What do dancers do backstage to prepare for a great show?
As performers, we all know the nerves that come with stepping on stage. Those moments backstage can feel overwhelming and even downright scary. How do Salsa dancers shake off these pre-performance jitters? What are the pre-show rituals that help seasoned professionals and brand-new beginners prepare for their big moment in the spotlight?
We spoke to four dancers across the country about their pre-show rituals and superstitions. Their answers may surprise you.
Luis & Jess
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia Luis & Jess moved across the country to Los Angeles back in 2019, packing up all their belongings and their cat into their Honda Civic. As directors of Desafio Dance Company, they seek to create an environment that nurtures growth and encourages each student to strive for their own personal excellence and to challenge themselves in dance and in life.
Before a show, the couple likes to listen to Atlanta Trap-Rap because it makes them feel empowered. Luis will also zone out to motivational speaking tracks while Jess makes sure to prioritize time to get ready.
“It’s important for me to give myself time to feel pretty, so I make sure to put time and effort into doing my stage makeup look using Standing O Cosmetics,” says Jess, who is also the creator and founder of the makeup line.
“Before a show, I will also do a breathing exercise I learned in Yoga school that calms your nervous system. I teach it to all my students on Desafio.”
Georgia Grace Schrubbe
Georgia Grace Schrubbe fell in love with ballet at a young age in her hometown of Fairhope, Alabama. She got hit by the Salsa bug in 2010 and soon began dancing, teaching, and training all around the world. She started Holy City Salsa in 2015 with the intention to create a positive, uplifting environment where students can grow into the best dancers and versions of themselves. Today, Holy City Salsa serves hundreds of people in the Lowcountry and beyond.
Schrubbe also performs with The Bad Girls Club, the adult performing company arm of Dance Lab in Charleston, South Carolina. “It’s an incredible group of adult dancers ranging from people who have only been dancing for a few years to lifetime dancers and pros.”
When it comes to pre-performance rituals, Schrubbe says she’s very superstitious about saying “merde” before a performance instead of “good luck.”
“I get wigged out if someone says ‘good luck,’” she confesses.
She also gets nervous if a dress or tech rehearsal goes too well.
“I definitely subscribe to the ‘bad dress rehearsal, good performance’ adage and am secretly relieved when a dress rehearsal isn’t that good.”
Schrubbe also puts a lot of focus on her physical preparation before a show.
“Show day is always an exercise in trying to stay warm for as long as possible,” she says. “And to eat lightly but still get enough fuel for the performance and find the right amount of caffeine consumption to stay energized but not jittery.”
Bryon & Sammantha
Inessence Dance Company directors Bryon Stroud and Sammantha Arias first joined forces back in 2012. Today, their once-small group of local Bachata dancers has expanded to include 100+ performers across the Bay Area and Sacramento areas.
Before a show, Samm likes to watch quick clips on her phone of performers she likes while she’s warming up in the greenroom. She says she’ll often turn to JLo or Beyonce to see how their confidence and energy is on stage. “So I can take that with me on stage.”
She and Bryon also always say a prayer one or two acts before they walk on stage and give each other a kss. “This is something we never skip,” says Stroud.
Eder Avila
Born and raised in Trujillo, Peru, and now based in Long Beach California, Eder Avila fell in love with Salsa music as a teenager shortly after he came to the United States at the age of 15. He started his training in Salsa dancing in 2008, quickly developing and popularizing his own style.
Today his dance company, On2ourage, which started off as a project to have some fun dancing with his friends back in 2015, has become one of the leading Salsa On2 dance companies in Southern California.
Before the team steps onstage for a performance, Eder leads the group in a team huddle. “It gives us a few moments to come together as a group and feed off of each other’s energy,” says the director.
Do you have a go-to pre-performance ritual? Do you believe it has an impact on your show?
We’d love to hear about it in the comments below!