Thread: Workshops, What's the Most You Pay??

The NYC area is saturated with workshops by big names and local dancers of all styles (not that I'm complaining). So when I'm making a decision whether to attend a workshop I divide the price of the workshop by hours of teaching to come up with an hourly rate. The highest I've paid is $25 per hour of workshop for Suhaila's multi-level and that has set the standard. More than that I'd consider unreasonable. Class size obviously also influences what's reasonable, the bigger the workshop the less I expect to pay and vice-versa.

Not counting travel expenses, what's the highest you've paid per workshop hour?? Have you set a maximum price guideline?? If so, who would you break it for?? Are you willing to pay more per hour for choreography or for technique workshops?? What do you consider reasonable?

In the past I went to a lot of workshops, and am happy I did... but now that I've seen enough and explored enough to have found my niche in dance... I only study with those whose styles compliment my own and am happy to pay any reasonable price. I won't go to a workshop just because it's cheap. I don't mind paying more to get good training. These days, I find I get the best bang for my buck not in a workshop setting, but in a private class. So, if I can fit in a private lesson or two at the same time as the workshop, I'm a happy camper.

I agree with Adishakti.

I attend workshops when I can, having just gone to two drumming workshops at Rakkasah in California. I always learn something, meet people, and in a very small way help to support another artist in this field.

I also take private lessons when at all possible - these are the best!

Going rate is $ 100 / hour.

How does that rate compare to a one-on-one with a top-notch dancer?


Larry

$40/hour is about standard in Tokyo now for a big name and I guess that's my max....I'm not really picky about style I like to mix a little of everything in.

Originally Posted by Adishakti

In the past I went to a lot of workshops, and am happy I did... but now that I've seen enough and explored enough to have found my niche in dance... I only study with those whose styles compliment my own and am happy to pay any reasonable price. I won't go to a workshop just because it's cheap. I don't mind paying more to get good training. These days, I find I get the best bang for my buck not in a workshop setting, but in a private class. So, if I can fit in a private lesson or two at the same time as the workshop, I'm a happy camper.

I'm sure we're all happy to pay a reasonable price for good instruction, I doubt anyone likes feeling ripped off.
What do you consider a "reasonable price"??

I'm paying $50/hour for the master class I'm taking with Tamra-Henna in a week and a half...it seems a little steep, but heck, I'm a rich ESL teacher, and there's a 15 person cap, so it evens out. It was $40/hour with Raqia, and that's in a roomful of people. I really don't mind paying a lot, but won't waste money on crap.

Most of the workshops around these parts are about $30-35/hour (i.e., $60 or $70 for a 2 hour workshop).

The most I ever paid for a single workshop was $90 for a 90-minute one with Dina, but it was at the IBDC and she didn't wind up coming after all. ..cr.: But I'd pay top dollar for her, or any other Egyptian instructors because a) I know it's expensive/complicated for promoters to bring them here, b) a workshop with someone from "over there" is a fairly rare commodity, and c) I think it's a different and valuable experience to learn from an instructor who was born and raised in the ME.

Larry, my private lessons are $55/hr with Sabah, who while not a "big name", tours with the BDSS, lived and worked in Egypt for over a year, and is a really amazing dancer and instructor. She's worth every penny. I don't have much experience with them, but when visiting "big name" instructors have offered privates around here, it's usually in the $75 to $100/hr range.

The most I ever paid was for Fifi, but I don't remember how that broke down. The show was a bigger wallet-sucking device than the workshop, if I recall...

The most I've paid was $75.00 an hour and that was in Albuquerque, NM...I would definitely assume it to be higher in New York for the going rate.

I am just starting to take workshops but I have no set limit...well my bank account and bills aside, I spend what I can. I take into account the cost per number of dancers. I expect to pay more for a class set for 16 than one that hundreds may be at. I am still new enough in the dance world to have starry eyes and nervous meeps being in the same room as the greats.

Originally Posted by Adishakti

I only study with those whose styles compliment my own and am happy to pay any reasonable price. I won't go to a workshop just because it's cheap. I don't mind paying more to get good training. These days, I find I get the best bang for my buck not in a workshop setting, but in a private class. So, if I can fit in a private lesson or two at the same time as the workshop, I'm a happy camper.

Totally agree with you. I tend not to get much out of workshops - too many people and not enough room to "do my thang" (and damned if I'll fork out $120-$150 per workshop for THAT pleasure. Oh, but wait ... I DO! ,r:; Guess I'm damned than! ..l;, ) Also, I have a mind like a sieve - if I don't have video footage of what I've just "learnt" chances are after a few days I won't remember what I've done (I write notes when I can during workshops but it's just not the same as watching someone do it - preferably the instructor!) Yeah, I guess I'm a real "learn-by-video" gal

Originally Posted by Athallia

I'm sure we're all happy to pay a reasonable price for good instruction, I doubt anyone likes feeling ripped off.
What do you consider a "reasonable price"??

Depends on the artist. If I'm feeling gouged, I wouldn't go... but then again, I'd also pay more for a small class setting than a workshop stacked with dancers.

I'm charging $15/hr for the Hadia/Denise workshop I'm hosting and feel it's quite fair, but I've also paid $100/hr for private lessons. So, let's just say anywhere in between is reasonable!

The Farha Tour is AUD135 for two hours with Randa. Ouch. In Brisbane you pay that for about 6 hours contact time with the Winter Warmup guest - someone like Denise Enan, Aida Nour or Dr Mo Geddawi.

I guess the idea that everything in Southern California is 'way expensive might not be so true, for workshops anyway!

It varies by instructor, of course, but many workshops here are about $15-$25 per hour -- most workshops being 1 1/2 - 2 hours in length.

I am an event producer and workshop sponsor. Although I think it's entirely proper to be well-compensated for all the effort (and risk) that goes into workshop sponsorship, I make virtually nothing on workshops I sponsor so that they are financially accessible to most potential students.

Hmmmmmm . . .

What's my personal workshop upper limit per hour? It's probably about $30-$35/hour. And if the room is overcrowded, I get kinda annoyed, which is why at workshops I sponsor, a cap is placed on the number of students in a workshop based on the size of the room, and on the type of workshop, if necessary.

As to length of workshops, I can't function well for more than a couple of hours, at the most, although I could probably manage two 2-hour workshops in one day . . . if I had a good lunch time . . . and a snack . . . and a little nap . . . and lots of caffeine . . . a new body . . . a brain transplant . . .

Deborah

From a newbie point of view in case you wondered.
I just did a workshop with a very good but not notorious dancer, and paid $30 (£15 UK, so considering the general higher costs in UK too) for 3 hours, which I thought was very reasonable, it's roughly what i pay for classes.
I have just booked in for a set of workshops with big name types at $25 per hour, which I am happy with, because I am sure they are going to be worth it (knowing the teachers and the specific content).I would be less happy about paying that kind of money if I was less sure that the teacher was excellent and the content useful and appropriate to me.

Originally Posted by kashmir

The Farha Tour is AUD135 for two hours with Randa. Ouch. In Brisbane you pay that for about 6 hours contact time with the Winter Warmup guest - someone like Denise Enan, Aida Nour or Dr Mo Geddawi.

Yes, I'm still mulling this one over. At today's exchange rate, that's almost US$135 for two hours! I nearly fainted when I read that. Add to that the cost of flights and accomodation from interstate and I'm really not sure whether to go. The class maximum size is 50 people (I asked).

So, is it worth paying $135 for two hours with Randa? I'm just not sure. But then again, I don't want to miss a great opportunity.

I'm paying $135 for two hours with Randa. And not a lot else at this stage! Hopefully I can scrape up some more cash for a couple more workshops.

Jewel, I'm a full time student. What with the Farha Tour, Amera and some other local workshops coming up, I am living on zilch. I can't actually afford all this dance - I'm on a scholarship right now which makes me rather well off compared to how I'll be once it's gone - but I kind of have to do it, what with people jetting across the Tasman every other week for Rachel Brice this and Bamedam that. $500 plus to fly, about $300 accommodation, $80ish for the show (if there are tickets left when I can afford to book it), and oh yeah, workshops I've paid less than $300 for TWO. INSANITY.

I'm a student too but I have no financial aid whatsoever. So I have to be extremely careful not to overspend on my bellydance obsession. And that is going to be hard since in 2008, Chicago is hosting a lot of talented master dancers. :(

As for workshop fees, the most I've paid was $20 per hour. I would be willing to pay $100 per hour, but only if it was a private lesson with Fifi, Dina,or Raqia.

workshops here in san diego top out at about $65 but are longer than an hour.

for me it has to be a top notch dancer/instructor to justify that rate because private coaching is available for the same rate.

Originally Posted by zumarrad

I'm paying $135 for two hours with Randa. And not a lot else at this stage! Hopefully I can scrape up some more cash for a couple more workshops.

Jewel, I'm a full time student. What with the Farha Tour, Amera and some other local workshops coming up, I am living on zilch. I can't actually afford all this dance - I'm on a scholarship right now which makes me rather well off compared to how I'll be once it's gone - but I kind of have to do it, what with people jetting across the Tasman every other week for Rachel Brice this and Bamedam that. $500 plus to fly, about $300 accommodation, $80ish for the show (if there are tickets left when I can afford to book it), and oh yeah, workshops I've paid less than $300 for TWO. INSANITY.

Yes, 2008 is proving to be an expensive year! We are lucky (at least in Aus) to have so many great dancers holding workshops here this year, but it is a real strain on the purse! On the Farha tour, I've noticed workshops with Yasmina Of Cairo are half the cost of the Randa ones (thought this still makes them pricey!). But she is an excellent instructor, who combines the best of Egyptian dancing experience with Western-style instruction. I know I'll come away from her workshops with a real understanding of at least a few 'new moves' from Cairo. But with Randa, will it be technique that wasn't explained and a choreo that I can't remember?

Still, I know I'll be going. See you there!

(Hey, perhaps we should have a Bhuzzers meet-up)

Im definitly cutting back on workshops this year. I will go to Hadia and Dahlena, and my private lessons. This hobby is out of control for me, and what with rising fuels costs and the fact that I want a new car.....:(

Originally Posted by LarryH

I also take private lessons when at all possible - these are the best!

Going rate is $ 100 / hour.

How does that rate compare to a one-on-one with a top-notch dancer?

Larry

In my experience, privates with good dancers run around $30-40 per hour. This average includes some very big name dancers, such as Artemis Mourat.

The most I have ever paid for a private lesson is $80 an hour plus studio fee with Nourhan Sharif. But now that I think about it, that was a semi-private lessons (there were 3 of us). I can't remember if she let us split that fee or if we all paid $80. If we split it, then we're back down to my overall average.

Originally Posted by LarryH

I agree with Adishakti.

I attend workshops when I can, having just gone to two drumming workshops at Rakkasah in California. I always learn something, meet people, and in a very small way help to support another artist in this field.

I also take private lessons when at all possible - these are the best!

Going rate is $ 100 / hour.

How does that rate compare to a one-on-one with a top-notch dancer?


Larry

Originally Posted by ssipes

In my experience, privates with good dancers run around $30-40 per hour. This average includes some very big name dancers, such as Artemis Mourat.

The most I have ever paid for a private lesson is $80 an hour plus studio fee with Nourhan Sharif. But now that I think about it, that was a semi-private lessons (there were 3 of us). I can't remember if she let us split that fee or if we all paid $80. If we split it, then we're back down to my overall average.

Hmmmm, there seems to be a discrepancy in private lesson pay between teachers and dancers with experience of ME (starting at 100 $) and others. Yet, their workshops tend to be similar price per hour. Why ?

Originally Posted by Michaela

Hmmmm, there seems to be a discrepancy in private lesson pay between teachers and dancers with experience of ME (starting at 100 $) and others. Yet, their workshops tend to be similar price per hour. Why ?

Can you clarify? Between what two groups is there a discrepancy?

Most of the workshops I go to are weekend long events costing between $150 to $200 for two days (about 5-6 hours of instruction each day with the same instructor.) Some are cheaper, some more expensive. Of course I am almost always adding travel expenses, meals, hotel, etc on top of that so it can expensive.

I think the most I've paid has been for ala cart type of weekends where you can pick and choose from among instructors paying separately for each. These have usually be $75 to 90 for a 2 hour workshop.

Again, most workshops for me involve travel and hotels. Expensive hobby but not as expensive as my other hobby--showing dogs!

Souzan

Wow! I have seriously been spoiled. Surprisingly, workshops are NOT more expensive in NYC, just check out shakemyday.com under events and see for yourself.

I think it might be because almost all workshops offer early bird rates which I almost always take advantage of, for example I'm taking a 3-hour long workshop w/ Virginia this Saturday for only $55. Obviously Virginia is not Randa Kamal, but it seems to me that it's sponsor that sets the price regardless of how famous instructor.

Yes, master classes tend to be more expensive, I don't know why. The one I attended with Raqia Hassan was just a choreography workshop with tons of people in a humongous room, so there was no personal attention. What ARE the differences between a workshop and a master class??

Hi Sedonia,

I don`t want to divide people into groups. Just LarryH`s and yours replies made me thing about fees of one-on-one classes. So this reply of mine should be in a new thread maybe.

I didn`t notice your exact expression was "good dancers". I take one-on-one classes with very good dancer, too. It`s on weekly basis so I have a good price, too.

I don`t know teachers LarryH meant, so cannot really compare. To compare, we would have to divide into groups and that is always a problem.
Because 100$ is quite a lump sum, I assumed, such teacher or dancer has to have exceptional resume or to be a master teacher - which for me includes first hand working experience in ME in some stage of carrier.
So my previous reply was my way how to explain a difference in one-on-one lessons fees. We need a new thread if discussed further.
Anyways, discrepancy probably is not the right word.

Originally Posted by Athallia

... it seems to me that it's sponsor that sets the price regardless of how famous instructor.

Yes, master classes tend to be more expensive, I don't know why. The one I attended with Raqia Hassan was just a choreography workshop with tons of people in a humongous room, so there was no personal attention. What ARE the differences between a workshop and a master class??

My feeling is that a workshop with master teacher is not master class, and name and fame of the instructor is proportional to the cost of workshop.
Different people preffer different things, I preffer teachers with real hands on working experience in ME. That way I am sure I don`t pay money through my nose. I am not interested in taking from sb. who became popular because of media attention which makes them seem bigger then world etc.

Hey, there are many things to talk about, we need many more threads.

Most that I paid for a workshop was 20 euro/30 USD per hour for a Big Name worskhop. However, I did get a lot out of it, so it was worth it. I'm looking into private classes, but the dancers that I want classes from charge 40 euro/60 USD per hour + studiorent, which is not an option right now. These dancers have over 15 years of experience and also did a lot of traveling to the ME.

The main reason for me to spend a lot of money on a privat class is that I want to learn something specific and the teacher is well known for teaching and using that specific technique/style/move.

wow. my eyes are popping at some of these prices.

here in seattle your average workshop runs from $25 for two hours or $15/hour minimum to maybe $25/hour. the shorter the workshop, the more you can charge - say, $50 for a 2 hour workshop, but it will be hard to fill your 4 hour class if it's $100. MEAI hosted leila haddad for a 3 hour workshop and we were biting our nails about charging $55 at the door - didn't want to hit the $60 mark. but next year should she come through again we'll definitely do $20/hour advance, add $10 or so at the door (so, $60-70 for 3 hours). nadira and MEAI are bringing hadia in june and early bird price for 6 hours is $20/hour, door price is $25/hour.

we have big names come through (hadia, jillina, lots of tribal stars), but not BIG names (dina, raqia, randa). someday!