Violin student Joshua Sadowski at Peabody Preparatory's Towson Campus

Two days before the Chapel Hill Elementary School talent show, Kelcy Shaprow of White Marsh felt confident, calm and relaxed. She had practiced her song, “Do you Believe in Magic,” at least 20 times, had the lyrics memorized and was ready to sing.

One day before the show, her stomach tied itself in knots. And the lyrics she had known so well just one day before? They suddenly became surrounded — almost suffocated — with worry.

“I kept thinking about how I would do,” said Kelcy, who was 10 at the time. “I was worried about forgetting the words.”
The worry soon spread to her family members.

“I’m not sure who was more stressed, Kelcy or me,” said Lisa Shaprow, Kelcy’s mother. “I was nervous for her the entire day. She wouldn’t eat anything.”

Kelcy was suffering from stage fright — nervousness felt about appearing before an audience. Sometimes referred to as performance anxiety, stage fright affects all ages and can strike anywhere from talent shows and athletic events to school plays and spelling bees. While stage fright is common, when it hits children, it can consume them mentally and physically.

Symptoms and risk factors
Symptoms of stage fright vary depending on the person, explained Alison Dunton, a psychologist at The Family Center in Ellicott City who works with children battling performance anxiety. Kelcy’s tight stomach and worry are two of the more common symptoms. Rapid breathing, trembling, shaking, a pounding heart, headaches, fumbling over words and “feeling frozen,” are other examples, Dunton said.

“A little bit of stage fright is normal,” Dunton said. “Most of us have butterflies before getting on stage or giving a speech.”

In most cases, stage fright is more “anticipatory anxiety,” Dunton said, meaning once the child is on stage or playing in the game, the stage fright disappears. But when stage fright causes children to avoid doing things they like to do, it becomes a problem, she said. For the most serious cases of stage fright — that prevent children from participating or interfere with their social development — Dunton suggests looking into the root causes and seeking professional help.

Children who have a history of anxiety, low self-esteem, low confidence or who are perfectionists have a higher chance of getting stage fright, Dunton said.

Christie Berdan, 15, of Elkridge, battles anxiety. That’s why her parents were shocked when, at 12, she decided to join the Drama Learning Center’s theater program in Columbia. Christie pondered performing for years, but seeing “Disney’s High School Musical 2″ gave her the push she needed to sign up.

“It was a huge surprise to us because she had such anxiety,” said Christie’s mother Jackie Berdan, about her decision to go on stage.
In Christie’s first show, “Mulan,” she was in the ensemble. Still, she suffered from a “twisted” stomach and nervousness about lines before the show began. During the show, she put her head down and just moved “through the motions,” her mother said.

Although it was expected for Christie to experience stage fright, not everyone is prepared for the feelings of fear.
“(Stage fright) can happen when you least expect it,” said Stephanie Lynn Williams, owner of the Drama Learning Center.
But there are ways to handle it, she said.

How to cope
One of the easier ways to quash stage fright is through deep breathing, in which most of the breathing effort is done by the abdominal muscles, Dunton explained. This technique works especially well for those with anticipatory anxiety, she said.

During practices, Drama Learning Center uses deep breathing, as well as “warm ups” to get students’ brains and vocal chords ready and to fight lingering nervousness.

At a recent practice, students put their hands on their hips and moved around wildly, laughing at each other throughout the exercise.
“They don’t realize it, but all of that helps them once they are out on stage,” said Karice Parada, a center instructor.

Performing at a young age may also help prevent anxiety from developing later on, especially in the vulnerable preteen years, said Rebecca Henry, head of the string department at The Peabody Preparatory in Baltimore. Henry teaches violin and viola to children and adults.

“The more you perform, the more you get comfortable doing it,” she said.

Studies have shown setting up a practice performance can create the same adrenaline as a real performance, Henry said. That’s why she suggests her students practice at home in front of family, friends or even stuffed animals before a public performance.

“It’s hardest on the ones who have thoughts or worry about how people are going to judge them,” she said.

Henry also suggested that nervous performers imagine something funny or focus on someone they know in the audience, like their parents. A smile after a mistake can put the audience at ease as well, she said.

Kelcy used two of these techniques to cope with her stage fright before her school talent show.

“I imagined a happy place, then started singing,” she said. “I also stared at my parents most of the time, so I didn’t know other people were there.”

Now 13 and an eighth-grader at Perry Hall Middle School, Kelcy still experiences stage fright from time to time, but she uses her tested coping techniques to get through it.

“When I have to give reports in school, looking at the windows, I don’t feel as nervous,” she said. “I also sometimes joke around when I’m doing it. It helps a little.”

And as for Christie, “baby steps” made all the difference, her mother said. With each production, she overcame her stage fright more.
“Anxiety can get in the way of having fun,” Jackie Berdan said. “If you find that fun, you want to keep going back.”

Now, Christie just tries to enjoy it, she said.

“The worst that can happen is if you have a line, you forget it,” Christie said.

During her last performance with the Drama Learning Center, Christie came full circle. She played Gabriella in the center’s production of “High School Musical 2″ — the movie that prompted her to try theater in the first place. She even sang a solo.

“To find something you think you could never do and then overcome it and gain confidence, it’s a double blessing,” her mother said.

How to beat pre-performance nerves

Whether it’s a spelling bee, school play, soccer game or ballet recital, stage fright can strike anywhere. Here are a few tips, courtesy of Nemours’ KidsHealth, on how to avoid the nervous butterflies, jitters, sweaty palms and upset stomach:

I. Psych yourself up. Confidence helps combat stress hormones. Watch a football team before they run on to the field. They get in a group and pray or sing a team song to pump themselves up with confidence and team spirit. You can do this whether you’re performing alone or as part of a group. Have parents, family members and friends give you a pep talk. Keep a journal as you practice; then if you think, “I can’t do this,” you can check the notebook to see how well prepared you are.

II. Be prepared. You’re less likely to freeze up if you’re well prepared. Rehearse as much as you can ractice in front of others at every opportunity. Most of all, think positively: Tell yourself “I’ll be OK” or “I can do this” even if you are not 100 percent sure of it.

III. Learn ways to chill. Young performers, such as Olympic gymnasts and music soloists talk about how important it is to prepare for the pre-performance jitters as well as the performance itself. Some take along a photo album of favorite pictures, compile a playlist on their music players to help them relax, or learn yoga and breathing techniques to help them feel calm. Some people need to be active to relax; others need to be still and calm. Find out what works for you, and practice, practice, practice.

IV. Look after yourself. Before big performances, it’s easy to let taking care of yourself slip as you spend too much time on rehearsals and practice. You’ll look and feel your best if you get enough sleep and eat healthy meals before your performance. Exercise can also help you feel good, and along with sleep and nutrition is an excellent way of keeping those stress hormones from getting out of control.

V. Find out what the experts do. You can find books, DVDs and online information about how to give your best when you perform, depending on what type of performance you’re preparing for. Check out stories about Olympic gymnasts or your favorite star to get their tips. Or ask the cast of your school play or your drama or music teacher how they beat stage fright. And if your parents or grandparents ever performed, they may have their own secrets to share. Even hearing stories of a worst-case scenario (like forgetting lines in a play or freezing up in a violin solo) can help you relax by realizing that people recover from potentially embarrassing situations.

(Source: KidsHealth, part of Nemours, a nonprofit organization devoted to children’s health)