Brainstorm Checklist

1. Who is your main subject?
My friend who is in the nutcracker by Ballet Austin this year and has been in it in previous years and also attends a magnet school. 
2. Supporting interviews (who else do you need to talk to)?
Her mom
3. What is the topic?
How a teen is able to balance being in a large production with school and trying to have a social life.
or 
What it is like to be in a performance of that stature.
Not sure which direction i want to go yet:)
4. Which angle from above will you write the story?
personality
5. Then to help you get going faster, come up with 20 questions that you can ask your main subject. Type these in your blog.
Questions for My Friend:How long have you been dancing?
How many times have you been in the nutcracker previously?
What are auditions like?
How often do you dance when your not in the nutcracker?
How many hours a night do you spend at dance?
What role do you have in the nutcracker?
How often do you have rehearsals for the show?
What are rehearsals like?
When do the shows begin?
How many shows are you in?
Which shows are you in?
How long do you spend prepping for a show?
how long do you spend at a show?
What is it like performing for an audience of that size?
Do you get nervous, if so how much?
How much homework do you usually have?
Do you have more homework now that you are in high school, if so how much?
When do you do your homework?
What time do you get home from school?
How often do you spend your free time  being social or with friends?
What do you like to do in your free time?
What do you and your friends do in your free time?
How do you prioritize your activities (school, dance, and free time/friends)?
How do you balance school, dance, and free time?
Do you ever get stressed, how much?
What is your daily schedule?

6. Once you complete that portion, you need to come up with 5-10 questions you need to ask your supporting interviews. Type these into your blog. You may need different questions for each supporting subject.
Questions for Her Mom:
How devoted is she to dance?
How devoted  is she to school?
What role do you play in helping her keep things balanced?
How independent is she when it comes to keeping organized?
How do you feel about the amount of time and effort she puts in to dance and school?
How does it feel watching her in the nutcracker, what is it like?
How many of her performances do you attend?

7. You will need to do a little research on the topic you expect to interview your main subject about. Take a little time and do some google searching - find at least 5 new things about the intended topic you should know before you interview your main subject. List those on your blog.
* they have all new sets and costumes for the performance this year.
*It is choreographed by Stephen Mills
*Upper school students at Ballet Austin practice 7-13.75 hrs a week.
*Auditions for the Nutcracker were in September
*Upper level students receive one complimentary ticket to each opening night performance except for the Nutcracker.

8. Write when you plan to conduct the interview(s)?
I plan to conduct my interviews over the break whenever it is a good time for them since they have a busy schedule.
9. Where you will interview them (some interviews are better to do in the persons environment, while others should be done in public places, ALL interviews should be done in person)?
I will interview her at her house.
10. How will you record the information? (taking notes is ideal, and if you want to record the conversation you MUST get permission. You can do both if they will allow you to record, this is a really strong technique that you could use.)

i will record the information because they will let me.