Thread: (professional) troupe

Hey

is anyone here a director or member of a professional troupe (as in a troupe that regulary does paid gigs) and willing to share the contract they use with the troupe members? i have decided i finally need to put stuff on paper regarding costumes, pay, attendance, teaching and performing outside the school, etc etc.

someone send me theirs about a year ago but i cant find it back..?

does anyone here work with a structure where within the troupe you have both solo-dancers (professional dancers) and a "corps de ballet", you know like the BDSS versus de Desert Roses? i'm not talking about a second student troupe seperate from the profesional troupe, but that within the troupe you have solo dancers, and people that are mostly only performing as part of group numbers/background dancers...

thanks!

Artemisia

I don't have one but I would love to see one as well. My goal for my new troupe is to work professionally -- corporate shows, festivals, etc etc. We've been rehearsing all summer and hope to be performance ready by this fall (right around the corner!! --Time to start marketing and booking!!). If someone pm's you something, do you mind sharing it with me as well??

Hi there

(Started to PM but then decided to post as it went on a bit!!)
*
My troupe Mersin has a contract for membership - but my co-director's on holiday so I would need to wait and see if it was OK for me to send it. Basically it says you have to do 2/4 rehearsals - ie regular attendance - I keep registers, have to keep up extra training if you aren't doing regular classes, can have a break for real life problems but you have to stay in touch, have to buy troupe costumes etc etc. We did have up till last year a troupe that consisted of 70/30 to soloists vs group dancers but recently we have bought in new blood and the ration is now more like 90/10. People realise they will be in group numbers and also for gigs have to pull out a solo.
*
We have an audition process - work with the troupe for 6-8 weeks before presenting a solo. That way they get to see if the troupe suits them, if the current troupe members get on with them , then they present a solo which is marked by 3-4 unbiased members - on stuff like moves, music, costume etc and then they are in.

Think we are about 20 at the moment - with 4 on sabbatical and 2 in audition process - generally means i write choreos for about 16 but they have to be adaptable for gigs for 4 or so.

I've also just introduced the idea of a yearly appraisal where they present what they have done over the year - external workshops etc and also I set homework on areas that I figure people need more pushing in - not necessarily for a performance but so that they get to do areas that they otherwise would have omitted - this year a lot have been set baladi or studying a particular classical dancer in depth.

Thats enough for now - being a domestic goddess today means I can smell the bread cooking to well done in the oven!

Emma

Hi,
I'm director of a profesional troupe.
I hold auditions
There is a singed "company guidelines and agreement" form they fill out. I can send you a copy of that by PM if you like.
We have dues that goes into a kitty, which pays for rent, travel expenses, costuming, etc.
Kitty is spent at the discretion of the treasurer and director.
As for paid gigs, let me tell ya, it's like pulling teeth around here, (remember the huge thread about undercutting, and Ms. Civic Duty?) There are troupes around here that dance for free as community service, and they get hired because people don't know they suck. They just want freebies. Anyway, I'm so sick and tired of that subject, it's just become like beating a dead horse.
anyway, we take that on a case by case basis, either put the money back into the kitty, or split, with me getting a little more off the top because I do all of the marketing, gig getting, etc......

maria, yes please, or you can email it to me

artemisia at emotionvzw dot be

i also dont think there is going to be a lot of money to be made, and i will communicate that to people clearly, but because of that i had been putting off putting things on paper, and i now see that we really need to do that. some people have left recently and i want to have clearer guidelines for everybody for the future.

our troupe so far has been super informal, but the gigs we are involved in are getting bigger and bigger ;-), and i want us to get better! i think for that we need to formalise and professionalize how we are working, have clearer guidelines for rehearsal, personal practice, costuming, etc, also so that it becomes easier and clearer for new members.

thanks for sharing!!!

sent you an email....

Hi Maria
Mind sending it to me too? info at aazura dot com -- thanks!!

Originally Posted by aazura

Hi Maria
Mind sending it to me too? info at aazura dot com -- thanks!!

on it's way!

ladies, the one thing I didn't put on the contract was a way to leave the troupe because all you have to do is tell me, "hey, i need to leave the company for a while" and it's no big deal.
I guess I should put that on somewhere for people who aren't as straightforward as me.

here's our website also if you are interested in how we set that up.
www.amargoddess.com

Originally Posted by *maria*

Hi,
I'm director of a profesional troupe.
I hold auditions
There is a singed "company guidelines and agreement" form they fill out. I can send you a copy of that by PM if you like.
We have dues that goes into a kitty, which pays for rent, travel expenses, costuming, etc.
Kitty is spent at the discretion of the treasurer and director.
As for paid gigs, let me tell ya, it's like pulling teeth around here, (remember the huge thread about undercutting, and Ms. Civic Duty?) There are troupes around here that dance for free as community service, and they get hired because people don't know they suck. They just want freebies. Anyway, I'm so sick and tired of that subject, it's just become like beating a dead horse.
anyway, we take that on a case by case basis, either put the money back into the kitty, or split, with me getting a little more off the top because I do all of the marketing, gig getting, etc......

Maria, I would love to see a copy of your troupe agreement. latifa (at) bintbeled (dot) com. Thanks!!

on it's way to ya!

We're starting a troup so am interested in the "company guidelines and agreement" form too! Thanks Maria!

B

on it's way!

Got it, Maria! Thanks!!

I suppose this would also work for a duo/duet or trio?? Pretty-please, Maria, may I also see a copy of your "guidelines..."?? My email is lesgemini at gmail dot com. T.I.A.

Got your guidelines. Thanks, Maria! :-)

thanks maria!

Originally Posted by Lesgemini_Zafirah

I suppose this would also work for a duo/duet or trio?? Pretty-please, Maria, may I also see a copy of your "guidelines..."?? My email is lesgemini at gmail dot com. T.I.A.

on it's way.

Maria, I need your help too. Please, emial me or send a private massage!

I'd love to see a copy as well! My troupe is in the baby stages, but I'm trying to get us out there (for pay) an want to see how others are running their troupes.

My e-mail is miriam.gamal (at) gmail (dot com)

Oh, and what have you all found to be the best method of marketing your troupe? (If this needs to be a new thread, please let me know :) )

hi maria can you send this to me as well... shay at shaynaz dot com thanks...

maria do you also have audition guidelines as well???