Stage Fright...?

Performance. Dread or love? Enjoy or hate? If you're anything like me, you would probably rather spend all day dancing within the confines of your studio rather than onstage, with a sea of potentially unfriendly strangers as your audience. So, in order to calm your jittery nerves, I've compiled a list of tactics, recommendations, etc. that can help you get ready for the big day. Here goes:
-Visit where you will be performing beforehand (you probably will for rehearsal, anyway)
-Practice your dance! Practice practice practice!
-Mentally rehearse your dance (go over it in your mind constantly)
-Practice applying the makeup you'll need to wear for your dance starting a few days before your performance
-Stay hydrated!
-If you have ANY questions regarding your performance, be sure to ask your teacher (better to be safe than sorry)
-Get a good night's sleep beforehand
-Cut back on salty or fatty foods before your show (it's not a good idea to eat a lot of them, anyway)
-The night before, lay out your costume and all your makeup (make sure it's all there), and then store it in your dance bag (if need be)
-Arrive a bit early on the day of your performance (it's not EVER a good idea to be late!)
-Before going onstage, take several deep breaths to calm yourself
-Try to imagine your family, friends, or whoever in the audience, rather than complete strangers
-And just...dance!

Ballet Dress

Before the establishment of the Academie Nationale de Musique et de Danse in 1661 by King Louis XIV, ballet dancers in royal courts were forced to wear stiff, elaborate clothing and uncomfortable corsets that limited range of movement. Although the dance wear worn at the Academie were slightly more freeing than what was previously worn, dancers often still had trouble dancing in such heavy garments. A ballet dancer named Marie Camargo was the first dancer to dare to wear shorter skirts. Dancer Marie Salle quickly followed suite, challenging her audience's expectations by dancing in only a white muslin dress. In 1826, the Paris Opera dancers swapped long trousers for short breeches or silk tights when performing. The women wore long, multilayer skirts, known as "bouffant skirts", which were made of layers of gauzy material. By the end of the 19th century, however, the tutu took the place of the bouffant skirt. In the 20th century, the leotard was developed, completing the look of today's modern ballerina, who we are all undoubtedly familiar with.