My thesis studies the performance anxiety of show-, and street dancers. I have concentrated on the following topics in particular: how anxiety is born, what are the factors that cause anxiety and what reactions arise to both body and mind in a situation that causes anxiety. Performance anxiety is often considered a performance-weakening factor and therefore I have taken into consideration the positive effects of performance anxiety as well. In addition, in this thesis I have done research on literature about anxiety and performing and have discussed the most interesting anxiety-related theories in more detail. These theories discuss the birth of performance anxiety, how the anxiety situation progresses and the personality of the performer.

As a part of my thesis I have conducted a survey to show-, and street dancers who perform and compete actively. With the help of the survey I aim at finding particular anxiety-related characteristics and situations that are typical to show-, and street dancers. I will also study how a person’s performance experience and sex affect anxiety and how performance anxiety changes between a performance situation and a competition situation. I have also had discussions with a person who experiences severe performance anxiety about what makes a person go on stage despite their anxiety.

Finally, I have made a summarized list of exercises and treatments that aim at decreasing anxiety. I have studied NLP in more detail, which is the treatment form that is discussed the most in this thesis. By studying NLP some other forms of mental treatment methods arose that are important to all performing dancers.

My thesis is aimed at all performing artists and their directors/instructors. With the help of this thesis one can familiarize themselves with anxiety, its positive affects and how its negative affects can be moderated. Dance teachers can use this thesis as a source of help in their work and thus give their students more tools for better self-awareness, which is the first step in controlling performance-weakening anxiety.