Finding Inspiration When Performing

Photo by Derek Elvin

As you may know, SPDS hosts studio showcases throughout the year. It is a time for studio members to put together routines or join group routines to showcase their talents to family and friends whether aerial, pole, dance or acro.

Each of our showcases have a different theme to encourage creativity, whether it’s performing to a song that you’ve always wanted to, or to get you thinking outside of your usual style. Are you thinking of performing but aren’t sure where to start? Here are a few tips when looking for inspiration:

Theme - We choose a variety of themes for our showcases. From our recent Love and Other Words to Around the World to our upcoming Bad To The Bone, we choose a variety of themes for you to wrap your head around to push the edges of your creativity. While we encourage you to expand on the given theme however you choose, it’s never mandatory. It’s a starting point if you feel stuck.

Character or feeling - Once you know the theme, you will want to think about whether you want to tell a specific story or interpret a character, or if you are looking at focusing on evoking a feeling from your audience. Some routines can be more literal. For example, for the Bad To The Bone showcase, you can be a specific villain such as the Joker, or play a dominatrix. Or you can interpret a feeling such as bringing out your inner badass and performing a piece that makes you feel strong and confident.

Song Choice - Another thing to consider is the piece of music you want to perform to. Sometimes a person will find a song they love and then decide the story or feeling from there. These things can come fairly naturally at some point, or may take a lot of consideration and discussion with fellow performers and instructors before you really nail down your idea.

Costumes - You can also find inspiration in what you’re wearing. Perhaps you bought a new pair of shoes or shorts you want to wear. That part of your costume can open a whole door of inspiration.

The World Around You - Inspiration is all around you. With specific themes, I will generally spend some time with Google looking for ideas. For example, using our same theme above, you could google, Most infamous outlaws, or Villains you love to hate. Going on a google search can take you down the rabbit hole of ideas of what theme or character you want your piece to take. You can also find inspiration on movies, music videos, etc.

Regardless of character, theme, costume or song, remember to have fun! Regardless of what you choose, enjoying the process building your routine and then enjoying your moment on stage is what matters the most.

-Brigitte