Topics and Questions We Can Help You To Answer:
Paper Instructions:

Oral history is an important research method for gathering information about dance and is also very interesting! In order to get a different and personal perspective on the dance and social history we will be discussing during this course, you will conduct an interview with a family member or friend of a different generation, older or younger, (ex. parent, aunt/uncle, grandparent, son/daughter, niece/nephew) about their social dancing experiences, and write a brief essay sharing your findings.

The writing style can be somewhat informal, but correct grammar, spelling and punctuation are still very important, and your information and writing must be clear and organized. I recommend that you work on and edit your essay in a word processor and copy and paste to Carmen.

Directions:
1. Prepare for the interview:

Decide on a family member to talk to and create an “interview protocol”—a list of questions—to ask. These should include questions like:
What kinds of dances do they have experience with?
Where (or from whom) did they learn their dances? (ex. parents, friends, siblings, in school, from TV?)
What kind of venues were they dancing in? (ex. home, studio, clubs, school?)
Do they have any specific dances or moves they preferred, or that they still remember how to do?
What kinds of movies or TV shows or live dancing did they watch? What was their favorite?
What did they and their peers wear?
Set up a time to talk to your family member. Preferably, this should be in person or via Skype (or another video chatting platform). Your interview subject might demonstrate some movement or make gestures that are important. Phone interviews are acceptable if necessary.
2. Conduct the Interview:

Do the interview! This should last at least 30 minutes. Allow yourself some time so you don’t feel rushed and can follow through with interesting directions that come up. You will probably learn more than you expect!
You should either take written notes or, with the permission of your interviewee, record the interview, so that you have the important information when you write.
3. Write and post your discussion post:

Write a short 500-word essay about the interview responding to all of the following prompts:
In your post, give us the answers to your interview questions and other things that came up in your conversation, written in short essay format. 
Include contextual information about where your interviewee grew up and any cultural information you think would help set the scene for your readers.
Comment on how your interviewee's experiences are similar or different to your own and the material we’ve looked at so far in class.
You could also tell us if anything you learned surprised you, or what you thought was the most interesting information that came out in the discussion.
Post your discussion post to your group's discussion board
4. Respond to two of your classmates’ posts, 75-100 words each

Respond with a substantive comment that forwards the conversation. You can draw connections between your classmate's post and your interview, the course, or your personal experiences, or you can pose new questions to your classmate based on their interview. 
What to include:
500-word write-up