When performers feel sad and even depressed after a show, it is usually a case of post-show blues. There is so much investment in the creative process, rehearsal process, peers you share the stage with and the performance itself, dancers and performers can often experience an empty feeling afterwards. Sometimes a performance run can be so much fun that normal life feels less fulfilling in comparison.
There are so many hours spent in the studio rehearsing with the same group of people, practicing choreography and forming bonds. The performances themselves pass by in a flash, both rewarding and exhausting. However there is not always a content feeling following this, but what can be described as grief and loss from closing the show. Even though the loss of performance is temporary, the feeling can be very real.
To avoid getting stuck in a rut after a performance finishes, dancers can learn to cope in individual ways. It is important to accept the feeling of post-show blues as normal, and that you are not the only one that feels like this. Aim to return to a steady life routine, catching up on good eating and sleeping habits and looking after the body by resting and rejuvenating. It is then imperative to have something on the horizon, be it another job that has already been planned for, a new project or something personal to look forward to achieve.
Equally, it is important to stay in contact with fellow company members: the camaraderie outside the studio is just as important as in it. If you find little remedy for the feelings after a show, try to channel the sad feelings into gratitude, and be grateful you are able to do what you love with ease. Make the most of each moment in the studio, backstage and on stage with your fellow performers.