Proposed Interview Questions

Over the next week I plan to carry out my peer and professional interviews for my Inquiry. The following are a list of my proposed questions:

·     What is your role/connection to the arts?

·     In your opinion do you feel if you teach in the arts is it possible/suitable to perform alongside and why?

 

·    Do you feel in a performance career is desired a teaching role can be sustained comfortably?

 

·    Can a balance between teaching and performing be established   n order to provide a long term career path?

 

·    What was the main emphasis of your training connected with the arts?

 

·    Did your initial intentions for your career path and training turn out to be the role you are in now? If not why do you think that is?

 

·     Do you feel teaching can benefit or act as a barrier to pursuing a performance carer?

 

·     Similarly Do you feel performing can benefit or act as a barrier to pursuing a teaching career?

 

·     Knowing how difficult employment within the arts can be at times, as a performer myself, Instead of having gaps of unemployment on my CV when I am between performance contracts I teach. Do you think a casting director/employer (teaching role) would view this experience as valuable or detrimental?

 

·     If I were to combine my performance credits and my teaching credits on one CV showing continuity of employment would this impede my chances to pursue future performing or teaching employment?

 

·     Is it better to keep performing and teaching credits on separate CV’s?

 

·     If a performer has a few months where they didn’t perform or only had a small amount is it better to leave their CV blank or include periods they were teaching?

 

·     How do you think a casting director would respond to teaching credits o a performers CV application?

 

·     How would an employer looking to hire a teacher respond to a teachers CV containing performance credits?

 

·     Do you feel all performers have the capabilities and are suited to teach? Or should have performers have teaching qualifications before a teaching role is pursued?

 

·     Does the ability to perform in more than one discipline provide a stronger platform for their teaching ability?

 

·     If you are a ‘triple threat’ performer (professional credits) does this demonstrate a wider area of expertise to teach in? Is this an example of how a performance career could benefit a teaching role? Could the same be said for experienced teachers in the arts? Are they able to perform automatically or is performance training needed first?

 

·     What are your opinions on the following statement:

-     At points in each performers career transitions are necessary in order to sustain employment within the arts.

-    What do you think are the main reason for these changes if any?

 

·     Is adaptability a large factor for a performer’s career longevity?

 

·     Why do you think many performers turn to teaching?

 

·     Do you think teachers choose not to perform or feel they aren’t allowed the opportunity?

·     Is there a divide between teachers and performers with reference to ability?

 

·     During your training is there anything you would, on reflection, add/exclude or increase to the focus of your course in order to provide assistance to your career?

 

·     Would combining teaching and a performance career long term bring stability and encourage a positive impression to working within the arts? Or would this be a negative thing to do and not advisable?

 

·     Should/could performers and teachers combine their skills in order to produce a new type of role –performing teacher/teaching performer?

 

·      What form of training produces the most productive type of performer?

 

·     What form of training produces the most productive type of teacher?

 

·     Which background (teacher or performer) produces the most productive teacher?

 

·     Which background (teacher or performer) produces the most productive performer?

 

·     How can I make my choice to combine both roles more productive and successful moving forward?

·     What age were you introduced to the arts how much influence did this have on your choice of avenue to pursue?

 
I hope these questions will allow me to gain a wide variety of opinions and bring me closer to answering my inquiry question 'Does a teaching role within the arts impede or help the opportunity to perform?'

Please feel free to comment and let me know what you think to these questions.