Queen Stylzz is one of the best street dancers in the country. The Baltimore-native has been dancing her entire life, and earlier this year, she won the Red Bull Dance Your Style: Baltimore competition. Not only does dancing keep her fit and healthy, but it also helps her relieve stress and anxiety.
EBONY recently caught up with her and discussed the benefits that dancing has had on her mental health. She also shares some tips on how to deal with stress and anxiety, especially as a performer.
EBONY: What has been the number one benefit of dance on your mental health?
Queen Stylzz: The number one thing dance taught me is patience in all areas of my life. It has helped me to be more patient with my friends and to be more patient with myself. It has also helped be more patient with my mind—to take the time and figure out everything that's going on inside my mind, and fix the things that I didn't know I could fix.
How do you deal with stress?
I do yoga. I pray. I meditate. I stay around very positive people, like my mom and other family members. I keep motivational quotes and affirmations around me—in my phone and in my house.
Do you ever get anxious? How do you deal with those feelings?
I've always kind of been at war with my anxiety. Anxiety is always poking me, like, hey, you know, we're still here, right? But I want everybody to know, you can have anxiety and you can still crush it. You can do whatever you want. You can still compete in front of people and win. The more that I dance and test myself by putting myself in situations that test my abilities, the less I'm afraid of failure, which then makes anxiety just a word.
What do you do when you feel anxious on stage?
First, preparation prevents poor performance. Second, having someone to talk to helps me to become less anxious. And lastly, prayer also helps to lessen anxiety.
