Task: 6a

Pilot Interview:

I chose to interview via e-mail correspondence a British Ballet Organisation (BBO) ballet teacher who wishes to rename anonymous his specification in Liverpool in a similar social economic context as my own. The ballet teacher was asked 3 open ended questions and given freedom to respond honestly. This is 'where the interviewer asks certain pre-set questions but allows interviewees freedom to digress and raise their own topics as the interview' Elliot,J. (1991, pg.80-81). He was a colleague at a previous appointment and i had little correspondence with him regrading my current situation or findings so that he could answer objectively as possible to these questions without any bias from my position. These results will be useful to me as they will reveal if the problem is just local to my dance school or goes wider to other areas of the country or contexts. I will analyse this data using the constant comparative method, eyeballing the statements that he makes to identify key vocabulary trends and ask questions to deconstruct his meanings and his understanding of the context he faces. I will then compare this to the survey and spider diagrams of the students to find a clear comparison that can be made. Thus not excepting his ideas to necessary reflect the truth but reflect the truth of his situation in the same way my research will reflect the truth of my situation:

My Questions:
I asked 6 questions which were drawn from
1. How many students are studying ballet aged 14 plus at your dance school?
2. Do all your ballet students who are 14 plus take examinations?
3. Please give a brief explanation about why you chose the above answer?
4. How many lessons do your students study ballet per week?
5. Do you offer other styles of dance?
6. How do you motivate your 14 plus students?

His answers:
1. 63 students
2. No
3. Examinations have never ceased to be popular or depending for this age range. 6years ago i stopped doing exams because i noticed a vast in crease of students taking ballet. This was because of the prices of the examinations became more expensive and fewer girls were taking them. My ballet classes now consist of freework, unless the student is taking private tuition where exams are an option (as the marking criteria now makes it harder to pass)
4. 4x1 hour classes and some girls take private tuition.
5. Yes i offer: Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Disco, Latin, Ballroom, Hip Hop, Contemporary.
6. I motivate my students by working towards shows, events and national competitions. I also think it is important for the students to see professional shows, so often we run theatre trips, at a discounted rate to show students what they are working towards. Where possible getting a member of the cast to come and teach a guest class at my studios.