Thread: Rates- new info please

I asked on another thread, but wanted to reach more people.
Several people have mentioned that my page with rate information is very helpful. Yay! This is why I started the page.
What is happening however is that some people are using the "typical rates" as justification for starting new venues at those same rates.
As some regions have been paying the same for over 15 years (!!!!) I worry that this could be a problem. Does ANY industry work for the same rates for 15 years??
I am asking for "suggested starting rates for new venues" from current working professionals to add to my list of info in each region.

Also please let me know if your region's info needs to be updated.
http://www.samirashuruk.com/standard...uidelines.html

I also just posted a bunch of new links here:
http://www.samirashuruk.com/performi...sionalism.html

Thanks so much!!

hey

here is my update for belgium. i'm sad to have to report that the rate for restaurants seems to have gone down...

Belgium:

**Classes: usually paid in packages of 10, 10€/1,5 hour class; 7,5€/hour class
**Studio workshops, students pay between 10 and 15€ per hour (workshops are usually ca 3 hours), depending on topic and level.
**Private classes, between 30 and 50€ per hour,
* Introworkshops on location 125 € for up to two hours. 50€ per additional hour.
**Bachelorette party (mini performance, 45min teaser lesson, tea session), 200 €
**Parties: 1 set, up to 20 minutes, 175 à 200 €; 2 sets of
10-15min each with costume change, 250 à 300 €.
Suggested starting rates for new dancers: 150€ minimum!
**Multiple dancers: 150€ per dancer for the first set, 100€ for each additional set (per dancer).
**Restaurant: 1 set of 10-15 min, 50 à 100 € (depends on area).

Actually, here in Boulder/Denver the rates at restaurants have been $50 per show for a long time, according to dancers who have been here for over 15 years. So, yes, we just got price up to $65 after 20 years.

I sent an e-mail out to as many working-pro dancers in St. Louis as I had e-mail addresses handy for...

Originally Posted by *maria*

Actually, here in Boulder/Denver the rates at restaurants have been $50 per show for a long time, according to dancers who have been here for over 15 years. So, yes, we just got price up to $65 after 20 years.

(xposted from a different thread)...

i'm raising my party rate to $175 plus addtl travel fee outside 10 miles. if people will find someone cheaper anyway, and i am lucky to get one gig a year, then may as well have it pay a little more. i'll use tamrahenna's excuse of gas prices. f*&$ it, whatavi got to lose? going party rate here is $125, i'm going to ask for more! i haven't inflated my price ever and costs are rising, so... it's justified. if they think we would get paid $20 anyway, they won't be paying $125 either.

hey maybe i'll even get more gigs because people might think (hmmm, she's the highest rate, maybe she's really good)...am i dreaming ,r:;

Originally Posted by jawahir

hey maybe i'll even get more gigs because people might think (hmmm, she's the highest rate, maybe she's really good)...am i dreaming ,r:;

No, this works, because some people feel like if it's exclusive it makes them look good.

Whenever I get a potential client who says my rates are higher than what they've been quoted eleswhere, I simply agree that yes, I am one of the more expensive dancers in the area, with the implied attitude that if you can't afford it, well then, you can get a cheaper dancer - I already have enough other people who are willing to pay my asking rate that I'm not concerned whether they feel I'm too expensive.

Conversely, when I quote a price and someone asks if I can suggest someone less expensive, I tell them no, that most of the dancers I work with and would recommend ask the same prices as I do, and I won't recommend dancers whose quality I can't vouch for. This lets people know that they get what they pay for, and I'm not going to undercut myself by passing a gig on to a cheaper dancer.

Up here in southern New Hampshire we are kind of setting the local going rate, since there isn't one to speak of. We're currently looking at slightly higher rates than Boston (we're the only dancers around anyway, maybe we can get away with it). Of course we could be wrong about local rates so I'll post what we're charging (though currently revising, so numbers vary) and if anyone has anything to throw in please say so.

Bellygram 10-15 minutes $125-$150
Standard Show 15-20 minutes $200 (I believe slightly higher than Boston rates, which are $200 for 20-25 minutes?)
Deluxe Show two 15 minute sets $300-$325
Add a 30 minute lesson $50, maybe higher?
Add a 60 minute lesson $100?
One hour mini lesson (no show) $150?
Two hour mini lesson $275?
Restaurants/ongoing: Never done or been asked to do one, but we considered 50% of our private party rate. That would make the average 15-20 minute show $100. Two sets with costume change, $163. That sounds pretty good compared to what others are getting.

We're also debating if a hip scarf for the GOH should be included by default.

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

Conversely, when I quote a price and someone asks if I can suggest someone less expensive, I tell them no, that most of the dancers I work with and would recommend ask the same prices as I do, and I won't recommend dancers whose quality I can't vouch for.

I feel lucky that if anyone every asked me this I could almost honestly say "Actually, we're the only performing dancers within an hour drive. Even if I could suggest someone less expensive the travel costs added would make their rate the same if not slightly more than ours." Then refer them to my former teacher who lives 2 hours away and sticks to her guns on charging fair rates. Hehe...

Of course... that is a slight lie because I do know someone who would probably charge less, but she markets herself poorly and I'm not too worried about it. Besides, she's not very good or professional (obviously) and I don't want to be associated with her if the client is unhappy with her performance.

My rates, on the median high end for Boston

Belly gram 15 - 20 minutes starts at $150
Standard show: $200 and up
45 minute lesson + performance starts at $300
Restaurant rates, better restaurants $75 per 20 min - 30 min set
Some restaurants have dancers in costume, for up to 4 sets at $50 for the 3 hours, another one that i know of has them for $75 (these are both excellent for food, owners suck)

Looks like were are charging similar, although I think our add a lesson rate needs to be higher.

yeah, but I know someone just quoted somebody $180 for an hour lesson + show. just outside of Boston.

On the other hand, for last minute gigs, I've been successfully at charging $300+ for a 20 minute set. And they were thrilled to pay it.

wow! thanks for all these helpful responses. I'm going away tomorrow for just over a week, and can't update until I get back, but please know I'm not ignoring this thread and please keep the info coming. :)

Very helpful! I'm in Vermont and I have no idea of the current rate (I'm kinda new) so NH is probably a good yardstick...

Originally Posted by kina

yeah, but I know someone just quoted somebody $180 for an hour lesson + show. just outside of Boston.

That was me who just got undercut for that party on Saturday. Grrr... I quoted the woman $300 for the performance and lesson. She called me back a couple hours later and her friend found someone that would do it for $180 (of course, wouldn't give me the name). She wanted to know why I charged so much. Of course I told her that you get what you pay for, etc etc. But she booked the cheaper dancer anyway. Grrr....

I charge the same as Kina. Wouldn't undercut you, girl!!!

Here is what is going on my website. I have had to be VERY clear about what I do and for how much.

Prices:

Bellygram: $150 + (8 - 10 mins)
Short Set: $200 + (10 - 15 mins)
Full Set: $250 + (appox 20 mins)
Weddings: $400 + (With Zeffah) (A standard set and a short set)
$250 + (With out)
Additional
Sets: $100 +

Prices vary based on distance traveled, special requests, and any additional special considerations.

rates page has been updated. Actually, thanks to so many wonderful dancers sharing their information, I've had to add a separate page just for the rates list.
Article and basic info is still here.www.samirashuruk.com/standardratesguidelines and the rate info is here: www.samirashuruk.com/standardrateslist
Please feel free to link to them and share them with other dancers. When doing so please be sure to include the first page with the guidelines. :)
....publishing right now. Will be up soon.

Samira, I'm not clear on what "in the boonies" means, as you can drive for 2 hours away from Los Angeles in several directions and be in entirely different places, so I don't think that those rates apply to everywhere that is 2 hours from L.A. I'm in Orange County, parts of which might take 2 hours to get to from parts of L.A., but I'd say Orange County rates are pretty much the same as L.A.'s are.

"The Boonies" might be out in the desert I suppose, but if you go two hours north of L.A. you'll hit Santa Barbara, and Santa Barbara rates may not at all be the same as inland desert rates.

I'm not sure what Santa Barbara rates are, but I think O.C. and L.A. are comparable. Are you including Orange County as part of L.A.? Maybe you could say "Los Angeles/Orange County" for clarity?

definitely not getting top dollar on the high desert. tina

there's asking & getting...

i ask & get $100 for a 10 minute bellygram. it has to be cash, in town, reasonable hour & not hassle. i consider off roading to your house a hassle for example. any hassle i tack on $20's. i have been paid up to $180

my class is now $38.00 for 4 classes in apple valley & $35.00 for 4 classes in barstow. in barstow i have drop -in rate for $10.

i "believe" i'm now the most expensive bd class in my area.

i've heard rumours that a MED place was offering $50 but i don't know for what or where it is. tina

I am in the sticks of southern illinois and I charge $100 min. for party grams, $125 if there is more driving involved. $150 for performance/mini lesson hen parties, and I get $20 per hour to teach plus fringe benefits at my rec center.

Sedonia

Originally Posted by Lilladancer

Samira, I'm not clear on what "in the boonies" means..... Maybe you could say "Los Angeles/Orange County" for clarity?

I'm sorry it's not clear- honestly- that was an exact quote from the dancer who provided those rates so I'm not clear on what "the boonies" means specifically in this case.
If anyone can provide more info I'll gladly post.

Tina- where are you located?

Originally Posted by ssipes

I am in the sticks of southern illinois and I charge $100 min. for party grams, $125 if there is more driving involved. $150 for performance/mini lesson hen parties, and I get $20 per hour to teach plus fringe benefits at my rec center.

Sedonia

Thanks for the info Sedonia.
Um...if you could clarify more specifically what you mean by "in the sticks" it might be helpful.
Seriously...I'll gladly post any new info with my next update.
Some people don't like posting their personal rates on a forum- you can always message or email me, or post what ranges you know people are getting in your area.
I'm happy to add troupe info as well!

re: boonies; those rates are about uuh 2 years old & what individuals & agencies were charging in san bernardino /high desert of ca. then. the agencies were the high end & they are gone. for a bder i think you are having to look for individuals off party pop. SB & the HD are 2-3 hours outside of LA. it is mostly poverty to mid income & not entertainment oriented you would not get top dollar out here.

since that poll there are no agencies out here. i know only a couple other of people who work. i know of one restaurant with paid dancers & a couple open showcases. i think the climate is not good for making money. tina

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

Thanks for the info Sedonia.
Um...if you could clarify more specifically what you mean by "in the sticks" it might be helpful.
Seriously...I'll gladly post any new info with my next update.
Some people don't like posting their personal rates on a forum- you can always message or email me, or post what ranges you know people are getting in your area.
I'm happy to add troupe info as well!

RE: "sticks" I'm over 2 hrs away from a major metropolitan area (st. louis) and by 2 hrs away I mean there are cornfields and undeveloped US forest service land between here and there, not suburbs and bedroom communities. The two most recent gigs I have done were both at farms/ranches way outside of town. Barns, animals, hay, etc. The last gig was a surprise so the hostess met us at the property gate in a 4 wheeler and we rode up to the house in full costume. My city is about 50,000 people, half of those are college students at my university. There is not even an interstate highway in my town.

Sedonia

I think that you could easily incorroprate "Los Angeles / Orange County" and most people woud understand that you were talking about the LA metro area as well as Lilli's area.

I believe that in the boonies came from tina and Ra-chelle. You could easily call it SoCal Desert Communities.

{{{HUGS}}}}

Okay - so just for clarity, it sounds like "the boonies" in the case of Southern California could accurately be called "San Bernardino/High Desert". "Los Angeles" could be changed to "Los Angeles/Orange County", since Orange County is technically not part of the LA metro area, but is neighboring, and yet people may not realize the rates are more or less the same.

Hopefully someone from the other "SB" (Santa Barbara) will chime in, because now I'm curious as to what rates are like there. I went to school at UCSB, and it's about exactly two hours drive from West LA. Yet it's a whole different place again. California is a BIG state!

Thanks for helping with wording ladies....I don't live out there- so have to rely on the information I get. That can make it challenging when talking about regions I'm just not very familiar with. :)

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

Thanks for helping with wording ladies....I don't live out there- so have to rely on the information I get. That can make it challenging when talking about regions I'm just not very familiar with. :)

No worries! We are very happy that you are willing to do this work! It is invaluable!

{{{HUGS}}}