Interview Transcript

Kiana Francis

Maddie Kahl

ENC2135-142

6 February 2018

Interview Transcript

Kiana: Ok it’s recording! Hello, please state your name for the recording.

Misha: Hi, I’m Misha Michel.

Kiana: Ok and what’s your major here at FSU?

Misha: Ummm I am a dance major

Kiana: How long have you been dancing?

Misha: I have been dancing for about (long pause) ahhh for about nine or so years. I’ve been dancing since the sixth grade.

Kiana: since the sixth grade! And how long have you been learning choreograph dancing?

Misha: umm since the sixth grade I’ve been learnig chorography dancing.

Kiana: Ok, did you learn about the affects of dance on the human brain?

Misha: No we haven’t learnt about the affects of dance on the brain.

Kiana: So like being a dance major what are some things do you guys learn about because I know being a dance major they educate you guys on the different aspects of dance and not just movements. I know you guys learn about the history of dance and how dance relates to the body. Correct?

Misha: yes. Every semester we take about six or seven courses. Depending on your year youll take your two prerequisites and then your other five courses. Depending on your year, two to three of those would be your actual physical dance classes and the other three or two would be your other class relating to dance, such as, dance history, rhythmic analysis uhh dance technology, music and chorography (pause) serving the dance, uhh basically anything of that nature.

Kiana: So have you guys gone into details about the dance and the body?

Misha: ummmm that depends on… umm well I mean right now I am taking a dance and kinesiology course…

Kiana: Ok

Misha: So, I mean I don’t think that it has anything to do with the mind or the brain per say but we just started. It’s like a science base anatomy course nut its primary focus is dance.

Kiana: Ok and how has dance… like what influenced you to start dancing?

Misha: Ummm what influenced me to start dancing is just me wanting to do something different. Ahhh since the first grade I’ve always been art affiliated like plays and things like that. I was recommended to go to an art school.

Kiana: Ok

Misha: For my third grade year; however, I was in music because my father forced me too but I didn’t really like it… I like it but all my friends were in dance so I decided to umm matriculate into the dance field at Norland middle school under the direction of Mrs. Fruitstone.

Kiana: Ok so from that change of music to dance, how has that change you like personality or just different aspects of your life?

Misha: Ummm I feel like I’ve always had a bug personality because I did musical theater but not music theater. You know what I mean. I was acting; however, in elementary school they were but focused on chorus and playing the clarinet so, I say at the end of fifth grade when I knew I got into the dance magnet program I can say I was more enthusiastic when I think about going to school and just doing something that I actually want. So I guess you could say that dance heighten my personality.

Kiana: So just to confirm you said that basically dance influenced you or pushed you to go to school?

Misha: yes, dance pushes me to go to school.

Kiana: so you can stay till this day dance still pushes you to go to school?

Misha: yes, I can stay till this dance dance still pushes me to go to school. Umm and you know we are in college now and we have our days but I feel like because we are learning more of a boarder side of dance, well not really a broader but a broader stand point of dance and not so complex like this is ballet versus this is contemporary and this is how its evolved and this is jazz and this is how its evolved. Knowing how you could get scholarships and other things... its like knowing others things that’s affiliated with dance without even dancing. There’s so many different things and different opportunities in the world that you can have just based off of dance.

Kiana: Ok. So do you feel like incorporating the arts whether it be music, dance, or drama pushes like students to also, you know, also enhance their academics?

Misha: umm yes. Specially because when you have dance you have rehearsals and you have extra things you need to do. You have to warm up, you have to come in early, you have to do different things. So I’ve always felt like dance was like a motive because if you want to dance and your grades are not good then you wont be able too.

Kiana: Ok

Misha: And if you don’t dance, then you are not happy. Then its like your motivation goes away. So in order to keep that going you are going to push to make sure you are doing what you have to do outside of dance.

Kiana: Ok. How many hours a week do you dance?

Misha: Umm ahhh

Kiana: Ok on average

Misha: ok let me count … Umm about forty hours a week

Kiana: How many of those hours are you learning dances?

Misha: umm I would say (pause) I would say all of the hours. If I am not learning dances, I am going over them.

Kiana: How many classes are you taking this semester?

Misha: about six

Kiana: so how do you balance it all:

Misha: I just make sure I use my time wisely.

Kiana: wow! So it’s like your brain is always going.

Misha: laughs. Yes! Even when I am sleeping it’s like my brain is working.