Thread: What would you think?

Hello!!


I have a question for all the dancers that have ever performed professionally in a restaurant.

What would you do if the owner of the restauirant where you perform regularly decides that, beside dancing, you have to hostess as well? maybe he will pay you 25 more....would you accept? Would you feel comfortable doing it? I just want to know your opinions. Please let me know!!!

Thank you ladies!

I'd say b%ll$cks to that, mate!

Would he ask one of his male singers to do that? nope. I'd ask him if he wants a professional dancer or a professional you know what....he can't have both!

NO!

Next thing he's going to ask you to bus tables and sweep the floors!

I agree. Something about this doesn't sound right...

Short version;

"Nah...what a cheap skate!"

Long version;

You can always play hostess and greet customers at the door...
As you're walking out of it ..l;,

i wouldn't. its a separate job from dancer

Well, I guess you could test out why he wants you to do it by greeting customers in a full neck to toe cover up. But for $25 which is only £12.50 to be on your feet all night - it doesn't seem worth it. How much is that per hour? Do you have a minimum wage in the US? As I think this wouldn't meet our minimum wage standards here. Not that people don't offer work below minimum wage here, even though it is illegal - I find it a good yardstick.

I do know dancers here who play the "hostess" chatting to diners after they have danced as part of their employment and it has no connotations what so ever.
They know their employers well and I have no idea of their terms of employment only that they seem to have friendly relationships with family set ups.
That being the difference..these are long term arrangements with people who know each other well.
No nonsense by diners is tolerated!

A hostess makes more than that. He's trying to get out of paying someone an hourly rate.

bastard.

No!

Be ready to walk away from that job.

Originally Posted by lizajuk

I do know dancers here who play the "hostess" chatting to diners after they have danced as part of their employment and it has no connotations what so ever.
They know their employers well and I have no idea of their terms of employment only that they seem to have friendly relationships with family set ups.
That being the difference..these are long term arrangements with people who know each other well.
No nonsense by diners is tolerated!

I don't know if it goes by a different term in the UK, but in America, the restaurant job of hostess is the one who greats customers, checks if they have reservations, and takes them to their seats.I assume that's what's being talked of (but maybe in costume to add atmosphere?) It's not a free-floating socializing job.

Bringing the dancer as a sometimes hostess is bound to create strife among the wait staff...you don't want angry waitstaff!

If it were me, by the time I had played hostess and took everyone to their seats and talked with everyone, I would be too tired to dance. On the other hand, it would give you a chance to talk to them and get better tips because you also helped them to their seat as well as danced.
25 seems like very little. Maybe 50.

NO. Don't do it. How can you maintain the dancer persona if you're also the gal who answers the phone and shows guests to their seats?

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

NO. Don't do it. How can you maintain the dancer persona if you're also the gal who answers the phone and shows guests to their seats?

thats true also

What's next? Refreshing the patrons' water glasses as you dance around the tables?

Don't do it. He's arabian? Because I have arabian friends with restaurants and they always pay really low for services & always take advantage from others.

Ladies, thank you for your answers, I love them! He is american with middle eastern parents. It is true it is very hard on your body to stand all night, and when you hear comments when you dance like"hey, that's the hostess!!!" it's kind of annoying and the muse runs away instantly.

Of course the policy is for the new young dancers like myself!!!:(

Originally Posted by ozma

I don't know if it goes by a different term in the UK, but in America, the restaurant job of hostess is the one who greats customers, checks if they have reservations, and takes them to their seats.I assume that's what's being talked of (but maybe in costume to add atmosphere?) It's not a free-floating socializing job.

Bringing the dancer as a sometimes hostess is bound to create strife among the wait staff...you don't want angry waitstaff!

Good heaven's no they don't answer telephones etc. They may come bak after their set wearing a cover up and chat to customers who are often regulars.I am talking of people who have built up a relationship over the years and some restuarants may like to emulate this.
BUT dancers who come new to an establishment will dance their set, take their money and go..is the usual pattern here.

when I was a hostess I got paid $7/hour, and was there from 3pm until closing at around midnight...answering phones, taking reservations, seating guests, etc.

NOT a job for a dancer to do. Very unprofessional and cheap of this owner

Originally Posted by Dahabiya

Hello!!


I have a question for all the dancers that have ever performed professionally in a restaurant.

What would you do if the owner of the restauirant where you perform regularly decides that, beside dancing, you have to hostess as well? maybe he will pay you 25 more....would you accept? Would you feel comfortable doing it? I just want to know your opinions. Please let me know!!!

Thank you ladies!

I would think he is trying to get a free dancer, or a free hostess. I would not do it - better to get a job hosting or bartending elsewhere, and only dance at haflas for free, than to combine the two.

Originally Posted by Dahabiya

Ladies, thank you for your answers, I love them! He is american with middle eastern parents. It is true it is very hard on your body to stand all night, and when you hear comments when you dance like"hey, that's the hostess!!!" it's kind of annoying and the muse runs away instantly.

Of course the policy is for the new young dancers like myself!!!:(

Say no and leave the job if this does not stop.

They need you more than you need them. Other jobs will come. DONT do this. It is not good for you, and if you do it then he will make the next dancer and the next dancer do it. This isn't just about you.

Originally Posted by lizajuk

Good heaven's no they don't answer telephones etc. They may come bak after their set wearing a cover up and chat to customers who are often regulars.I am talking of people who have built up a relationship over the years and some restuarants may like to emulate this.

Yeah, that's not the kind of hostess job she's talking about.

Really? He wants you to be the hostess as in the lady who seats people? I was once asked to "hostess" in addition to dancing and by that the owner meant hanging out and chatting with people. I turned it down, b/c that's just not something I'd enjoy.

Now, if there's a regular customer, or a table that wanted pictures, or women who got up to dance with me and I felt a real connection, I'll often approach them after the set, in a cover-up, to thank them and chat. That always goes over very well, so I can understand why an owner would want that all the time. Of course then, $25 isn't sufficient anyway.

Dahabiya, it sounds to me as though this guy may be trying to circumvent labor laws.

The job of seating people is typically paid on an hourly basis. I'm not sure whether this applies to the restaurant business (because some laws make exceptions for restaurants and part-time jobs), but generally employers are expected to pay taxes to the government for people in regular jobs. Ie, they're supposed to pay Social Security, unemployment insurance, etc. It sounds to me as though he's trying to under-pay you by offering $25 for a job that would pay more if he paid the going rate, and it also sounds as though he's trying to avoid paying the government on the taxes.

I'd say no. You might consider discussing this with the head dancer where you work. Maybe she'll intervene on your behalf.

Originally Posted by LeylaFahada

Really? He wants you to be the hostess as in the lady who seats people? I was once asked to "hostess" in addition to dancing and by that the owner meant hanging out and chatting with people. I turned it down, b/c that's just not something I'd enjoy.

Now, if there's a regular customer, or a table that wanted pictures, or women who got up to dance with me and I felt a real connection, I'll often approach them after the set, in a cover-up, to thank them and chat. That always goes over very well, so I can understand why an owner would want that all the time. Of course then, $25 isn't sufficient anyway.

But she said" when you hear comments when you dance like"hey, that's the hostess!!!" it's kind of annoying and the muse runs away instantly. "

What you describe is socializing after a performance where your role is clearly that as The Dancer. If customers are saying "Hey! That's the hostess!" it means that she's being expect to work, prior to dancing, in a role as something other than the dancer.

Well, I will clarify that the hostessing does include seating people, answering phones, checking reservations, etc.

I know it is not just about me. I did say i would not do it. but then, someone who did not think about that came in and took my spot. Since i do depend on this job(there are not too many places like this in town and is by far the best one for many reasons) i stayed but i have always tried to get out of that. That is why i wanted your opinion:)

I appreciate it!

What year does this man think it is, 1972?

If you are working as a hostess, ie seating, answering phones etc, then you need to receive at least minimum wage for the hours you're doing that job. And the dancing is extra.

Ideally (for both of you) you should be being paid at two rates - hostess rate and dancer rate. I doubt Mr Owner wants to pay you your dancer rate to answer phones. And there's no way you should take hostess rate for dancing.

He is breaking laws if he's getting you to work as a hostess and not paying the regular wages and taxes.

However, just so we understand your situation, are you an American citizen or are you in America on a visa? Because if you don't have a visa that allows you to be getting money as a dancer, or your visa is only for certain types of jobs...that probably weakens your position to argue.

Can Arcadia help point you to a place that helps you better understand your working and legal rights?

Goodness no, I wouldn't.

Dahabiya sweetie, it's a good thing that you said no. This owner sounds like a very shady person if he's trying to get labor so cheap.

I know you feel that you need to play nice to an extent to keep your position as a dancer in the restaurant, but I'd like to just remind you that there's more outside the restaurant world. I thought the same for a bit when I was at a local place... I thought I needed to keep the restaurant job in order to make any sort of dance income. The owner wasn't happy paying the going rate for pros around here even though his customers preferred better dancers and when I wouldn't dance for tips only or whatnot, he just stopped calling. I sort of knew it was coming and had started advertising myself as a performer elsewhere in town and better gigs started coming through. I know you still have your restaurant spot, but I'd brush up my promo materials if I were you and start leaving cards more places and talking to people to get yourself out there and not have to depend on the restaurant as much.