Bios of/questions for 3 (of the 6) experts Kevin and I will be interviewing

*Side note: This may be obvious, but (just clarifying) these questions are designed with the assumption that the audience knows nothing about the subjects (so, ideally, the order of my questions is poised to let the subjects introduce themselves,  and I’m not taking the biographies into account since the audience will not have read them).

Debbie T. Baile

 

Debbie is the owner and founder of the Dance Theatre of Jacksonville (DTOJ), which has been in business for over 30 years. She has taught dance of all types to all ages. She has mentored many young students and has stayed a part of many of their lives (and their families’ lives) from childhood to adulthood, including Kayleigh Jewell (our main subject), who was seven years old when she first had Debbie as a dance teacher. Debbie has watched Kayleigh grow and mature as a dancer and as a person over the years.

 

Questions for Debbie:

1.      When did you establish the Dance Theatre?

 

2.      What is the Dance Theatre’s mission statement or philosophy?

 

3.      How long have you been a dancer?

 

4.      What is it about dance that appeals to you or inspires you?

5.      How long have you been a dance instructor?

6.      What is your favorite thing about teaching dance?

7.      How long have you known Kayleigh Jewell?

8.      How would you describe Kayleigh’s attitude as a dance student?

9.      How would you describe Kayleigh’s personality?

10.  In what ways have you witnessed Kayleigh grow over the years, both as a dancer and a person?

 

 

Erin Warpole

 

Erin is the business manager of the Dance Theatre of Jacksonville, and has held that position for the last 14 years. This is her twenty-fifth year at DTOJ. She started out as a dance instructor, then began helping in the office because a secretary was on leave at the time. She eventually gave up teaching to help manage the growing business because she had previous experience from owning two of her own dance studios prior to coming to DTOJ. Like Debbie Baile, Erin maintains relationships with many of the students at DTOJ and has enjoyed being able to witness their growth as students and as people. Erin remembers Kayleigh as a young student, and has followed her throughout her dance life. She also became friends with Kayleigh’s mother (another one of our interview subjects) in the process.

Questions for Erin:

1.      What is your position at the Dance Theatre?

2.      How long have you been with DTOJ?

3.      In what other ways were you involved with DTOJ before taking on your current position?

4.      What is your favorite thing about working at DTOJ?

5.      What is it about dance that appeals to you or inspires you?

6.      How long have you known Kayleigh Jewell?

7.      How would you describe Kayleigh’s dancing or dancing talents?

8.      How would you describe Kayleigh’s personality?

9.      How did you become friends with Kayleigh’s mother, Karie?

10.   In what ways have you witnessed Kayleigh and her mother act as a support system for one another?

 

 

Rebecca Chisholm

 

Rebecca is a seventeen-year-old dance student at the Dance Theatre of Jacksonville, and has been dancing since the age of 3. At DTOJ, she studies (or has studied) nearly all forms of dance. She is part of the Protégé Competitive dance team at DTOJ, which is considered a group of some of the most talented dancers that attend the dance studio. She has also donned leading roles as the Snow Queen and the Sugar Plum Fairy in annual DTOJ stage productions of The Nutcracker. Rebecca aspires to be a professional dancer after college. She worked with Kayleigh Jewell over the years at DTOJ until Kayleigh went off to college, and has had to work hard not to be overshadowed by Kayleigh’s legacy.

 

Questions for Rebecca:

1.      How long have you been dancing at the Dance Theatre of Jacksonville?

2.      What forms of dance have you studied at DTOJ?

3.      What form (or forms) of dance is your favorite, or one(s) that you practice most often?

4.      How long have you known Kayleigh Jewell?

5.      In what areas of dance have you practiced with her?

6.      How would you describe Kayleigh’s personality?

7.      How would you describe Kayleigh’s dancing or dancing talents?

8.      What did you learn from Kayleigh over the time you danced with her?

9.      How has dancing impacted your life?

10.  What is it about dance that appeals to you or inspires you?