What Speakers Can Learn from Dancers, Musicians and Actors
When I spoke to Dr Laura Penn on my Speaking Business Podcast, she said something that stuck with me: “Speaking is a performing art.”
At first glance, it might sound a bit theatrical. But the more she explained it, the more sense it made. Just like dancers, actors or musicians, speakers perform in front of an audience using both content and craft. Here are some of the insights she shared.
From Habit to Craft
Laura describes a speaker artist as someone who approaches speaking with craft and intention rather than habit. Many speakers fall into the habit trap they prepare and deliver talks in the same way they always have. It’s safe, but it’s not art.
When you approach your work as a craft, you make choices. You consider rhythm, tone, metaphor, timing, and space. You prepare with ritual and focus, not by recycling slides from your last event.
As Laura put it, “Every speaker artist has a ritual.” That might include journaling ideas, sketching structure by hand, or rehearsing with movement. Her process even includes buying a new notebook for every talk, one that smells good when opened. She writes, reads aloud, rehearses three times a day, and even sleeps with her script under her pillow. That’s commitment.
Rehearsal isn’t Optional
We often associate rehearsal with actors or dancers, and it’s just as important for speakers. As Laura says, no performer walks on stage without practising. Her approach includes three layers of rehearsal:
- Read-throughs to catch awkward phrasing and check flow.
- Vocal rehearsal to experiment with tone and emotion.
- Movement rehearsal to understand how you’ll use the stage.
Rehearsing transforms how you show up. When your content is truly of you, rather than something you’re remembering, you appear more natural and more authentic. That’s when the audience believes you.
The Power of Presence
Laura also reminded me that a presentation is exactly that, a present. It’s a gift to the audience, created through time, preparation, and intention. If you see your speech as a piece of art rather than a task to get through, you naturally give more of yourself.
And perhaps that’s what makes a memorable performance: presence. You can’t fake that. You can only earn it through preparation and care.
The Takeaway
Most speakers I work with are experts first and performers second. But clients don’t just buy expertise, they buy an experience. Whether you’re in a boardroom or on a big stage, your craft is what makes your ideas come to life.
So, before your next talk, ask yourself, “Am I approaching this as a job, or as an art?”
Because the best speakers don’t just inform, they perform. Oooh, I like that, might use that again
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