Interview Tips from Eva Yaa Asantewaa
Here is some advice from Eva Yaa Asantewaa, a writer for Dance Magazine and InfiniteBody who lives in New York, NY:
Most dance artists are eager to get their word out, to tell their side of the story. And that's not only because most serious dance projects or dance-related issues get little media coverage. It's because they're excited about what they do and are happy to have another type of opportunity to communicate with the public.
In my experience, dance artists are absolutely some of the most gracious professionals out there--especially if they respect and trust you. If you are new to the field of dance writing, you can earn their respect by doing your research, coming prepared with good questions that show your own curiosity about their lives and work, and listening with complete attention, interest and empathy. A good, open, friendly attitude on your part will help put your subjects at ease. Connect, human-to-human, and have fun! Be yourself and allow your subject to be real, too, and you'll get fantastic material!
Another must for trust: Be organized in every way. I know that if I'm going to be interviewed and written up, I want to be sure that the writer isn't sloppy in any aspect of his or her approach to life and work.
Take full advantage of the Internet to gather as much information as you can about your subject--Web sites, feature articles, reviews, YouTube videos, podcast interviews--and seek out not only the factual details you'll need to craft your questions but also the larger, contextual issues that make this artist interesting and relevant.
Finally, let me just drop this in:
"The secret of writing is love. You probably don't hear that in a classroom--it's something nonconceptual. It's something you do. The more you do it, the fuller the well stays."-- from "Teaching and Learning: An Appreciation of Rick Bass and His Writing" by Thomas J. Lyon
Most dance artists are eager to get their word out, to tell their side of the story. And that's not only because most serious dance projects or dance-related issues get little media coverage. It's because they're excited about what they do and are happy to have another type of opportunity to communicate with the public.
In my experience, dance artists are absolutely some of the most gracious professionals out there--especially if they respect and trust you. If you are new to the field of dance writing, you can earn their respect by doing your research, coming prepared with good questions that show your own curiosity about their lives and work, and listening with complete attention, interest and empathy. A good, open, friendly attitude on your part will help put your subjects at ease. Connect, human-to-human, and have fun! Be yourself and allow your subject to be real, too, and you'll get fantastic material!
Another must for trust: Be organized in every way. I know that if I'm going to be interviewed and written up, I want to be sure that the writer isn't sloppy in any aspect of his or her approach to life and work.
Take full advantage of the Internet to gather as much information as you can about your subject--Web sites, feature articles, reviews, YouTube videos, podcast interviews--and seek out not only the factual details you'll need to craft your questions but also the larger, contextual issues that make this artist interesting and relevant.
Finally, let me just drop this in:
"The secret of writing is love. You probably don't hear that in a classroom--it's something nonconceptual. It's something you do. The more you do it, the fuller the well stays."-- from "Teaching and Learning: An Appreciation of Rick Bass and His Writing" by Thomas J. Lyon
