Hello:

What could it be? What's the single most important thing that a performer can do to become a better performer??????

Is it practice?

Is it rehearse?

What?????????????????????????????????

O.k., it's only my opinion but............ Here it is...it's coming now......wait for iiiiiittttttt.....


perform

The most important thing that you can do to become a better performer is to perform. I know this to be true for myself as I had to, for various medical reasons, stop performing some years ago and guess what....I did a short impromptu show for my daughters 15th birthday and it was, well, just o.k. Nothing I was proud of, but I got it done. It brought me up short...hmmmm....you really CAN lose your performing chops!

If you WANT to perform and you have done everything else....do whatever it takes to start doing shows even if you have to do a bunch of free shows. You gotta get out there and in front of folks if you want to progress to the next level.

Rehearsal is great. I am HUGE fan and promoter of rehearsal. But, at some point you have to perform. There was a time when my physical shop was open that I 'performed' about 2 hours a day at least 5 days a week ... or more. I had set the goal many years ago that every demonstration of product would be done AS IF I was doing a paid show. The folks who came in did in effect get a 'free show', with the hope, of course, on my part that they would buy something. But, I didn't want to waste the time just blowing through the magic I was doing. It had the effect of keeping my performing chops pretty tight.

But, you can lose 'em.

Want to perform? Especially for money? They you HAVE to get out and perform. There is just no other way. In the end after all the practice and rehearsal and whatever you will never, ever know what you need to work on, you will never know how to relate to a REAL audience, you will never make any real progress as a performer unless you get in front of folks and do your thing.

So .... get out there and get on the show!

All best,