Glossary · Mental Health
When excitement turns into burdensome anxiety
Performance anxiety refers to pronounced nervousness or fear before and during a performance that goes beyond the usual excitement of appearing on stage. It can show up physically, for example through a racing heart, trembling, or nausea, mentally through fear of mistakes or judgment, and behaviorally.
A certain amount of nervousness before performances, auditions, or entrance exams is normal and can even enhance performance. This should be distinguished from more pronounced performance anxiety that noticeably impairs movement quality, concentration, or the experience of one's own performance. A study of 147 professional dancers from opera houses and state theatres found at least moderate symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder – a persistent anxiety condition not limited to performance situations – in around 16 percent of women and just over 6 percent of men, markedly more than in the general population. Because performances in dance are often tied to evaluation by an audience, jury, or superiors, and mistakes become immediately visible, performance anxiety can have a particularly strong effect here – including increased muscular tension, which in turn can influence injury risk. Approaches such as mental training, self-talk, goal setting, and relaxation techniques are used in research to reduce performance anxiety, though their effectiveness varies depending on method and implementation.
Because performance anxiety occurs more often in dance than is often assumed and can also affect physical safety, CENIT e.V. considers it important to distinguish between normal excitement and burdensome anxiety and to raise awareness of the latter. Taking psychological strain as seriously as physical complaints helps dancers seek support early rather than quietly accepting performance anxiety.
This entry serves to convey knowledge in a prevention context and is not a substitute for psychological or medical advice. For persistent, burdensome performance anxiety, we recommend consulting professionals experienced in dance medicine or psychology – for example through ta.med's referral network or the resources provided by IADMS.
Junge A, Hauschild A. Behind the Curtain: Prevalence of Symptoms of Depression, Generalised Anxiety and Eating Disorders in 147 Professional Dancers from Six Opera Houses or State Theatres. Sports Med Open. 2023;9:92. doi.org/10.1186/s40798-023-00638-9 · Zhang Y, Noh YE, Liu S. Psychological interventions for dancers' mental health: a systematic review. BMC Psychol. 2025;13. doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03724-7
