Thread: You're going to LOVE this!!

Yes, another wonderful poster on Craigslist who wants a "professional belly dancer" for $40 and a free meal! Oh boy, sign me up... ,m::

Belly Dancer wanted for this Friday!!!

The sad thing is that there were probably responses to it from anyone who happens to own something that resembles a costume and never set foot in a class.

I guess it buys a quarter tank of gas, blank cd, and a little bit of make-up. Oh and a free meal makes up for the rest.

And they want someone 21-26 and thin!! Darn, all us old bats were really going to jump at that. Free shawarma!

And I'd wager $40 bucks they get it booked...

[/cynical]:broken_heart:

I keep opening this post up, wanting to comment, but I don't even know what to say!

Would it even be worth it for someone to reply and explain to them that basically they'll get what they pay for!???

Yeah, it's pretty sad. I'm sure they'll get it booked, but not by a professional.

If they didn't want to go through channels, calling around to get advice on how to FIND a REAL dancer, and didn't even want to PAY for a REAL AD, then they get what they deserve. They probably don't really want a real dancer, just somebody who'll shake it!

Sadly there are all too many, even in the "upscale" venue/milieu they claim to be part of, who don't know the difference.

What, too many music pirates bringing down costs? 40.00 plus tips and a free meal at an upscale lounge that caters to the fashion and music industry? What is this place, Hard Rock Cafe? Bwahahahaha!

I decided to respond and this is what I wrote back:

"Just a note for your information:

You will not get an upscale dancer for your upscale event for $40. The minimum fee for this type of event is probably at least $200 in San Francisco; for this fee, you will get an experienced professional performer but, due to the time it takes to become a professional belly dancer, there's a very good chance she'll be over 26 years old.

Hope this information helps with your planning.

Deborah
Orange County, CA"

My intention was to give this person some facts. I hope it didn't come off as snarky.

Deborah

You are sooooo nice Deborah. I would have ripped them a new a##hole.

It doesn't take much "research" to find out how much a professional belly dance show costs. This inquiry on Craigslist probably stems from some newbie that did a free show and so they figure $40 should get them a professional.

Sad - but it happens all the time.

I just got a call on Monday for a 30 minute show during a dinner party on WEDNESDAY, and when I gave them my bid, the girl flipped out and called it outrageous! She wanted me to dance for $65. Hahahahaha. I told her to call around and good look finding a professional that would do it.

Unfortunately, this isn't so crazy to me. I've found much worse postings while perusing Craig's list.

Originally Posted by Amaryllis

I just got a call on Monday for a 30 minute show during a dinner party on WEDNESDAY, and when I gave them my bid, the girl flipped out and called it outrageous! She wanted me to dance for $65. Hahahahaha. I told her to call around and good look finding a professional that would do it.

Deborah

Hi Deborah, not snarky at all. :)
I like what you said, and the other part of me likes what Amaryllis wrote too about ripping them a new a*&$%# hole...!!

I was contacted once by the event organizer in a some hotel club who said that she wants to hire three belly dancers for a regular gig there. She said that it's a very upscale place with upscale clients and they need three hot hot hot girls to dance for an hour. When I told here what it costs to hire three professional dancers she got quiet, than she said that they don't exactly need professional dancers, but just very good looking young girls in shape, looking hot. I think she used the word "hot" at least 15 times during the coversation. She told me that she likes my pictures but was wondering how tall I was.
I so wanted to go into the lengthy explanation about professional dancers vs. non-professional dancers and what we do and why it costs so much, but instead I told her that I couldn't help her. I understand when people want an atractive dancer, but when they are concerned more with age, hight, weight, and don't even want to pay a decent rate it just makes me sad.

Originally Posted by kateryna

I was contacted once by the event organizer in a some hotel club who said that she wants to hire three belly dancers for a regular gig there. She said that it's a very upscale place with upscale clients and they need three hot hot hot girls to dance for an hour. When I told here what it costs to hire three professional dancers she got quiet, than she said that they don't exactly need professional dancers, but just very good looking young girls in shape, looking hot. I think she used the word "hot" at least 15 times during the coversation. She told me that she likes my pictures but was wondering how tall I was.
I so wanted to go into the lengthy explanation about professional dancers vs. non-professional dancers and what we do and why it costs so much, but instead I told her that I couldn't help her. I understand when people want an atractive dancer, but when they are concerned more with age, hight, weight, and don't even want to pay a decent rate it just makes me sad.

,m::,m::,m::

Deborah

I once replied to an ad in craigslist looking for entertainment for a family reunion. They accepted my price and everything was going great - they were even sending me the deposit!! However, when I got it the deposit it was made out for $1000 more - I had to deposit it into my account and send them $1000 back... uh huh.... this was a very creative email scam targeting entertainers looking for work through craigslist - I gave the check to BofA (where the check originated) and there was NO money in that account... Sad to think that someone actually might've actually got scammed.

Yes, this is a very common scam and it's not only geared to dancers. We had about sixty checks sent out from our LAW FIRM using our FedEx number. Mind you, I worked for a very large, influential corporate firm. The checks were forged as if they came from our firm with someone's name who wasn't our CEO. And when people and banks started calling to verify the check came from a reputable place, we had to inform people they were being scammed. We pinpointed it back to the same person (overseas) who was looking to purchase an automobile, offering to pay more money than the car was worth. The persons had listed their autos on Craig's List.

Ohhhhhhh, my heart and my brain are hurting. To think, at 25, I only have one year left before my "hotness" runs up....

I am sure they'll have no problem filling that spot....in fact, someone will probably offer to dance for gas money (or just that plate of shawarma) just to get their grubby little foot in the door. It's all the rat race and backstabbing of Wall Street with none of the monetary perks of true capitalism.

Deborah, I love your letter and bow to your superior ability to curb your snark. How on earth do you do it?

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

Ohhhhhhh, my heart and my brain are hurting. To think, at 25, I only have one year left before my "hotness" runs up....

Oh crap, mine is already almost 6 expired. Perhaps I should just give up now!

Certainly, LinnyG, there must be an Island of Misfit Dancers someplace for all of us who are 26 and over....,r:;

Yeah, I rolled my eyes so much when I read that, I think my eyeballs got stuck in the back of my head.

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

I am sure they'll have no problem filling that spot....in fact, someone will probably offer to dance for gas money (or just that plate of shawarma) just to get their grubby little foot in the door. It's all the rat race and backstabbing of Wall Street with none of the monetary perks of true capitalism.

I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT -- WHY ON EARTH WOULD SOMEBODY ACCEPT LESS WHEN THEY CAN BE PAID SO MUCH MORE???

Oops, sorry for shouting . . . is the frustration showing?

I mean, accepting $40 when a person could quadruple the fee and still be undercutting makes no sense at all!

HOW STUPID ARE SOME PEOPLE, ANYWAY???

Oops, sorry for shouting . . . again.

Deborah

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

Deborah, I love your letter and bow to your superior ability to curb your snark. How on earth do you do it?

You shoulda heard me when I read the OP. I called the craigslist poster many not nice names -- and I don't even swear!

Jerk, moron, jacka$$, and even -- if you can believe it -- a$$hole.



Deborah

To think, at 25, I only have one year left before my "hotness" runs up....

Dudes, I am as hot as two 25 year olds, cause I am 53. Really... I mean it!!!

I found one on craigslist that sounded great at first. They were willing to pay $250 for a dancer...but then I read more carefully and the wanted the dancer from 9pm to 1am or something...WTF???

Originally Posted by casbahdance

I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT -- WHY ON EARTH WOULD SOMEBODY ACCEPT LESS WHEN THEY CAN BE PAID SO MUCH MORE???

Oops, sorry for shouting . . . is the frustration showing?

I mean, accepting $40 when a person could quadruple the fee and still be undercutting makes no sense at all!

HOW STUPID ARE SOME PEOPLE, ANYWAY???

Oops, sorry for shouting . . . again.

Deborah

This is what I never, EVER understood. You can hardly buy anything for $40 these days, especially when you factor in the cost of gas to get to the gig. (Makeup is expendable, too....)

It's so rewarding to leave a gig with pride in your hard work and cold, hard cash in your pocket (or gig back, if your caftan doesn't have pockets ). Makes you feel like you accomplished something.

I treat every bellydance business endeavor just as anything I've experienced in the corporate world: you don't walk into a job interview for a Fortune 500 company stating that your salary requirement is minimum wage just because you want to get your foot in the door. You ask to get paid what you're worth. If you're entry-level, you don't apply for a position in senior management. (And if you do, your resume will land right in the trash).

Similarly, if you're not competent to charge professional rates, don't perform in professional venues.

I think I get so horrified by undercutting, psychos and other "professional" caveats because I have never experienced anything quite so weird in any of my other jobs.

Sorry for the threadjack....I, too, am confused and frustrated.

I think the person who posted the Craigslist ad in question simply has NO CLUE and thinks it's reasonable.

My employer has NO CLUE that they are paying me less than the average regional rate for CLEANING STAFF to build documents on a computer, create pdfs and snail mail copies, and disseminate them to the list of subscribers. This is not what you would call "unskilled labor". I would make more money pushing a vacuum or a mop than using my computer skills! Needless to say, I am seeking greener pastures. I don't think they would give me a raise, they apparently don't even think enough of what I do to provide me with the parking card everyone else gets.

Sorry to start whining in here... the CLUELESS aspect got to me. I need to take this over to the Isaac in Chains Whine and Cheese fest...

Oh crap my hotness certificate is expired too! By four years already! Why didn't anybody tell me? ..l;, Oh no! Did my badass cert expire too?!

A lot of people are clueless. When I told a friend my rate, he was shocked, but then I broke down the cost of costume, makeup, classes, jewelry, music, classes, driving, and time spent and he said it didn't seem like enough after that.

Also, a lot of people I've talked to think of cost per hour. $40 an hour (or half an hour) would be a lot of money for someone working a 40-hour week in an office or something.

Originally Posted by LeylaFahada

Also, a lot of people I've talked to think of cost per hour. $40 an hour (or half an hour) would be a lot of money for someone working a 40-hour week in an office or something.

I, too, believe that is often the case.

Deborah

Originally Posted by catwomyn

And they want someone 21-26 and thin!! Darn, all us old bats were really going to jump at that. Free shawarma!

Oh, and they wanted a woman! Discrimination I say, discrimination! ..l;,..l;,