Dancing your way to confidence – Frank Proctor

03/08/2020 By Monica
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Frank pictured at the Australian Dancesport Championships with dance partner (and fellow DK Instructor) Jennifer

"Dancing your way to confidence"

 

DK Ballroom Instructor Frank Proctor describes how feeling present can help us perform and dance.

by Frank Proctor

“Dancing your way to Confidence”

by Frank Proctor

From time to time many of our dancers will be doing their “Award” examinations. For some, this may be a challenging and nervous experience; and for these people I would like to share a quote.

“Next time you are faced with one of these tense moments, imagine approaching it with confidence and excitement instead of doubt and dread.  Imagine feeling energized and at ease while you’re there, liberated from your fears and how others might be judging you.

And imagine leaving it without regret, satisfied that you did your best, regardless of the measurable outcome.”

This quote is from the book;  “Presence”,  ‘Bringing your Boldest Self to your Biggest Challenges’.   By Amy Cuddy.

In her book Amy Cuddy explains how a person’s posture and body language effects not just how other people see us, but also how we feel and perform.  She explains how just two minutes spent in a power pose can invigorate and empower you to do your best.

Amy coined this enhanced state: “Presence”.  The book documents many experiments that prove  these changes to be real and measurable.  The book also includes many stories of how being “Present” has helped people in challenging situations though their lives.

Most of these people learned about “Presence” by watching Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk;  “Your body language shapes who you are”.   Amy presented this talk at the TED Talk Global conference in 2012 and it is still available on U-Tube.  I recommend watching it.

While reading the book “Presence” I was reminded of a conversation that I had with Neil Rosenfeld.  He told me how he had seen people gain confidence simply by learning to control their bodies through dance.  They had then gone on to be more successful in their everyday lives, carrying that confidence with them, visibly expressed through their posture and body language.  In my experience I have also found this to be true.

The confidence wasn’t gained instantly, but incrementally over time.  Practicing and faking the confidence until one day you wake up and realize that you are confident.  You don’t need to pretend any more.  You fake it until you become it.

I would like to finish with another of Amy’s quotes:
“Dance your way to Presence.  Seize the large, beautiful parts of yourself, the ones you love and believe.  They are indeed yours for the taking.”