Thread: Work shops what do you charge?

Okay so in another thread I've talked about promoting my classes and am giving a free workshop.

This has now lead me into giving a workshop in another city. So I'm not sure what my fee should be. I'm not a super star dancer, still a rather unknown artist, So I don't feel I should be charging superstar rates.

This gig would be for a class that may have about 10 students in it. That would most likely be my draw for the workshop. So what would buhzers charge.

I'm thinking 75.00 an hour with a three hour minimum.....

Ideas?

desperately seeking guidance. desperately wished I had a mentor......cr.:

aaaaaaaah yes another touchy topic? Revealing ones prices...

I've only done a couple of workshops, so I don't have a ton of experience. But basically, I look to clear a minimum of $100 per hour. This can be done with a flat fee from the sponsor, or by taking a percentage of each participant's fee with an agreed upon minimum enrollment.

Thanks Laura I appreciate your input....

I would imagine that the standard rates also vary by area for this, but for me -

For workshops, depending on topic, base price is generally $125-$150 per hour with discounts for multiple workshops or workshops over 3 hours. I also will do a percentage split if requested. Lodging and travel expenses are covered by sponsor. My workshop fee covers my teaching, hand-outs, and 1 show performance in conjunction with the workshop.

There are a number of workshop instructors that share their pricing on the internet through their web pages. I would say, though, that any estimation - including mine above - is usually an approximation and not a set price. I do know that I have been involved in events where the workshop instructors charged anywhere from $50-$300 per hour, usually with a 4 hr minimum, and very different requirements for travel and lodging (Everything from requiring 1st class flights and hotel to accepting cheapest flight and lodging int he sponsor's house).

There was a great discussion about workshop prices and percentages on the biz of belly dance tribe on tribe.net a while ago. You may be able to get some more details there.

How far away is it?
Make sure you get enough to cover your travel!

OK, I've heard of people charging anything from $20 - 250/hr or anything from $20 - 50 /per person or $20 - 50 /per person per hour. It varies sooo much.

I would say...take the following ino consideration:
1. you need to be compensated for your services, but you shouldn't over-price yourself OR the material you are presenting. Base level material should come "cheaper" than "advanced" material. This also may prepetuate future engagements.

2. make sure you have travel, room and board covered.

3. make sure you are clear about selling your merchandise in the workshop.

4. make sure you know what other events/instructors are taking place....

5. make sure you take current economy into consideration.

Essentially, you have the following issues to consider:
getting paid enough to bother to do it

VS

getting paid and promoting for future work

VS

being affordable enough to get the booking at all

VS

students being able to afford the workshop

There is a difference between getting paid for your services and trying to cover cost for your own investment into the dance. I essentially always tell people "If I wanted to be rich, I'd work for my dad. This is a labor of love." So don't divide your costume/class/travel/research/practice investment on X amount of workshops to figure out how much you should charge.... the goal shouldnt be to get in the black - but to avoid going further into the red (speaking accounting wise).

G'luck wiffit! :)

DaVid

I agree with David. I also know that some people slip the charges, like the instructor gets 30% of the money brought in by the students and promoter gets 70% or whatever..... just a thought!

good luck!

I paid a % to my instructor but much more than 30% (it was after expenses).

Originally Posted by AngelaDiCaprio

aaaaaaaah yes another touchy topic? Revealing ones prices...

It's not so much that it's touchy as that it's complicated and only a small percent of Bhuzzers are going to have any experience with either sponsoring or teaching workshops, so the answers will trickle in rather than pour and you might have to keep bumping the thread.

Also, it might be poor form to share 'wholesale' info publicly in front of the 'retail' market, and no one can share info that doesn't ALSO involve giving out details about someone else's business, which doesn't seem right without their permission.


I've only sponsored a few workshop instructors and have always done so on a split rather than an hourly rate.

I've only taught a couple, but without digging through my books and separating out performance fees from workshop pay and dividing the hours out and so forth, I can't really name you an hourly rate. (and I wouldn't share that info on the internet, anyway, unless the people who had sponsored me also OKd making the info public)

As a presenter, though, I'd be concerned with the overall total rather than hourly rate for teaching. If there were hours of travel time, days away from my family, I have to be 'on' all weekend long as I meet people, etc. those are also working hours that need to be reimbursed.

If I'm driving across town to teach for a couple of hours, that's TOTALLY different.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Also, it might be poor form to share 'wholesale' info publicly in front of the 'retail' market, and no one can share info that doesn't ALSO involve giving out details about someone else's business, which doesn't seem right without their permission.

Respectfully, I don't really understand the idea that the price is necessarily confidential. A dancer's prices for performance or instruction are her own and it doesn't tell anyone else's business to have set prices to quote for different types of events. Even with products, it is not unusual for companies to list both their wholesale and retail prices. For me at least, I look at it the same way I look at performance pricing - if everyone keeps their charges a secret, then the community can't set any sort of norms which leaves everyone operating in the dark.

I would definitely agree that it would not be appropriate to post the specifics for a named workshop/sponsor, but I don't see any harm in discussing standard rates for different group classes, private lessons, performance types, or workshops.

Originally Posted by mahsati

R
I would definitely agree that it would not be appropriate to post the specifics for a named workshop/sponsor, but I don't see any harm in discussing standard rates for different group classes, private lessons, performance types, or workshops.

I agree with that.

What I meant to say is that while I don't personally have qualms about sharing rate info, if any of the sponsors who hired me did I would want to respect that.

The trouble with sharing 'wholesale' information is that customers (workshop attendees in this case) often misinterpret the information. They see 'What, the instructor is only getting $100/hour and we're being charged $20? So the first five people pay for the instructor, but there are 50 at the workshop?? We're being ripped off!!"

The attendee has NO IDEA what the travel expenses, venue rental, insurance, etc. are costing the sponsor.

That's an exaggeration, of course, but I've seen that kind of thing happen many, many times. It's why a lot of retailers won't do business with wholesalers who post their wholesale rates publicly.

p.s. I'm thinking that's why one of the primary reasons for industry associations is to be able to share pricing, cost, and profit info with one another without making public information that could easily be misunderstood?

I'm all for transparency, generally, though, and I do see your point.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

The trouble with sharing 'wholesale' information is that customers (workshop attendees in this case) often misinterpret the information. They see 'What, the instructor is only getting $100/hour and we're being charged $20? So the first five people pay for the instructor, but there are 50 at the workshop?? We're being ripped off!!"

Right - I agree that this can be an issue, but it is more an issue of education to me. If the attendee wanted to pony up the $400 (or whatever) plus travel, lodging, space rental, and insurance then they could hold a workshop and charge what they liked. However, people have to understand that if someone else is paying for all of that up front plus spending their own time to sponsor a workshop that the price for attendees is what it is.

To me this is no different than students taking a weekly class: They realize that they are each paying the teacher $12 (or whatever) and that the studio rental is $25/hr (or whatever). It is up to the student to decide if the price they pay is worth it to them - not to judge whether they think the instructor or sponsor is being paid too much in total.

Either way - I think we are in agreement. Specifc rates are between the sponsor and instructor, but standard rates are fair game for discussion.

Yes, I agree.

I once had a student tell me 'I've added up what you're making here, and no wonder you can afford to go to workshops and things!!!'

I'll never forget it. At the time, by my calculations, I wasn't even making minimum wage in that class! She'd added up all my *revenue* but had NO idea what my expenses were -- the cut I had to give the parks department, the advertising, insurance, music, props I was bringing to class.

She made that comment right in front of my other students and I was so flabbergasted at that moment I had no idea how to respond. I'll never let that happen to me again. But the experience left me wary.

as a workshop instructor in another city within belgium, i charge about 100€ per hour, sometimes more, plus travel, for special topics workshops (so when teaching other bellydancers/bellydancestudents..). i like to make a min of 250€.

or 75/hour plus travel for beginner/taster workshops for schools, youth groups, kids, etc... with a minimum of 150€ plus expenses.

as a workshop instructor abroad, it seems to differ a lot, between 100-200€ per hour, plus expenses, or a percentage (between 60/70%, depends who pays what expenses)... it seems to be different with every contract.

Well thanks everyone for your input. I think I have my answer that I needed to form a fair price for myself.