Hi Lisa -
Welcome to your classic “fear of performance” dreams! And for you, performance certainly holds a double meaning!
Dreams of not being prepared for a major event, be it speaking in public or racing to get on an airplane, are extremely common. In all of them, we are worried about our ability to perform a certain task. For example, a lot of people have recurring dreams about not being prepared to take a test or exam at school. They dream that they sleep through their alarm clocks, that they can’t find the right room, or that they show up in class completely unprepared - they forgot they even had the test!
I think you’ve correctly identified the source for your dreams. As you say, you are involved in lots of activities - all of which require a high level of preparedness to come off right. You have to remember all your dance moves, you have to be prepared for all your cues so you enter the stage at the right time, and you have to keep all your costumes straight so you know which one to wear at the right time. Is it any wonder that you stress from time to time about keeping it all straight?
I congratulate you on all your success in the dance world. I think it’s clear that you love your “work” and care a lot about giving your best effort. As you get more confident, and as those “opening night jitters” get a little easier to stomach, I think you won’t have this dream so much. But performers of any age will tell you that they always are a little nervous before going on stage. What’s interesting, though, is they get used to feeling nervous just before a show - and they say they don’t mind! A little bit of nervous energy often helps us give a really good performance!
Good luck with your dance career - and next time you have one of these dreams - just know that your mind and body are getting ready for the next dance. It’s show time!
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