This study aimed to analyze the multidimensional structure and determinants of dance performance anxiety and to examine how psychological responses differdepending on dancers’ levels of experience. To this end, performance experience was conceptuali...
This study aimed to analyze the multidimensional structure and determinants of dance performance anxiety and to examine how psychological responses differdepending on dancers’ levels of experience. To this end, performance experience was conceptualized not as a single career indicator but as a multifaceted variable, and its effects on dance performance anxiety were empirically investigated.
Dance performance anxiety was measured as a dependent variable consisting of cognitive anxiety, confidence, somatic symptoms, and anxiety behaviors, while independent variables included performance career, daily rehearsal hours, number of performances within the past year, stage size, rehearsal duration, role type (principal, soloist, corps de ballet), and injury experience. Data were collected from dance major undergraduates and professional dancers through preliminary and main surveys. Descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation verified sample characteristics, factor analysis and reliability testing established the validity of measurement tools, and group differences were tested using t-tests and one-way ANOVA. Correlations and regression analyses were conducted to identify relationships and predictive influences among major
variables. The results revealed significant differences in cognitive anxiety and anxiety behavior by gender, with males showing higher confidence. Stage size, rehearsal duration, annual performance frequency, and number of repetitions were meaningfully associated with sub-factors of anxiety. Regression analysis showed that experience performing in large theaters increased confidence, where as frequent performances in small theaters heightened cognitive and somatic anxiety. Soloist roles and minor injury history increased cognitive anxiety, while annual performance frequency enhanced confidence, and performance repetitions reduced cognitive anxiety. Rehearsal hours, participation in school productions, and injury experience were identified as major predictors of anxiety behavior, indicating that rehearsal intensity and performance exposure are closely related to behavioral anxiety responses.
By empirically validating the structural mechanism of dance performance anxiety based on specific dimensions of performance experience, this study provides theoretical evidence that performance anxiety is not solely a personal trait but a multidimensional phenomenon shaped by experience and environment. Furthermore, the findings suggest that performance experience functions as a modifiable resource that reduces anxiety and enhances confidence, offering practical implications for pre-performance routines, role assignment strategies, and rehearsal/performance scheduling. Future studies should incorporate physiological indicators and qualitative interviews to more precisely identify the regulatory mechanisms underlying the interaction between performance experience and dance performance anxiety.