Task 6a - Informal Interview

Task 6a

Below is the transcript from an informal interview I conducted with the principle of my dance studio.  Following on from my previous engagement with my professional network (during reader 4) I found this to be a much more effective tool. Face to face conversation threads can be explored in real time as opposed to the stilted engagement in conversation email provides. I understand that this might not always be possible in my situation but should interviewing in person (or via skype/phone) be a possibility this is the avenue I would wish to take. 

Question 1.

Interviewer: What in your opinion, from your own observations are the restrictions in gaining extension devant, and what are the common faults?

Interviewee: Let me read it as well. Ok, What in your opinion, from your own observations are the restrictions in gaining extension devant? Errm, ok, restrictions in gaining extension devant, err, tight hamstrings, tight lower back, errm, misunderstanding of which muscle groups to be using, errm as in the, like we've discussed …

Interviewer: (Interruption) Use their quad, their over, their bottom.

Interviewee: (Continued) … They'd rather use their quad, but that can only maximum get you to 90. It cant pull you over because its not an adductor. Errm, and then it also depended in the understanding, of what, of which muscle groups to be, where its coming from, develop devant if it’s in retire you’re engaging your quads to put it in the retire but its the understanding and the ability to then swap the muscle groups in order to then extend it devant.

Interviewer: Ok.

Interviewee: I haven’t finished (Laughs)

Interviewer: (Laughs)

Interviewee: And then, errm, also the, the understanding of, err, how, of the anatomy of the hip joint, as it hits a certain degree, they have to use a degree of turn out in order to continue gaining the extension up. Its just understanding.

Interviewer: Its just understanding? So do you think there is a errm, a direct relationship between flexibility and strength, in, within that situation for example have you errm, noticed any of your children are errm, strong but don't have the height of leg to give, or have the height but don't have the strength?

Interviewee: Yes, errm, most of our students are flexible but they have no strength because their muscles are overstretched and have never from a young age been trained to build up strength. But then we have other kids who are swimmers for example, who do have lots of muscle, you know some really tight quads errm, and they, their muscle is too tight to gain anything over 45 - 60. Errm, yeah.

Interviewer: (Whisper) Ill just check that recorded.

Question 2.

Interviewer: What in your opinion, for your, from your own observations, are the anatomical restrictions to an extension devant, and what are the variables of these?

Interviewee: Errm, anatomically, the construction of the hip joint, errm, there is a little extra bone on top of the, cant even think of what bone it is, thigh bone, errm, and if thats in the wrong angle, as in if its too far devant and its nor derriere enough, or even the angle that its slightly pulled in, its gonna automatically connect with the hip and therefore…

Interviewer: (Interruption) So, err, the, like, anterior, or whatever it is, like the way the pelvis tilts as well?

Interviewee: Yep, and err yeah, the, the alignment of the pelvis, the natural alignment of the pelvis, errm, but also the tightness in any lower back, if you've got a slight, if you've got a flat lower back you've have nothing, doesn't matter how hard you try. Errm, also if you're pelvis is tucked under naturally, you, and they, basically kids cant sit on their sitting bones, they have no extension devant.

Question 3.

Interviewer: Have you noticed any differences in strength or flexibility, between age, sex, body type or race.

Interviewee: Errm, ok, first one, the differences in age. Age, errm, generally when they are young, i mean if we are looking at ballet grades, grade 1, grade 2, they are, within our community, very, very flexible. Errm, but then i also think that that can coincide with race because we have got a lot of younger kids who are Asian genetically, they may have different passports but they are genetically Asian and they are flexible. But then, they are stretched at home on a regular basis, its just part of their goodnight/evening… 

Interviewer: (Interruption) What do you, what do you think, what do you think are the factors that make them more flexible than, than say westerners.

Interviewee: Errm, that it is part of a way of life here. Kids stretch everyday, its part of washing/cleaning and what have you. Errm, but also, i think that the fact that their achilles is so long that their, their, i find that the ligaments here, on an Asians, the ligaments and the tendons are much longer, but then, i mean look at our kids with errm, dislocation. We have a lot of kids who can dislocate their hips, dislocate their knees, because their ligaments, therefore…

Interviewer: (Interruption) Too, too loose?

Interviewee: (Continued) … yeah are too loose. Therefore to gain and extension devant, they’re actually slightly errm, dislocating, they pull it out of their hip socket slightly. Errm, whereas western children, the age. I mean some of our western kids even at a young age aren't as flexible as our asian children

Interviewer: So how do you, how do you think body type affects these things?

Interviewee: If you've got big hips, you're actually, it restricts you hugely, if you're pear shaped, you have, the, the, the, because you end up carrying so much extra weight around your hip joints, you cant, the, the, the, movement of the pelvis is automatically restricted. Errm, even if you're an apple, i think if you've got too much around your pelvis area or too much on your things, you, basically you cant move it.

Interviewer: And what about gender?

Interviewee: Boys are automatically tighter, especially in the groin area.

Interviewer: Why do you think that is?

Interviewee: Errm, but i, i think it comes down to genetics again. Like, i, i mean, the two boys we have it’s nothing to do with their lower back, because A’s back…

Interviewer: (Interruption) Back is great!

Interviewee: (Continued) … it’s amazing. His devant line sucks because he's got no hamstrings. Errm, but then it also could come down to the extra training that the boys do. For example, A’s in the gym, he runs a lot and i think that in doing that…

Interviewer: (Interruption) Tightening.

Interviewee: (Continued) … he's tightening up his hamstrings and his calfs. And that is hindering his extension devant. He's still got a fantastic arabesque for a boy, because he's got a great back. So i think that when you come to sex it is about the genetic differences. I mean our as females our pelvis is much more malleable than the boys, but i think its also the extra training, like we said he's running and everything is tightening up on him.

Interviewer: So have you found anything about…

(General conversation ends questioning).

Question 5.

Interviewer: How does the genre, genre ratio, and amount of hours affect your observations?

Interviewee: Say again?

Interviewer: How does the genre, genre ratio, and amount of hours affect your observations?

Interviewee: Ok, so, errm, lets go with genre first. Errm, i, you can tell the difference hugely, look at our school, i mean I'm not even looking at tap because there is no real extension to one in tap. Errm, but between basic child who will just do ballet, compared to a child who will just do jazz, errm, clearly the training that they are doing in jazz and the high intensity training, like kicks on the floor etc. and the fact they are throwing their legs with, with control but with much more attack. Errm, encourages the flexibility far more than Grande Battement deviant at the barre, where we don’t lay on the floor, and, so they can, up, the gravity is doing their posture so they can wham. They generally start for example grade 1. You don't encourage them to do anything above 45, and then suddenly within like 5 years you expect to up hit it. Whereas in Jazz when they are little, you've got them on the floor and you're encouraging them…

Interviewer: (Interruption) Yep

Interviewee: (Continued) … immediately to get their leg as high as possible. Errm, so i think like, basic jazz students versus that, thats the, Ballet is not encouraging anytime of extension devant, if anything it is hindering it because it is building up muscles to stop it…

Interviewer: (Interruption) And muscles in the wrong place as well…

Interviewee: (Interruption) Yep

Interviewer: (Continued) … by working at 45 degrees.

Interviewee: …exactly. Errm, and then we, it, but, you compare that to a child who does both Ballet and Jazz, i think if they are doing twice a week ballet, for example, once a week jazz, errm…

Interviewer: (Interruption) They are able to cross discipline?

Interviewee: They are but the teachers needs to do it for them.

Interviewer: Yeah, They, they, they cant make the connection…

Interviewee: (Interruption) Yeah.

Interviewer: (Continued) … you have to make the connection.

Interviewee: Yeah, errm, but i think definitely that those kids who do more jazz. Errm, so like the, the ratio is higher on the jazz side. For example C who does Troop, Jazz Combo, Jazz, versus her grade 4 ballet and once a week into foundation, so, she's literally doing more jazz than she is ballet, is far more, the high intensity …

Interviewer: (Interruption) Yep 

Interviewee: (Continued) … and the cardio vascular, like keeping up the stamina…

Interviewer: (Interruption) Yep

Interviewee: (Continued) … in order to maintain leg height, is far more productive than, like, 2 grade 4 classes a week and one into foundation class a week. 

Interviewer: So you feel that Jazz actually better allows a child to gain flexibility and strength.

Interviewee: Yep.

Interviewer: In terms of holding a position in …

Interviewee: (Interruption) Yeah definitely, definitely.

Interviewer: (Continued) … devant?

Question 6 - 7 - 8

Interviewer: How many dancers do you interact with on a regular basis and for how many contact hours?

Interviewee: 220 kids, 7 days a week. Errm, how many contact hours? It depends. Like i teach around 50 hours a week.

Interviewer: And what is your background?

Interviewee: Errm, I'm trained as a Ballet teacher. I did Jazz up to Advanced One as it’s now known. Tap. Im a RAD Ballet Teacher, licensee and BA Hon’s Degree.

Interviewer: And you did that at the RAD?

Interviewee: Yup, at the RAD full time.

Interviewer: And how long have you been practising?

Interviewee: Errm, i started teaching assisting when i was 16. Errm, and then i studied teaching individual classes when i was 17, turning 18, and im 29 now so…

Interviewer: And how long have you been practising in a similar environment to your current situation?

Interviewee: 8 years…… 8 years.