Jorge Crecis: Presence, Performance, and Fullness
When I sat down with Jorge Crecis, I knew we were going to dive deep into the intersection of performance, science, and human potential. Jorge is a choreographer, coach, and researcher with one foot in the dance world and the other in elite sports. With a background in sports science, a PhD in performance, and years of experience working with ballet companies, circus artists, and Olympic athletes, he brings a unique perspective on what it means to thrive under pressure.
In our conversation, Jorge shared how his Fullness method—short daily practices that train the nervous system—helps performers and athletes alike find clarity, regulate their energy, and consistently perform at their best. We also talked about what first drew him to dance, why presence is something you can train like a muscle, and how performers have so much more to offer the world than simply entertainment.
This was a fascinating and inspiring discussion, and I can’t wait for you to hear it. The full episode drops next week.
What first sparked your interest in human potential and performance?
Jorge Crecis:
I began dancing quite late—at 22—and every time I stepped into a class or onto a stage, something extraordinary happened. It might sound like a cliché, but I felt truly alive for the first time. That experience made me wonder: what is this state, and can we train it?
My curiosity led me to explore practices like the whirling dervish dances of Sufism, which use repetition and meditation to access altered states of consciousness. I realized these were not mystical accidents but states connected to neuroscience and physiology. That discovery became the focus of my PhD, where I investigated how the nervous system supports peak presence and performance. In essence, my career has always been about studying how humans can access and sustain those heightened states of aliveness.
What is “Fullness” and how does the training work in practice?
Jorge Crecis:
Fullness is a cognitive training method I’ve developed over the past 20 years. Unlike mindfulness, which focuses mainly on the mind, Fullness integrates all aspects of being—mind, body, and nervous system. It’s not just about calming down; it’s about learning how to regulate and optimize your system for whatever challenge lies ahead.
The practice is short but consistent: 15–30 minutes daily, broken into several sessions. Exercises target the nervous system directly through breathwork, visual and vestibular training, sun exposure, or relaxation methods like yoga nidra. For example:
Morning routine: get 5–10 minutes of natural light exposure to trigger cortisol and reset circadian rhythms.
Throughout the day: use short “movement snacks” and breathing drills to recalibrate energy and focus.
Evening routine: eliminate overhead light, practice calming breath patterns, and sleep in complete darkness.
The aim isn’t to reduce life’s demands but to strengthen the nervous system so we can handle more complexity and stress without collapsing. It’s like brushing your teeth—daily hygiene, but for your nervous system.
Do most clients know what it feels like to have a regulated nervous system?
Jorge Crecis:
Surprisingly, many don’t. People normalize being overstimulated, burned out, or chronically tired. Some even think they’re sleeping well—until training shows them what real restorative sleep feels like.
I use metaphors to explain this shift. Imagine being at a party with constant background noise. You don’t notice it until someone suddenly turns it off, and only then do you realize how much calmer and clearer everything feels. The nervous system is similar: people live revving in fourth gear, but when they learn to “shift gears,” life feels smoother and more sustainable.
The training helps clients rediscover a baseline of calm and clarity they didn’t realize they were missing. From that foundation, they can push further into peak performance without crashing into burnout.
How does your work differ between elite athletes and performers?
Jorge Crecis:
At the foundation, everyone begins with Fullness Level One, a three-month program to regulate the nervous system and establish healthy rhythms. Once that’s in place, training becomes highly personalized depending on whether the client is a footballer, F1 driver, gymnast, or dancer.
There are key differences:
Athletes often train for a specific competition with clear peaks in performance. Our role is to help them prepare for those moments but also design long-term strategies so they maintain health across their entire career.
Performers face unique challenges. Their work is often marathon-like—night after night of shows with irregular schedules. Their seasons can be unpredictable, with intense bursts of touring or long gaps. That makes periodization much harder. For them, we emphasize consistency, recovery, and routines that regulate their systems despite the irregular cadence.
Another difference is cultural: sports have long embraced sports science and psychology. Dance and performing arts are more traditional and sometimes resistant to new training methods. Breaking through that conservatism is one of the hardest parts of our work with performers.
What are your personal daily practices, and what do you believe performers most need to change?
Jorge Crecis:
Personally, I practice what I teach, though with compassion for myself if I miss a day. My essentials are:
Morning sun exposure (30–40 minutes walking my dog before breakfast).
Breathing patterns and movement snacks throughout the day.
Evening darkness hygiene: no overhead lights, minimal screens, sleeping with an eye mask.
Mental habits: cultivating gratitude, curiosity, and compassion in daily interactions.
As for performers, I believe the industry needs to expand beyond “just entertainment.” Performing arts have enormous untapped potential to contribute to society’s well-being, health, and collective growth. We should stop seeing ourselves only as entertainers and start claiming our role as cultural leaders and drivers of human development.
If there’s one change performers need, it’s openness to science and innovation. Athletes are constantly integrating new findings; performers should do the same. By marrying tradition with modern science, the arts can not only sustain themselves but also become a pillar of societal progress.
Key Takeaways:
Fullness Method – A daily 15–30 minute practice that trains the nervous system for clarity, presence, and sustainable performance.
Regulation Over Relaxation – It’s not just about calming down; it’s about learning to shift gears and meet the demands of the moment.
Performers vs. Athletes – Both benefit from nervous system training, but athletes embrace science faster, while performers can be more tradition-bound.
Circadian Rhythm Matters – Sunlight in the morning and darkness at night are key to resetting energy, focus, and recovery.
Beyond Entertainment – Performers have the potential to contribute to society’s well-being, not just through shows, but as cultural leaders.
Featured Image: Credit to Danilo Moroni005
Editor's Note: At StageLync, an international platform for the performing arts, we celebrate the diversity of our writers' backgrounds. We recognize and support their choice to use either American or British English in their articles, respecting their individual preferences and origins. This policy allows us to embrace a wide range of linguistic expressions, enriching our content and reflecting the global nature of our community.
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