Performance

A performance is a show for people to watch.

Performers can be in a group or alone. Some people act in plays. Others play music or do magic.

Artists often practice many times before a show. This helps them gain skill. Some artists use their whole body to make art. One artist even rolled in mud!

Performing can feel very exciting. It can also make a person feel nervous. Their heart might beat very fast. This happens when they stand before an audience. It is a special way to share art.

A performance is a way to show art to an audience.

Performers can work alone or in a group. They might act in a play or play music. Some people do magic or comedy.

Most artists practice a lot before a show. This helps them build skill and knowledge. Some artists use their whole body to make art. This is called performance art. In the Gutai group in Japan, artists used movement to make art come to life. One artist, Kazuo Shiraga, even rolled in mud to make art.

Performing can be a very big feeling. It can make a person feel calm and sure of themselves. It can also make a person feel nervous. This is often called stage fright. When people perform, their heart rate might go up. They might also sweat or feel more blood pressure. These are ways the body reacts to being in front of others.

A performance is an act of staging entertainment for an audience.

It can involve a single person or a whole group. Artists might play music, act in a drama, or perform magic. In the world of music, these events are often called plays. Performers usually spend a lot of time in rehearsals to practice. This helps them build the skills and knowledge they need. A great performance shows how much skill the artist has gained.

Some people use their whole bodies to create art. This is known as performance art. In the early 20th century, groups like Dada and Russian constructivism started this trend. They focused on things like live paintings and poetry readings. Later, artists like Jackson Pollock used action painting to show movement. He would splatter paint onto a large canvas on his floor. This made the act of painting just as important as the art itself.

Different groups around the world have unique ways of performing. In Japan, a group called Gutai used body movements to make art come to life. An artist named Kazuo Shiraga even performed by rolling in mud in 1955. In France, a leader named Guy Debord used art to make political points. In New York, John Cage and Allan Kaprow created "happenings." These were special events that included the audience in the action. These artists wanted to challenge how people thought about art.

Performing can change how a person feels inside. An ideal state is when an artist feels no fear. They might feel a sense of ease or total control. In this state, time and space might even feel different to them. However, many people feel nervous, which is called stage fright. This can make a person's heart rate go up quite a bit. It can also cause sweating or higher blood pressure.

Performance is not just about how much you practice. It is also about honing a specific skill. Some experts say the best results come from a mix of spontaneity and structure. This helps the artist communicate clearly with the people watching. In a workplace, performance is also a way to measure how well someone does a job. There are even different types of job performance, like task and contextual performance. Whether on a stage or at work, performing is about carrying out an action with skill.

Performance is a broad term used to describe the act of staging or presenting entertainment.

It also refers to the process of carrying out a specific action, task, or function. In the arts, a performance is an event where a person or group presents works of art to an audience. This can include instrumental music, drama, or solo acts like mime, comedy, and magic. In the context of music and drama, these events are often called a "play." To prepare, performers usually participate in rehearsals to practice their work. An effective performance depends on the performer's competency, which is their level of skill and knowledge.

In 1994, researchers Spencer and McClelland defined competency in a specific way. They described it as a combination of motives, traits, and self-concepts. It also includes attitudes and cognitive behavior skills, which is the performer's content knowledge. This combination helps a performer stand out as superior compared to the average performer. Beyond the stage, performance also describes how an actor carries out a role. In management science, job performance refers to the requirements of a specific role in the workplace. There are two main types of job performance: task and contextual.

Task performance is based on a person's cognitive ability. It relates to the behavioral roles found in job descriptions and compensation systems. These roles are directly linked to how well an organization performs. Contextual performance is different because it is based on personality. These are value-based roles that are not in a job description and are not covered by standard pay. They are extra roles that support the organizational culture through prosocial behavior. This is sometimes called citizenship performance. While task performance is direct, contextual performance is an indirect way to support an organization.

Performance art is a specific type of performance that grew in popularity during the early 20th century. It began with groups like Dada and Russian constructivism. These groups focused on avant-garde poetry readings and live paintings for an audience. In the 1950s, abstract expressionism led to action painting. Artists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning used dynamic movements to splatter paint on canvas or glass. For these artists, the motion of applying paint was just as valuable as the final piece.

Many artists documented these movements on film to capture the process.

Many different groups used performance to challenge traditional ideas. In France, the Situationists led by Guy Debord used art and politics to incite anarchy. Their work, such as the "Naked City Map" from 1957, used a technique called détournement. This involved deconstructing the geometry of a typical city map. In New York, John Cage and Allan Kaprow developed "happenings." These were scripted, one-off events that included the audience in acts of spontaneity and chaos. In Japan, the Gutai group used body movement to blur the line between art and theater. One member, Kazuo Shiraga, performed "Challenging Mud" in 1955 by moving his body through mud.

Performing can also be a way to make social commentaries. In 1968, Valie Export performed "Tap and Touch Cinema" in Vienna. She wore a box on her chest and asked people to touch her, focusing on the sense of touch. In 1970, Adrian Piper performed "Catalysis III" by walking through New York City in white clothing. This was meant to address social and racial dynamics. In 1975, Carolee Schneemann performed "Interior Scroll" to contribute to discussions on femininity and film.

These acts show how performance can be a powerful tool for communication.

Achieving an ideal performance state is a mental process. Williams and Krane define this state by several characteristics. It includes an absence of fear and not thinking about the performance itself. Performers often experience an adaptive focus on the activity and a sense of effortlessness. They may also feel a sense of personal control and self-efficacy. In this state, time and space can feel distorted, meaning time does not seem to affect the activity. Other factors like motivation, positive self-talk, and cognitive regulation help a performer reach automaticity.

However, many performers experience physiological changes like stage fright. This can lead to an increased heart rate, perspiration, and increased blood pressure.

This heart rate increase often happens in three stages. First is anticipatory activation, which occurs one minute before speaking. Next is confrontation activation, where the heart rate peaks during the role. Finally, there is a release period one minute after the conclusion. Research shows a strong, positive correlation between a performer's heart rate and their reported anxiety. Performance is not just about practice, but about honing a skill through a mix of spontaneity and structure.