[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] most of you have been to a live
most of you have been to a live
most of you have been to a live performance before whether it was to
performance before whether it was to
performance before whether it was to watch your kids performing in school or
watch your kids performing in school or
watch your kids performing in school or going to a concert to a dance
going to a concert to a dance
going to a concert to a dance performance to the theater or even
performance to the theater or even
performance to the theater or even watching a street performance or a TED
watching a street performance or a TED
watching a street performance or a TED talk but most of you have that
talk but most of you have that
talk but most of you have that experience remember how it feels you may
experience remember how it feels you may
experience remember how it feels you may feel very excited about it
feel very excited about it
feel very excited about it you really want to be there or maybe you
you really want to be there or maybe you
you really want to be there or maybe you had a very long day you are tired and
had a very long day you are tired and
had a very long day you are tired and not in the right mood to be there but
not in the right mood to be there but
not in the right mood to be there but there you are in that moment when the
there you are in that moment when the
there you are in that moment when the lights go down and those seconds of
lights go down and those seconds of
lights go down and those seconds of silence just before the performance
silence just before the performance
silence just before the performance begins they are crucial and for the
begins they are crucial and for the
begins they are crucial and for the performer they are key so let’s try to
performer they are key so let’s try to
performer they are key so let’s try to remember that experience and I don’t
remember that experience and I don’t
remember that experience and I don’t know about you but for me is like moving
know about you but for me is like moving
know about you but for me is like moving to a different dimension it’s like being
to a different dimension it’s like being
to a different dimension it’s like being a different reality
a different reality
a different reality and many times there’s all these
and many times there’s all these
and many times there’s all these emotions that I’m settling feeling and
emotions that I’m settling feeling and
emotions that I’m settling feeling and it’s so overwhelming I feel it in my
it’s so overwhelming I feel it in my
it’s so overwhelming I feel it in my body in my skin and it drains all the
body in my skin and it drains all the
body in my skin and it drains all the energy and it’s so powerful and
energy and it’s so powerful and
energy and it’s so powerful and transformative and many times at the end
transformative and many times at the end
transformative and many times at the end of the performance people start making
of the performance people start making
of the performance people start making comments how amazing it was and I can’t
comments how amazing it was and I can’t
comments how amazing it was and I can’t I leave a few minutes just to come down
I leave a few minutes just to come down
I leave a few minutes just to come down absorb all that experience all that
absorb all that experience all that
absorb all that experience all that intensity and then I’m ready to go back
intensity and then I’m ready to go back
intensity and then I’m ready to go back to reality and it wasn’t even me just on
to reality and it wasn’t even me just on
to reality and it wasn’t even me just on stage I was just in the audience so what
stage I was just in the audience so what
stage I was just in the audience so what happens there what happens behind those
happens there what happens behind those
happens there what happens behind those curtains that make performers bring to
curtains that make performers bring to
curtains that make performers bring to us all that transformative powerful
us all that transformative powerful
us all that transformative powerful experience
experience
experience the question is then what makes a great
the question is then what makes a great
the question is then what makes a great performance and what makes a great
performance and what makes a great
performance and what makes a great performer and that’s what I want to talk
performer and that’s what I want to talk
performer and that’s what I want to talk about today the same questions have been
about today the same questions have been
about today the same questions have been guiding and inspiring researchers in
guiding and inspiring researchers in
guiding and inspiring researchers in psychology and other science for many
psychology and other science for many
psychology and other science for many years they have been trying to
years they have been trying to
years they have been trying to understand excellence in performance and
understand excellence in performance and
understand excellence in performance and we can see it in three different ways or
we can see it in three different ways or
we can see it in three different ways or through different approaches one is
through different approaches one is
through different approaches one is those who think of research excellence
those who think of research excellence
those who think of research excellence as the result of some kind of gift you
as the result of some kind of gift you
as the result of some kind of gift you need to have a skill that is innate or
need to have a skill that is innate or
need to have a skill that is innate or inherited but you need that skill and of
inherited but you need that skill and of
inherited but you need that skill and of course you also need a stimulating
course you also need a stimulating
course you also need a stimulating environment and have the right people
environment and have the right people
environment and have the right people that help you make that gift into a
that help you make that gift into a
that help you make that gift into a talent but the focus is on the idea of
talent but the focus is on the idea of
talent but the focus is on the idea of you need a gift then there’s a second
you need a gift then there’s a second
you need a gift then there’s a second group that focus on the idea of hard
group that focus on the idea of hard
group that focus on the idea of hard work they actually criticize this first
work they actually criticize this first
work they actually criticize this first group and say no what you need is really
group and say no what you need is really
group and say no what you need is really to train hard to work hard and this is
to train hard to work hard and this is
to train hard to work hard and this is where for example the concept of
where for example the concept of
where for example the concept of deliberate practice or the idea that you
deliberate practice or the idea that you
deliberate practice or the idea that you need 10,000 hours to become an expert
need 10,000 hours to become an expert
need 10,000 hours to become an expert emerge and aspire so many people and
emerge and aspire so many people and
emerge and aspire so many people and researchers in many domains but here the
researchers in many domains but here the
researchers in many domains but here the focus is hard work
focus is hard work
focus is hard work proper training then there’s a third
proper training then there’s a third
proper training then there’s a third group that Lucas looks at excellence as
group that Lucas looks at excellence as
group that Lucas looks at excellence as a result of having some kind of wisdom
a result of having some kind of wisdom
a result of having some kind of wisdom expert knowledge in the way you deal and
expert knowledge in the way you deal and
expert knowledge in the way you deal and understand with the complex meaningful
understand with the complex meaningful
understand with the complex meaningful and complicated and uncertain aspects of
and complicated and uncertain aspects of
and complicated and uncertain aspects of life so an excellent performer would be
life so an excellent performer would be
life so an excellent performer would be also a wise performer now when it comes
also a wise performer now when it comes
also a wise performer now when it comes to understand human performance at the
to understand human performance at the
to understand human performance at the highest levels those who really know
highest levels those who really know
highest levels those who really know about it is the sports psychologist for
about it is the sports psychologist for
about it is the sports psychologist for science people they really have the
science people they really have the
science people they really have the tools the measures the labs
tools the measures the labs
tools the measures the labs and we have learned a lot from them so
and we have learned a lot from them so
and we have learned a lot from them so maybe you don’t know but now we put
maybe you don’t know but now we put
maybe you don’t know but now we put musicians and dancers on treadmills
musicians and dancers on treadmills
musicians and dancers on treadmills running to measure their fitness levels
running to measure their fitness levels
running to measure their fitness levels or we wire them to measure their heart
or we wire them to measure their heart
or we wire them to measure their heart rate and we even take take saliva
rate and we even take take saliva
rate and we even take take saliva samples to measure their cortisol to try
samples to measure their cortisol to try
samples to measure their cortisol to try to understand stress and actually when I
to understand stress and actually when I
to understand stress and actually when I try to explain what I do and I’m a
try to explain what I do and I’m a
try to explain what I do and I’m a psychologist and researcher in
psychologist and researcher in
psychologist and researcher in performance science I work with artists
performance science I work with artists
performance science I work with artists I usually have to accept to give an
I usually have to accept to give an
I usually have to accept to give an example and say oh I’m kind of a sports
example and say oh I’m kind of a sports
example and say oh I’m kind of a sports psychologist for performers and then
psychologist for performers and then
psychologist for performers and then people kind of understand well it’s not
people kind of understand well it’s not
people kind of understand well it’s not the same athletes and artists may be
the same athletes and artists may be
the same athletes and artists may be very similar in many aspects but they
very similar in many aspects but they
very similar in many aspects but they are also very different and I want to
are also very different and I want to
are also very different and I want to tell you a little bit more about the
tell you a little bit more about the
tell you a little bit more about the life of a performing artist this is a
life of a performing artist this is a
life of a performing artist this is a practice room this is where performers
practice room this is where performers
practice room this is where performers spend most of their day actually most of
spend most of their day actually most of
spend most of their day actually most of their life and as you can see there
their life and as you can see there
their life and as you can see there there isn’t much distractors only what
there isn’t much distractors only what
there isn’t much distractors only what is absolutely necessary to develop a
is absolutely necessary to develop a
is absolutely necessary to develop a skill to develop a talent actually this
skill to develop a talent actually this
skill to develop a talent actually this is a very good room because there’s a
is a very good room because there’s a
is a very good room because there’s a window lucky then there’s some light
window lucky then there’s some light
window lucky then there’s some light natural light now in that room you can
natural light now in that room you can
natural light now in that room you can also see that there’s a mirror and that
also see that there’s a mirror and that
also see that there’s a mirror and that mirror is where performers learn to see
mirror is where performers learn to see
mirror is where performers learn to see their mistakes and to correct their
their mistakes and to correct their
their mistakes and to correct their mistakes that mirror can have a huge
mistakes that mirror can have a huge
mistakes that mirror can have a huge impact in their self-esteem their
impact in their self-esteem their
impact in their self-esteem their confidence and their identity and that
confidence and their identity and that
confidence and their identity and that mirror reflects not only how they see
mirror reflects not only how they see
mirror reflects not only how they see themselves their self judgment but also
themselves their self judgment but also
themselves their self judgment but also reflect all of us members of the
reflect all of us members of the
reflect all of us members of the audience family researchers teachers
audience family researchers teachers
audience family researchers teachers that expect them to perform at the
that expect them to perform at the
that expect them to perform at the highest levels all the time lots of
highest levels all the time lots of
highest levels all the time lots of pressure they live under constant
pressure they live under constant
pressure they live under constant pressure
pressure
pressure constant judgment constant pressure and
constant judgment constant pressure and
constant judgment constant pressure and stress so that they can perform at the
stress so that they can perform at the
stress so that they can perform at the highest level now these need to develop
highest level now these need to develop
highest level now these need to develop the skills in a room like these and this
the skills in a room like these and this
the skills in a room like these and this could also be a dance to D for example
could also be a dance to D for example
could also be a dance to D for example to be able to show their skills in a
to be able to show their skills in a
to be able to show their skills in a room like this and play perform
room like this and play perform
room like this and play perform beautifully now how do they do that well
beautifully now how do they do that well
beautifully now how do they do that well we actually have very good schools and
we actually have very good schools and
we actually have very good schools and professional institutions that give
professional institutions that give
professional institutions that give these performers all the best conditions
these performers all the best conditions
these performers all the best conditions they can have so that they can develop
they can have so that they can develop
they can have so that they can develop their skills so they they they can
their skills so they they they can
their skills so they they they can practice hard and be able to transform
practice hard and be able to transform
practice hard and be able to transform and transfer all those skills to a room
and transfer all those skills to a room
and transfer all those skills to a room like these and just to give you an
like these and just to give you an
like these and just to give you an example at the Royal College of Music in
example at the Royal College of Music in
example at the Royal College of Music in London we have a performance simulator
London we have a performance simulator
London we have a performance simulator where students can go and perform in
where students can go and perform in
where students can go and perform in front of a virtual audience or an
front of a virtual audience or an
front of a virtual audience or an audition panel and realize like how it
audition panel and realize like how it
audition panel and realize like how it feels to be in a room like that
feels to be in a room like that
feels to be in a room like that now that doesn’t happen everywhere but
now that doesn’t happen everywhere but
now that doesn’t happen everywhere but still schools and professional
still schools and professional
still schools and professional situations to their best to help these
situations to their best to help these
situations to their best to help these performers be at the highest level in a
performers be at the highest level in a
performers be at the highest level in a room like things now we also know that
room like things now we also know that
room like things now we also know that performers are highly motivated highly
performers are highly motivated highly
performers are highly motivated highly passionate people they work very hard
passionate people they work very hard
passionate people they work very hard but they also love what they do they are
but they also love what they do they are
but they also love what they do they are perfectionist and that means that they
perfectionist and that means that they
perfectionist and that means that they push their limits to the limit all the
push their limits to the limit all the
push their limits to the limit all the time and they are also very organized
time and they are also very organized
time and they are also very organized they need to because every hour of their
they need to because every hour of their
they need to because every hour of their lives is precious precious they need to
lives is precious precious they need to
lives is precious precious they need to take that time to make their their
take that time to make their their
take that time to make their their skills perfect so we know all these that
skills perfect so we know all these that
skills perfect so we know all these that they are highly motivated people that
they are highly motivated people that
they are highly motivated people that there’s the reserves available to help
there’s the reserves available to help
there’s the reserves available to help them do that now maybe you don’t see
them do that now maybe you don’t see
them do that now maybe you don’t see that when you go to a live performance
that when you go to a live performance
that when you go to a live performance but there’s a less glamorous side to the
but there’s a less glamorous side to the
but there’s a less glamorous side to the life of a performer and let me tell you
life of a performer and let me tell you
life of a performer and let me tell you a little bit about it
a little bit about it
a little bit about it performers will work very very hard to
performers will work very very hard to
performers will work very very hard to actually be able to perform and make a
actually be able to perform and make a
actually be able to perform and make a living of it which means that they spend
living of it which means that they spend
living of it which means that they spend many hours of their day practicing going
many hours of their day practicing going
many hours of their day practicing going to auditions going to competitions to
to auditions going to competitions to
to auditions going to competitions to get a job but most of the times these
get a job but most of the times these
get a job but most of the times these jobs are for short periods so they
jobs are for short periods so they
jobs are for short periods so they actually need several jobs to pay the
actually need several jobs to pay the
actually need several jobs to pay the bills to be able to eat and and so on so
bills to be able to eat and and so on so
bills to be able to eat and and so on so they have to keep practicing go to
they have to keep practicing go to
they have to keep practicing go to additions to competitions have several
additions to competitions have several
additions to competitions have several jobs their work-life balance is a mess
jobs their work-life balance is a mess
jobs their work-life balance is a mess the work conditions are very poor and as
the work conditions are very poor and as
the work conditions are very poor and as they get older as you can imagine things
they get older as you can imagine things
they get older as you can imagine things don’t get easier
don’t get easier
don’t get easier so careers sustainability is really an
so careers sustainability is really an
so careers sustainability is really an issue for performers we also know that
issue for performers we also know that
issue for performers we also know that they don’t eat sleep rest or exercise
they don’t eat sleep rest or exercise
they don’t eat sleep rest or exercise properly because they have very busy
properly because they have very busy
properly because they have very busy life they work antisocial hours and for
life they work antisocial hours and for
life they work antisocial hours and for example we have recent studies that show
example we have recent studies that show
example we have recent studies that show that performers are at high risk of
that performers are at high risk of
that performers are at high risk of sleep disorders which can have a huge
sleep disorders which can have a huge
sleep disorders which can have a huge impact in cognitive and motor ability
impact in cognitive and motor ability
impact in cognitive and motor ability which they need to perform at the
which they need to perform at the
which they need to perform at the highest levels we also know that
highest levels we also know that
highest levels we also know that researchers that research shows that
researchers that research shows that
researchers that research shows that performers are not very good asking for
performers are not very good asking for
performers are not very good asking for help
help
help so their health and attitude towards
so their health and attitude towards
so their health and attitude towards health is are not great they usually ask
health is are not great they usually ask
health is are not great they usually ask help to their teacher first they follow
help to their teacher first they follow
help to their teacher first they follow their guidance and then maybe they can
their guidance and then maybe they can
their guidance and then maybe they can ask the help of their friends or family
ask the help of their friends or family
ask the help of their friends or family and when they can’t cope with it anymore
and when they can’t cope with it anymore
and when they can’t cope with it anymore then they seek professional help and why
then they seek professional help and why
then they seek professional help and why this happen because showing that you
this happen because showing that you
this happen because showing that you have a problem in the performing arts is
have a problem in the performing arts is
have a problem in the performing arts is showing that you have a weakness you can
showing that you have a weakness you can
showing that you have a weakness you can show it because if you show it
show it because if you show it
show it because if you show it someone will replace you immediately and
someone will replace you immediately and
someone will replace you immediately and that person that will replace you
that person that will replace you
that person that will replace you it’s probably your friend because
it’s probably your friend because
it’s probably your friend because they’re friends
they’re friends
they’re friends are also direct competition so this
are also direct competition so this
are also direct competition so this brings many physical and psychological
brings many physical and psychological
brings many physical and psychological challenge
challenge
challenge we know that performers suffer from high
we know that performers suffer from high
we know that performers suffer from high incidence of injury physical pain and
incidence of injury physical pain and
incidence of injury physical pain and other musculoskeletal problems they are
other musculoskeletal problems they are
other musculoskeletal problems they are they are not feet as they probably need
they are not feet as they probably need
they are not feet as they probably need to be to face all the physical demand of
to be to face all the physical demand of
to be to face all the physical demand of performing as I said before they they
performing as I said before they they
performing as I said before they they are not great to give professional help
are not great to give professional help
are not great to give professional help to deal with these problems and release
to deal with these problems and release
to deal with these problems and release comes also psychological problems there
comes also psychological problems there
comes also psychological problems there is a high incidence of stage fright
is a high incidence of stage fright
is a high incidence of stage fright performance anxiety depression and other
performance anxiety depression and other
performance anxiety depression and other mental health issues and we know that
mental health issues and we know that
mental health issues and we know that for a long long time research keeps
for a long long time research keeps
for a long long time research keeps showing these these are the main
showing these these are the main
showing these these are the main problems among performing artists
problems among performing artists
problems among performing artists recently in a study that’s involved in
recently in a study that’s involved in
recently in a study that’s involved in we found out that for example music
we found out that for example music
we found out that for example music students use coping skills very little
students use coping skills very little
students use coping skills very little so with all these stress and pressure
so with all these stress and pressure
so with all these stress and pressure that they live from young ages we would
that they live from young ages we would
that they live from young ages we would expect them to be able to manage the
expect them to be able to manage the
expect them to be able to manage the stress very effectively how do they do
stress very effectively how do they do
stress very effectively how do they do it well very poorly they actually don’t
it well very poorly they actually don’t
it well very poorly they actually don’t do it don’t do it very well
do it don’t do it very well
do it don’t do it very well and this study shows that we are not
and this study shows that we are not
and this study shows that we are not helping them developing the skills to be
helping them developing the skills to be
helping them developing the skills to be able to deal with all this pressure this
able to deal with all this pressure this
able to deal with all this pressure this brings many other issues and this shows
brings many other issues and this shows
brings many other issues and this shows how the life of a performer can be less
how the life of a performer can be less
how the life of a performer can be less glamorous now what are we missing here
glamorous now what are we missing here
glamorous now what are we missing here we have all these information about how
we have all these information about how
we have all these information about how to make a great performer but we are
to make a great performer but we are
to make a great performer but we are missing something and I would say that
missing something and I would say that
missing something and I would say that what we miss is to see the person the
what we miss is to see the person the
what we miss is to see the person the human being behind the performer there’s
human being behind the performer there’s
human being behind the performer there’s a person there and we often forget that
a person there and we often forget that
a person there and we often forget that and all of us want to see great
and all of us want to see great
and all of us want to see great performance and we don’t realize that
performance and we don’t realize that
performance and we don’t realize that these comes many times that great
these comes many times that great
these comes many times that great expense of the performer schools and
expense of the performer schools and
expense of the performer schools and professional institutions and
professional institutions and
professional institutions and researchers we are trying our best to
researchers we are trying our best to
researchers we are trying our best to give performers their best conditions to
give performers their best conditions to
give performers their best conditions to excel we are really working hard for
excel we are really working hard for
excel we are really working hard for that and in some countries and we are
that and in some countries and we are
that and in some countries and we are lucky enough in the UK to have that but
lucky enough in the UK to have that but
lucky enough in the UK to have that but that doesn’t happen in many places
that doesn’t happen in many places
that doesn’t happen in many places especially in smaller schools for
especially in smaller schools for
especially in smaller schools for example or smaller companies but there
example or smaller companies but there
example or smaller companies but there is already some health care and health
is already some health care and health
is already some health care and health support for performing artists career
support for performing artists career
support for performing artists career support for performing artists
support for performing artists
support for performing artists specialized support now the problem is
specialized support now the problem is
specialized support now the problem is that we keep looking at the performer as
that we keep looking at the performer as
that we keep looking at the performer as part of a body fractions of a performer
part of a body fractions of a performer
part of a body fractions of a performer and while we do that we may be we may
and while we do that we may be we may
and while we do that we may be we may not notice that behind that performer
not notice that behind that performer
not notice that behind that performer maybe there’s a broken body a broken
maybe there’s a broken body a broken
maybe there’s a broken body a broken mind a broken heart or even the risk of
mind a broken heart or even the risk of
mind a broken heart or even the risk of a broken career and none of us want that
in performance science we study
in performance science we study performance we understand the complexity
performance we understand the complexity
performance we understand the complexity of performance and in order to do that
of performance and in order to do that
of performance and in order to do that we use different lens and we share lens
we use different lens and we share lens
we use different lens and we share lens we learn from other domains and we need
we learn from other domains and we need
we learn from other domains and we need to do that to have a clear idea of the
to do that to have a clear idea of the
to do that to have a clear idea of the big picture
big picture
big picture we need to use allistic and
we need to use allistic and
we need to use allistic and comprehensive approaches now the
comprehensive approaches now the
comprehensive approaches now the evidence is there we know what makes a
evidence is there we know what makes a
evidence is there we know what makes a great performer but we also know what
great performer but we also know what
great performer but we also know what kind of challenge they face so it for me
kind of challenge they face so it for me
kind of challenge they face so it for me is very simple let’s just use these
is very simple let’s just use these
is very simple let’s just use these evidence and let’s bring it together
evidence and let’s bring it together
evidence and let’s bring it together because if we as members of the audience
because if we as members of the audience
because if we as members of the audience as teachers as family as researchers
as teachers as family as researchers
as teachers as family as researchers individuals or institutions that work
individuals or institutions that work
individuals or institutions that work with performing artists
with performing artists
with performing artists if we want to have even greater
if we want to have even greater
if we want to have even greater performers and great greatest
performers and great greatest
performers and great greatest performance we need to aknowledge the
performance we need to aknowledge the
performance we need to aknowledge the person we need to empower that human
person we need to empower that human
person we need to empower that human being that is behind the performer and
being that is behind the performer and
being that is behind the performer and that’s the only way to enjoy
that’s the only way to enjoy
that’s the only way to enjoy transformative experience through great
transformative experience through great
transformative experience through great performance and by doing that we
performance and by doing that we
performance and by doing that we probably will have performers perform
probably will have performers perform
probably will have performers perform better healthier and for longer thank
better healthier and for longer thank
better healthier and for longer thank you
you
you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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