PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

I have a bazillion comments about stage fright since I did suffer from debilitating stage fright myself, but for now here's a short one.

First, rehearse. Do physically rehearse, and do rehearse at least once in the costume you intend to wear for that performance.

When you rehearse, take time to completely imagine an audience composed entirely of either people that love you or people that hate you. Look into their faces, see where they are in the audience. Imagine them as thoroughly as you can, and then practice with the awareness that they are "there."

No actual live audience will give you the amount of emotional self-response as the one in your imagination. Real people become much less emotionally overwhelming.

PHOTO CREDIT: Ian Cartlidge, Leeds, United Kingdom.

• Adrenaline Effects on Belly Dance Performance. Saqra explains how your body chemistry affects your performance.
• Belly Dance Tip: Handling Bloopers. By Saqra. What to do when you make a blooper during a belly dance performance.

• Simple Calming Technique. By Saqra. Useful for not only stage fright, but also other stressful situations.
• 13 Belly Dance Tips for Handling Stage Fright. By Shira.

Saqra (Seattle, Washington, USA) is a powerful dance artist and a master instructor. Her fluidity, grace, and technical skill is highlighted by her friendly demeanor and clear joy of the dance. She did not inherit the diva gene.

Saqra won titles in Belly Dance USA (Oregon), Belly Dancer of the Year (California), Belly Dancer of the Universe (California), Wiggles of the West (Nevada), and many other competitions. She was voted "Best Kept Secret of 2005" and "Instructor of the Year 2008" by readers of Zaghareet Magazine.

Saqra's journey in this dance form began in 1977 and has led her to study with many of the best dancers in the world, including in America, Canada, Turkey and Egypt. Saqra continues to travel and study both in the USA and abroad and prides herself on proper research for anything she teaches. Folklore, fakelore, and stage creativity: all three are valuable, and Saqra clearly presents for each what they actually are. Saqra is constantly expanding her expertise in the traditional ethnic forms of the dance, the modern stage variants, and the continuing evolving fusion techniques, all these areas combined keep her material fresh and current.

Saqra is widely known as an event promoter, musician, music and instructional video producer, and a registered hypnotherapist in the state of Washington. That is enough stuff to start explaining what she has been doing in belly dance since 1977. Visit her at www.saqra.net

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by Michael Baxter, Santa Clara, California. In the photo, Saqra is holding her Teacher of the Year 2008 Award from Zaghareet Magazine.