning relaxation techniques, positive self-talk, and other tricks to calm their nerves, children can gain the confidence they need to shine on stage. With practice, they’ll be better equipped to handle the pressure and perform at their best, giving them a valuable advantage as they grow older and face more challenging performances.

Parents can start by normalizing a child’s feelings of anxiety. Then, they can relate their situation to that of other performers. While this won’t take away all the nerves, it will let the child know there’s nothing wrong with their feelings.

Before your child performs, Hind Louali suggests that you talk your child through their worries. Remind them of other moments when they’ve felt this anxious, even when things turned out well. Recalling past experiences with good outcomes is also a good idea. It can give your child confidence. Breathing exercises also help before a performance.

After each performance, let your child enjoy what they’ve achieved. Casually comment on how well they did and how well everything went. They will remember this for the next time, and believe that they can perform under pressure, explains Hind Louali.

There’s nothing quite like hearing people appreciate your performance. That can make you feel like a star. Your child will think to themselves that all that cheer is for them, and this instant positive feedback feels extremely rewarding.

That said, it’s more than just the ego boosts from others.

Any performance needs teamwork to succeed. Through performance arts, Hind Louali says that children are introduced to the notion of an ensemble. They’re performing with a team of performers. They are responsible for their part in a larger group, and everyone is counting on them to do their part.

The significance of this personal responsibility is rare in a child’s world. Successfully delivering their lines or hitting the right notes on a musical instrument means more because it allows everyone in the ensemble to do their job.

Children become part of something bigger than themselves when they perform with a group. The performance itself is the culmination of weeks of hard work, which becomes the reward for all the effort.

With a good performance comes invaluable self-esteem and self-confidence, adds Hind Louali.

For more of Hind Louali‘s insights, visit his page by clicking here.