Someone once said the eyes are the windows to the soul. In our daily lives we demonstrate our belief in that idea with our sayings, attitudes, and actions. Have you ever heard of someone's inability to look you straight in the eye? Or have you ever remarked that someone is shifty eyed or has a twinkle in their eye/ What chorus director has not said "Don't tell me you can't smile when your singing an "oo" vowel, smile with your eyes." Somehow, our eyes reflect what is in our hearts and reveal the depth of our sincerity.
An audience looks to a performers' eyes when seeking out that element of honesty and believability that will permit them to become totally captivated by the song. Our eyes can convey a very intense message that can convince an audience of our sincerity. Conversely, it is also possible for our eyes to disclose our insincerity. The detrimental eye mannerism, one that exposes insincerity and lack of involvement, is roving eyes.
Several highly respected stage presence judges have remarked that while they may miss a flawed gesture on stage from time to time, it is almost impossible to not notice roving eyes. One even noted that the performer who snatches a quick glance away from the chorus focal point might as well wave a red flag at the judges. Roving eyes illustrate a performer's lack of involvement and unwillingness to accept the obligation to the audience to overcome the distractions that are always presented on stage. Excessive roving eyes may actually insult the listener because the performer's lack of commitment to the performance may be interpreted as a lack of respect for the audience.
Our eyes will either contribute to our success or detract from it. For this reason eye discipline is essential. Think about the eye discipline often and practice it constantly during every rehearsal until it becomes second nature. Be aware of the fact that the distractions on stage, particularly in a huge, sold out theater, can be sudden, overwhelming and almost hypnotic. Anticipate the occurrence of unexpected distractions and work to develop the concentration and personal eye discipline necessary to ignore them and remain involved in the performance. Practice it, believe it, and make it happen. Be an on-stage performer not an on-stage observer!
