As I wrote about in the spring, I interviewed two of my beloved dance professors from the modern dance department at the University of Utah as they were transitioning into retirement, Abby Fiat and Donna Fiat. I have several hours audiorecorded through Voice Memo on my iPhone and iPad.
Months have passed, and now is the right time to listen, transcribe, edit with Abby and Donna, and then share with you (the interviews).
Today I listened to 30 minutes of the first interview with Abby. My post today is to highlight the power and importance of audiofiles of dancers. Yes, maybe this is an odd sounding comment about a performing art. I too believe in archives of photos and videos, absolutely! But the simple power of hearing a person's voice, inflections, and passion is priceless. If you are a lover of public radio, you know what I mean.
So, today, I encourage you to interview a student, a mentor, a colleague. Save it for another day. Listening to Abby today transported me months back to our interview, and also transported me back years and years to the time when I studied with her. I am still learning from her and get inspired from her words.
I think that audio interviews and podcasts can be explored more widely within the field of dance. The quality of a voice memo even on your phone is of good quality. Try it out!
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