Thread: The Good Owners!

Okay, I know we talk a lot about crappy owners who try to stiff us on pay or treat us like dirt. But, how about a shout out to the good owners out there! One of my gigs is a shisha cafe owned by an American woman, who is just awesome. There is never an issue with payment, she treats me with respect and is just great to work for. Another venue and another owner, a Turk, is also great. He has become a good friend of my husband's and he treats all the dancers with respect, no issues with payment, etc. A big shout out to the proprietor and proprietess of Cazbar and Three Kings of Egypt!! If you are ever in the Baltimore area, you can frequent these establishments knowing they treat their dancers well!!

What about you?

I've worked for a good one! Well, I would sub for a former student when she was unavailable . . .

Kal and his wife, Sophia, of Sophia's Greek Cuisine were always wonderful to me! Like Damiena says, always paid promptly after the show, were respectful, etc.

It was my mom that actually "found" the restaurant, she went a few times and then invited me to go with her -- and found my former student dancing there! How fun was that! So we continued to go periodically and I started taking my BD class field trips there.

When I started subbing my mom attended whenever she could -- which was most of the time. Pretty soon, Kal and Sophia were comping her meal and otherwise took very good care of her. I still appreciate them for that.

Which reminds me, I need to get back there to see who's dancing -- might have to start taking field trips there again . . .

So, yes, there are good ones out there and I've had the pleasure of working with 'em!

Deborah

Originally Posted by damiena

If you are ever in the Baltimore area, you can frequent these establishments knowing they treat their dancers well!!

What about you?

I'm making a real effort to see more local dancers, but it's hard to find out who treats their dancers well. Thanks for posting this.

At first he wasnt great, but about 9 months ago I yelled at him and it was a 180, pays on time, I NEVER have to ask, gives me free food, even sells me some of his trinkes at the resturant for pennies....I really like him now and even trys to get me free advertisment in the local magazines

Forgot the place sorry

Istanbul Kebab House Okinawa Japan

The Med Cafe in Bakersfield, Mare and wife, very good people.
Fresno, Ghaleb's
Visalia, Hagopians
Exeter, The Wildflower Cafe
Chicago, Yagmur
All of these places have (had) owners who paid as agreed and provided the requested dressing and performance area.

Ibrahim of "La Valle dei Cedri" in Florence, Italy, was absolutely wonderful: kind, gracious, gave me a lovely dressing room and a liter of water, wouldn't let my mum pay for her meal and glass of vino, paid me promptly and then gifted me with a CD of Arabic music. Grazie Abramo!

I'm so looking forward to my return there in September of 2009.

Here's to good owners!


Khalida

I'm very happy to have venues here in the Baltimore area where the dancers are treated well and with respect. Yay, B'more!
Makeda

Okay...this should be done EVERYWHERE...but unfortunatly it's not-or at least not in my town(Tucson)! My restaurant pays you even if it is too slow to dance. On top of that the owner is super cool and the dancer who does the scheduling is really fair with all the dancers in the rotation. Yay Luxor Cafe and Hookah Lounge!

Originally Posted by damiena

Okay, I know we talk a lot about crappy owners who try to stiff us on pay or treat us like dirt. But, how about a shout out to the good owners out there! One of my gigs is a shisha cafe owned by an American woman, who is just awesome. There is never an issue with payment, she treats me with respect and is just great to work for. Another venue and another owner, a Turk, is also great. He has become a good friend of my husband's and he treats all the dancers with respect, no issues with payment, etc. A big shout out to the proprietor and proprietess of Cazbar and Three Kings of Egypt!! If you are ever in the Baltimore area, you can frequent these establishments knowing they treat their dancers well!!

What about you?

Damiena, you couldn't have said it any better than that. Being one of your fellow dancers at the Cazbar, Haluk is AWESOME!!!!!!!!! He has always treated me with kindness and respect. I am glad you put this out there. There are a lot of negative things that are said about venues. You don't hear the praises of the ones that deserve to be recognized. KUDOS to all our B-More Venues!!!!!!!

I love the manager of the restaurant I work at. He is a sweet Egyptian man, and he has always been honest with me about payment, and has always treated me like a queen. I just adore him, and couldn't ask for a nicer person to work with.

Ditto what Damiena says about 3 Kings and Cazbar in Baltimore. They are awesome places to work.
Right before leaving for Egypt both Taste of Morocco (Silver Spring) and Alf Leylah (Chantilly, VA) paid me extra. I count that as a really nice choice to make.

Al Amir Lebanese Restaurant in Dallas - when they built their new location, they fussed over the dressing space. I've worked there for 6 years now, and I never have to worry about undercutting or being fired - we are comped food when we dance, receive two complimentary drinks, and they watch after us and our belongings when we're onstage. I have my own bodyguards - and it's so cute when I hand off my zills and they stand in the background clanging them during my dance, lol.

Kasra Persian Cuisine, Richardson - NICE NICE NICE - always pay IMMEDIATELY after my show, bring water, and generally treat us all well.

Giovanni's Mediterranean, Dallas (Persian and Italian food) - again, just as sweet as pie - pay is prompt, and they are solicitous and courteous and just wonderful.

Yay Dallas area owners!

Another shout out to DC/VA owners.
A dancer came in to audition. She of course told them she was "better than who you have because I'm Moroccan and they're just American". She also was the self proclaimed "best dancer in Baltimore who works at the most upscale place in Baltimore every Saturday" (although last I knew that venue had dancing for only 2 weeks quite a few months ago).
The owners wife sat by the door the whole time, where she has a view of the parking lot. Dancer arrived by herself and they asked if she could wait a little. She sat with a beer and within 10 minutes was sitting with a table of 4 men. Her dancing was "ok". When she was finished, one of the 4 men waited for her outside the door and she left with him in his car (came back for her car after closing). The owner (and his wife) said they don't want her and "her kind of business" back.
While I give her props for her self promotion and her obviously high level of time efficiency in business skills, in America we can keep "dance business" and "the business of pleasure" separate. Yay to owners who support this.

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

Another shout out to DC/VA owners.
A dancer came in to audition. She of course told them she was "better than who you have because I'm Moroccan and they're just American". She also was the self proclaimed "best dancer in Baltimore who works at the most upscale place in Baltimore every Saturday" (although last I knew that venue had dancing for only 2 weeks quite a few months ago).
The owners wife sat by the door the whole time, where she has a view of the parking lot. Dancer arrived by herself and they asked if she could wait a little. She sat with a beer and within 10 minutes was sitting with a table of 4 men. Her dancing was "ok". When she was finished, one of the 4 men waited for her outside the door and she left with him in his car (came back for her car after closing). The owner (and his wife) said they don't want her and "her kind of business" back.
While I give her props for her self promotion and her obviously high level of time efficiency in business skills, in America we can keep "dance business" and "the business of pleasure" separate. Yay to owners who support this.

Samira, this story is like a mini-lesson in how not to behave as a professional dancer. Kudos to the owner and his wife!

also a shout out to sizzling bombay in bel air.....very nice, beautiful, well treated, meets our needs.......

I found out last night that another Moroccan dancer, who is the friend of the dancer referenced in Samira's post, went to another venue and told the owner she would dance for free and offered to take him downstairs and give him a private dance. She reiterated this offer about ten times, and said offer was corroborated by a friend of the owner, who witnessed the entire interaction. Then, she offered to give the owner's friend a private dance...

It goes without saying that the owner did not take her up on it.

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

Another shout out to DC/VA owners.
A dancer came in to audition. She of course told them she was "better than who you have because I'm Moroccan and they're just American". She also was the self proclaimed "best dancer in Baltimore who works at the most upscale place in Baltimore every Saturday" (although last I knew that venue had dancing for only 2 weeks quite a few months ago).
The owners wife sat by the door the whole time, where she has a view of the parking lot. Dancer arrived by herself and they asked if she could wait a little. She sat with a beer and within 10 minutes was sitting with a table of 4 men. Her dancing was "ok". When she was finished, one of the 4 men waited for her outside the door and she left with him in his car (came back for her car after closing). The owner (and his wife) said they don't want her and "her kind of business" back.
While I give her props for her self promotion and her obviously high level of time efficiency in business skills, in America we can keep "dance business" and "the business of pleasure" separate. Yay to owners who support this.

Great topic!!

Roozy and Shaw of "Messina's Mediterranean Cuisine"
(4075 Lawrenceville Hwy - Lilburn, GA 30047
770-935-9990) have been very gracious to me and my dancers. They pay on time, rarely ask for more shows than we've agreed upon, and most importantly - they feed us!! I've danced for several years there and have rarely had a problem.

If you're ever in the Atlanta area, definately look them up! We perform on the first Saturday of every month.

Originally Posted by damiena

I found out last night that another Moroccan dancer, who is the friend of the dancer referenced in Samira's post, went to another venue and told the owner she would dance for free and offered to take him downstairs and give him a private dance. She reiterated this offer about ten times, and said offer was corroborated by a friend of the owner, who witnessed the entire interaction. Then, she offered to give the owner's friend a private dance...

It goes without saying that the owner did not take her up on it.

OMG, that is so crazy. My mouth just dropped!!!!! It is a shame that we have that out there at all hanging over our heads.

Thalia

Originally Posted by ruta21030

also a shout out to sizzling bombay in bel air.....very nice, beautiful, well treated, meets our needs.......

Sizzling Bombay Cuisine in Bel Air, MD