From Curtain Call to Calm: Five Ways to Avoid the Post-Show Blues

After a big dance show, it’s natural to feel a mix of pride, exhaustion, and emptiness. You’ve given everything - mind, body, heart, your last “good” pair of shoes - to create something beautiful.

But what happens next matters just as much as the performance itself. Building on our discussion from last week, here are five dancer-friendly strategies to help you recover and keep your spirit bright after the curtain closes (or at least keep from eating a family-sized desert for dinner three nights in a row).

1. Celebrate and Share Your Story

It is important to have your next goal all set (more on that in a minute). But, instead of rushing to the next thing, take time to celebrate what just happened. Watch videos from the show, share photos, talk about your favorite moments with your dance friends or students.

Psychologist Claudia Skowron suggests that reminiscing can help soften the emotional dip and extend positive feelings in a healthy way. No matter how you think the show went, taking time to remember the small and big successes, rehearsal blunders, the laughs and camaraderie of being a part of something awesome - are all an important part of celebrating the milestone.

💡 Try this: Host a casual “show recap night” - play footage, laugh about behind-the-scenes moments, and thank everyone who was part of it.

2. Set a Fresh Goal

Once the show is done, replace that big milestone with a new focus. Importantly - it doesn’t have to be huge - maybe working on a new tricky technique, exploring musicality, or preparing a smaller showcase.

Forward momentum gives your brain something new to anticipate, reducing the post-event lull. Having a new goal keeps you striving for something, therefore keeping your brain happy.

💡 Try this: Pick one tangible goal for the next month. Write it down, and share it with a dance partner or your teacher for accountability.

3. Match Your Personality to the Transition

Remember how some personalities are more susceptible to post-show blues than others? Well, everyone also recovers differently.

For some the key is doing something new. If you love novelty - try a new class, or choose a new song for a brand new routine to work on. For others, having a plan is what keeps you going. If you’re a planner - create a structured routine to guide your next project.

Think of what gets you excited about your dancing - learning something new, or doing the old things better? Are you a creator or a refiner? Be honest with yourself. And if you are lost, try different approaches, or a combination. The key is to transition in a way that suits you, not just “do more.”

💡 Try this: Ask yourself, “What recharges me more - something new or something familiar?” Then build your post-show week around that answer.

4. Give Yourself Permission to Feel

All of the techniques we discussed so far can be effective. But remember that, in the end, you are not a dance robot. Sadness, nostalgia, or even irritability are all normal. Suppressing them only stretches out the recovery.

Don’t beat yourself up over feeling down. Take a rest day, treat yourself kindly, and remind yourself: feeling low doesn’t erase your success - it’s part of processing it.

💡 Try this: Write down three things you’re proud of from the show, and one lesson you’ll carry forward. Then take a full evening off.

5. Reconnect With Your Everyday Rhythm

Ease yourself back into normal life. Remember how your progress was not exactly linear when you first learned how to dance? Don’t expect every day to be the same in all other aspects either. The goal isn’t to schedule every minute and fill every moment until you stop feeling anything at all, except sore from too much work - it’s to find balance.

You can use your next lessons, practices, or social dances as gentle bridges between the performance world and daily life.

💡 Try this: End your next class by saying something like, “Let’s carry that show energy into our practice this week.” It helps reframe the return to routine as a continuation, not an ending.

Final Thought

The emotional drop after a big show isn’t something to fear - it’s a sign that you cared deeply. By celebrating what you’ve achieved, planning forward, and allowing space for rest, you can transform post-show sadness into creative renewal.

Your dance story didn’t end with that performance. It just turned the page.

Feeling inspired to explore the world of dance?Dance Flavor offers live andon-demand classes in various styles. Don’t be shy - contact us with any questions, or to try a private class in the dance of your choice!