A Dancer's View on Dance Pay

I very much enjoyed reading "A Dancer's Retort" by Brittany Beyer--a self-professed "Dance Enthusiast" and Associate Editor for the Huffington Post. In it, Beyer explores the issues surrounding making a living wage as a professional dancer. There is a lot in this article to love, but let me share some of my favorite snippets to whet your appetite.

"I have thought a great deal about sustainability in dance, asking questions about what is "working" and "not working."

One important issue is the dance artist's attitude towards money. Many of us have been brought up with the idea that our field is beyond a job -- to be an artist is almost a sacred calling. If you have ever danced you will understand. We love our art form and have the conviction that it does others good. With integrity and passion we put our bodies -- our very selves -- on the line to create. Our work is beyond a job description; in many ways it is a life's practice or a life's mission. How does one monetize that?"

and Beyer goes on to paint a picture that is all too familiar in the bellydance world:

"What has emerged because of our "calling" premise is a system that supports work not adequately funded. We pay staff what we can and often expect people to work for free while we wait for funding that often never arrives. While some could consider this noble -and perhaps it is to some degree -- by working in this manner the dance market's pay scale is continually suppressed. While in the short-term, sacrifice enables many to perform, in the long-term, companies and artists that work in this way suffer. They are financially unequipped to market their fine pieces of artistic work to a larger audience. The dirty truth is that many times the musicians, costume designers, stage crew and support staff get paid more than the dancers who are the main event on stage. It has become acceptable to pay a non-unionized dancer very little or nothing. Dancers will dance for the love of it."

Read the full article here:


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brittany-beyer/a-dancers-retort_b_1625815.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

How to Leave

Sam Brenneman posted this in her notes on Facebook not too long back, and I just love how thoughtful it is about the process of leaving a class, teacher, and/or troupe. It ties nicely in with another recent post of mine about communicating with one's teacher.  Since not everyone is on Facebook, I got permission from Sam to repost this here. Enjoy!

How to Leave
by Sam Brenneman

So you've been dancing under a particular teacher and you know it's time to go... how do you leave?

This situation comes to almost everyone at some point. How you choose to handle it can make for a parting that makes virtually no difficulties, or one that causes raft of trouble, bad feeling and ongoing repercussions.

There are plenty of reasons people seek out a different teacher or school, or decide to quit dance, or dance on their own; in most ways it's not much different from taking a new job. You have to quit the old one in order to move on. Whatever you do, think it through first. Chances are good that you'll be seeing each other at the same events, so bridge-burning may not be a wise course. If you are able to openly show gratitude and publicly acknowledge your teacher, it shows your class and maturity, completes your dance 'lineage', and makes everyone look good.

You may be under the impression that 'everyone knows' your circumstances (what led you to depart, who you've studied under, with what intention you are moving on), but that's generally not the case; people do not pay such close attention. So, it's up to you to make yourself clear and do it properly.

How you leave depends on how far you've immersed yourself in the teacher/troupe leader's activities. Is it your first class session, or are you a troupe member? Taking for fun, or seriously into it? Will you need to maintain a connection to promote larger interests?

If you took a session or two but weren't very deeply invested in the instructor's vision, just go, without fanfare. Your teacher, if she's been at it for any length of time, is accustomed to this; people's needs and circumstances change all the time.

If you are further in, perhaps as a multiple-repeat advanced student or a student troupe member, it's a different story. Of course you can do the same and just drop out, but if you intend to continue in the same dance community where you will be seeing each other, it pays to be gracious in a professional sense. It's harder, but ultimately worth it, for you to be upfront. Tell your teacher you're drawn to explore a different direction. If you have a vision for a group of your own, share it. Most teachers will support this if you give them the chance; it makes everyone look good as well as maintains a certain comfort level.

For your former teacher to find out you've formed a troupe by encountering you with them at an event is less than ideal. For you to do this even as you continue to take with her is trouble waiting to happen.

Be honest and respectful, because it's the right thing to do.

If you are a troupe member, this gets especially delicate, as there's a mutual investment of more depth and intensity. For some troupes, there may be a contract in place. You may be part of a regular performance job, or be in rehearsal for an event like a recital or a stage show; be professional and considerate, and see the commitment through. Quit when you aren't part of an essential plan.

Do it face to face to avoid misunderstanding, or at least be willing to meet once you've made your decision. Do not quit summarily by text or e-mail; do not express anger or disappointment even if you are feeling them; do not bring other troupe members in on your decision, though you may and should present it to them in a professional manner once it's made.

It's poor form and borderline unethical to work behind your teacher/troupe leader's back to subvert an existing performance unit due to your own dissatisfaction. Do not under any circumstances mine her student list in order to form your own unit. People may find you in time, but make your own dancers from the ground up if you want to truly earn your credibility.

The key here is respect. If you want respect from your former instructors, or hope to enlarge the dance community, preserve your early connections as you follow your dreams.

A note from the essayist: this piece is put together from knowledge gleaned over ten years of dancing as a student and as a teacher, as well as from observation of others' experiences; I have left, been left, and heard stories of leaving well or badly. The intention is to help others understand how to manage this common situation for the best outcome.

About Sam Brenneman
"Sam began dancing in January of 2002, taking classes with Gabrielle Deschaine at her local Y. She had previously danced with Read My Hips, the wonderful Chicago tribal troupe directed by Stephanie Barto.

Currently Sam is director of multiple troupes: Smoke Tribal Bellydance; Gulbahar, the student troupe based at Triton College; and ruth+barbara bellydance (everyone should), a new venture set to debut in February 2012.  She was accepted as a Fat Chance Sister Studio in 2009, committing to Carolena's vision of showcasing the power, beauty, and strength of women through American Tribal Style bellydance."

If you want to learn more about Sam, hit up her site at http://www.smallstudiocostume.com/

Workshop Hosting - what you're really paying for

A recent discussion on a bellydance business discussion group brought up an old tribe thread on the same subject. The discussion was surrounding the costs of hosting a workshop instructor, and what the $150-$200/hr of workshop time with an instructor really translates into. Back in 2007 I wrote a reply in this thread from my perspective as a teacher, and thought I would share the slightly modified version of it here.

If $150-$200/hr for teaching, on top of room/food/travel, seems like a high cost, consider this rundown of how a workshop teacher's time is spent:

It's important to note that the term "hourly rate" is a bit of a misnomer. While the instructor may be teaching for only 4 hours, they are "on" much more than that.  And many teachers have to cancel or get subs for their classes at home, turn down other performances/gigs for the time they are away, get pet sitters or kid sitters...part and parcel of a traveling performer and teacher, but it's something that is sometimes forgotten when considering the value in a teacher's workshop wages.  For me, it is a pleasure to get to travel to new places, and meet, hang out with, chat up, and network with other dancers--it's an addictive, joyful experience! But at the same time, any teacher can attest that it is incredibly draining, and it is definitely "work" even outside of the classroom. That is an intangible "cost" to the teachers that is reimbursed, if you will, in the pay they receive. And even then, you won't get rich off of it (or outside of maybe BDSS, make a living wage off of it), and you have to do it for the love of it!

How many hours for a bellydance gig?

In a previous post, we looked at The True Cost of a Performance. In this installment, we look at the incomparable Delilah Flynn's question of:

Q. "How many hours does it take you to do a belly dance gig?"

Delilah's Answer:
"8PM show. 

I have to eat my last meal by 3:00 PM or I feel sluggish and bloated. So I have to plan my day accordingly. Open suitcase and gather costume pieces. Iron veil if necessary. Make sure I have costume, make up, zills, evening dress, shoes and stockings in the early day so incase I have to run an errand I have time. This takes about 30 minutes somewhere in my day. 

I shower at 5:30 and begin putting on makeup and doing hair at 6:00-6:45 and get dressed and load the car with costumes, sound system, props. 

Arrive at the gig to get acclimated at least 30-40 minutes in advance so I leave the house at 7:00 if local. The show is at 8:00 give or take a few . Usually shows go on a little late if the audience is still arriving . 

By 9 :00 I should be finished and need 30 minutes to cool down before stepping out in the Seattle rain. How ever the audience usually wants to meet the dancers so going out and saying hello is a professional curtesy.  So I probably am in my car at 10:00 realistically.