From wearing a certain dance costume to carrying lucky charms and choosing a particular side green room, dancers believe in a medley of superstitions.
I know of a legendary dancer who always has something that’s part of her handbag on a flight or on the floor — a little silver waist chain that she picked up in a thrift shop. While it’s an ordinary token, the chain is quite special to her because she won’t board her flight without it, believing that whenever she has worn it for a show, the performance has gone smoothly. She might forget to pack extra clothes, but this chain, she cannot do without she told me once. If you’re someone like her, you’re not alone. Lots of people have several beliefs that they stick to while they perform.
I have often met dancers who want to know which place the show is and which direction the stage is made, they also want to know the best options if the dates need to be shifted. There are also some dancers who keep their feet tapping even when others dance just because they believe that by doing so the others will keep moving and then there are other dancers who don a favourite jersey or coat, or carry their favourite suitcase or even a certain pair of shoes, so that their performance goes well. There are some dancers who want to wear a particular colour and some who want to wear a particular colour only on a particular day.
Most dancers avoid room numbers 4 and 8 when it comes to staying in a room, or the seats they get on a flight and even show dates. This is important for them as the right number might just fetch them that performance value or appreciation they are looking for at a performance… anything is possible in the world of performing arts.
Many a time lucky charms also cause fear; dancers have different superstitions when it comes to shows and performances. Some do not travel together with other dancers. I have met dancers who want to travel separately as they were worried that if the plane crashes at least they would be able to dance alone. Most common are superstitions regarding the day, Friday the 13th is mostly avoided by dancers, they also feel weary about numbers that add up to 13 or a certain number that has been unlucky for them; be it 13 dancers in a dance or 13 changes. The number 13 is feared by many art lovers. But I feel that taking along a lucky charm can be the culprit itself too, I believe a dancer’s superstitions arise from fear and a lack of faith. A lucky charm itself reminds you of the superstition and actually creates more panic and fear, especially if there is a problem during an event I’ve come up with some possible solutions for this problem, after talking to a few well-known dancers and some doctor friends of mine who believe that such superstitions can be removed from a dancers mind. Remind yourself that this is only a fear. Use positive visualisation techniques. Try hypnosis. Have anti-anxiety medicines after consulting your doctor.
A dancer is a person, who is connected to God directly. When we dance, we express the deepest of emotion. Remember when God is with you no one can ever go against you.