Thread: Thanks but no thanks

this gem of a gig request was in my inbox today.
"I'm looking for a dancer at the lowest price possible."

great, go to my youtube channel. all the videos are free. why not just say it.."Hi, I want a show but don't value your work" come on people! a little tact goes a long way.

this one came in yesterday: "I'm on a budget don't need anything special just something simple and entertaining." mary suggested bubble wrap. simple & entertaining. ..l;,

are you experiencing more bluntly worded requests like this? they've definitely increased around here.

Originally Posted by sabrinabellydancer

"I'm looking for a dancer at the lowest price possible."

Ha! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahh ahahahahahahahhahahahaha *takes breath*

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahaha!

And ha!

Deborah

Originally Posted by sabrinabellydancer

are you experiencing more bluntly worded requests like this? they've definitely increased around here.

Bluntly worded, yes. I've even had a couple that were downright ballsy and RUDE.

Is Mercury still in retrograde?

This is hilarious - someone has obviously never heard that saying about paying peanuts and getting monkeys!

ROFL

Originally Posted by caralovescostumes

This is hilarious - someone has obviously never heard that saying about paying peanuts and getting monkeys!

love this... i foresee a new facebook status! lol

I know the economy is "low", but does courtesy and tactfulness have to go with it?

How rude and insulting.

just alot of i am going to call some other dancers before i'll make my choice.

I had an enquiry for a gig the other evening, RIGHT on food-time...somebody wanting a piper (which is wot I does!) for a christening. Oh, it was going to be a big affair, all the family coming over from America and they'd never heard the pipes (the Northumbrian pipes are very different to bagpipes) before, and it'd be SO amazing to have a piper playing as they came out of the church.
I quoted her my standard fee, which is £180, because it was a good 50 miles drive away and I'd be losing out on the organist fees at my regular job.
"Oh" she said. "We were thinking about £30. Can't you do it for that?"
"Well, no" I told her. "That wouldn't cover my petrol, and you're paying for having years of professional experience, plus I'd be turning down other work."
"You do other work? Do a lot of people, like, want pipers on Sundays?"
"Yes." (none of your &%£$%^ business...)
She then started to chunter about spending time in America, and racism, and black and white people having seperate cemetaries, and how it was SO terrible that Obama's turned out to be Muslim (has he????) etc etc etc. I made sympathetic noises, because it's rude to hang up on people, right? About fifteen minutes later,
"So you won't do it for £30 then?"
"No, I'm sorry but I really can't."
"Oh, fine." and clashed the phone down.
Bizarre...but yep, it's not just happening in the US and it's not just dancers...

Well, this is nothing new! 15 years ago, a very well-known affluent organization chairperson approached me after my show at a corporate event and made the following offer: "We'd love to have you dance at our dinner function for 500 people at xyz hall, but since we have a limited budget, and have already paid for DJ, we could only compensate you by providing dinner..........but you could do a shorter show, maybe ten minutes and the dinner is very good." And he hands me his business card..........

Nisima takes deep breath and says: "Here is my business card and certainly I'd be interested in performing at one of your functions when your budget can pay me fairly as a professional dancer as you have paid your DJ for the evening." And, handed him back his card!

It's not the recession per se, this has been going on for decades - clients seem willing to pay a lot more for a clown at birthday parties than a belly dancer, no matter how professionally costumed and skilled.

Why, why, why? And, it's totally disgusting...............c::,m::,m::..c::

Responce:
My magic 8 ball says not a chance.

Oooh pretty puffy bubble wrap!!!

*Pop* *POP* *Pop*

I find it funny how people expect top dollar for themselves; but don't find value in others work or talent!

Off to pop more bubble wrap....*Snap*

Lol...you just made me better.

Pitched up today to find one of the show queries in my inbox cancelled after my quote because 'it is just a houseparty and [I] am too expensive'

I charge on the lower end of the scale here. What did this woman expect? Peanuts?

Ee gads. Well, sorry love... this is 'just' my business and I 'only' need to make my costs getting there back. I am sure you are a wonderful person, but I am not paying out of my pocket for the priviledge of dancing for you!

Sigh...one day, we might get the respect people offer clowns...why does that sound so sad?

There's a dancer on this board who claims she gets paid as much as a clown... Lara? Maybe we should find out how she does it.

Sometimes I think that our private gig business picked up during the recession because people cannot afford clowns anymore...

Originally Posted by maurazebra

There's a dancer on this board who claims she gets paid as much as a clown... Lara? Maybe we should find out how she does it.

Sometimes I think that our private gig business picked up during the recession because people cannot afford clowns anymore...

That's me. When I was first starting out and found it hard to ask for a reasonable price (many dancers in my area charge peanuts) I used to remind myself that my rate was the same as having a clown at your party.

I'd think "I'm worth as much as a clown... I'm worth as much as a clown." and it helped me to hold my head up while I named a price much higher than some were charging. LOL

(I happened to know what clowns and magicians charge for parties in my area because I used to write an annual roundup article on children's birthday party entertainment).

Originally Posted by Amira_Siddiqah

Pitched up today to find one of the show queries in my inbox cancelled after my quote because 'it is just a houseparty and [I] am too expensive'

If it's "just" a house party, why doesn't the hostess put on a Frederick's of Hollywood sexy genie outfit and wiggle around to Shakira?

Oh wait. You could probably find a dancer who will perform for less than the price of a pair of see-through harem pants and a face veil

Originally Posted by casbahdance

Ha! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahh ahahahahahahahhahahahaha *takes breath*

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahaha!

And ha!

Deborah

That's what they would say at a car dealership, at a doctor's office, at most places of business. People like this are very disrespectful and they are best ignored. <DISLIKE> They pay for a caterer, a DJ and all the other amenities but bellydancers are not entitled to getting paid but if we are lucky, we get fed? <DOUBLE DISLIKE>

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

If it's "just" a house party, why doesn't the hostess put on a Frederick's of Hollywood sexy genie outfit and wiggle around to Shakira?

Oh wait. You could probably find a dancer who will perform for less than the price of a pair of see-through harem pants and a face veil

Too true! Far too true!

What annoys me more, is she faffed around and forced me to correspond more then once...My original quote states no travel fee for our area, naming roughyl what that is. She then replyed, asking about hers...I replied again to let her know it would be the same as she was in area.

So if the price was too high to start, why waste my time futher?

Ugh... anyway, if it is 'just' a house party, why look at entertaiment anyway? And if it ISN'T 'just' a party, then don't be such a darn cheapskate.

Don't know why this one particularly narked me...I get loads of variations of same theme that I shrug off. But good to know others out there feel the same! Cheered me up nicely.

Originally Posted by Avradoorn

She then started to chunter about spending time in America, and racism, and black and white people having seperate cemetaries, and how it was SO terrible that Obama's turned out to be Muslim (has he????) etc etc etc.

Which America is this? I'm not familiar with that one! ,r:;,r:;

Segregation is long gone and Obama is Christian lol

A while back I polled a bunch of people are work and asked them how much they thought a bellydance costume would cost. An overwhelming response was for $20 or less. Maybe one or two said over $100. I also polled them on how much they expected to pay for a performance and most had no idea, but the guesses were equally grim. I think people don't understand the amount of time and money that goes into being able to do "just a house party"

Originally Posted by Amira_Siddiqah

Ugh... anyway, if it is 'just' a house party, why look at entertaiment anyway? And if it ISN'T 'just' a party, then don't be such a darn cheapskate.

Because sometimes, people have champagne taste, a beer budget and no flippin' clue

At least, that seems to be a recurring theme for my booking conversations these last couple of weeks!

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

champagne taste, a beer budget and no flippin' clue

bwahahaha!
hmm, my dog used to blow bubbles in his bowl on command. should'a put a clown collar on him and rented him out as a clown. then i could stay home and eat bonbons ..g.:

wonder if you can teach budha some clown tricks. he could earn more than us!!!

Originally Posted by sabrinabellydancer

bwahahaha!
hmm, my dog used to blow bubbles in his bowl on command. should'a put a clown collar on him and rented him out as a clown. then i could stay home and eat bonbons ..g.:

..l;,

Originally Posted by sabrinabellydancer

wonder if you can teach budha some clown tricks. he could earn more than us!!!

Buddha already has an insatiable appetite for kefta kebab from the Middle Eastern fast food drive thru place down the street, and has been known to make goo-goo eyes at the owner in hopes of getting food! Somehow, I highly doubt my nippletassel pug will ask for the going rate in monetary compensation ..l;,

ETA: But he looks very cute in a pink tutu!

Originally Posted by Avradoorn

I had an enquiry for a gig the other evening, RIGHT on food-time...somebody wanting a piper (which is wot I does!) for a christening. Oh, it was going to be a big affair, all the family coming over from America and they'd never heard the pipes (the Northumbrian pipes are very different to bagpipes) before, and it'd be SO amazing to have a piper playing as they came out of the church.
I quoted her my standard fee, which is £180

Yeah, and bagpipers can OFTEN charge much, much more than that! So where people get off asking this stuff, I don't know. Plus...I don't see how segregation or Obama has anything to do with anything?

Satin - aww, can Buddha dance at my going-away party? I can pay him in doggie biscuits...

Maybe we should all become professional clowns instead. Or bellydancing clowns.

I've sent people messages back that I could provide them one of my new beginner students (who having taken 1 or 2 classes have only just learned how to shimmy and do hip lifts/drops - but not actually dance) for that price.

I've never actually booked one of those (go figure?), but have gotten a few people to step up to the plate and pay asking price for a professional performer.


It all comes down to new oats or used oats.
Used oats are full of sh**!
New oats cost more because they haven't come out the horse's arse!
..l;,

Satin, I hereby request your dog in an (in)appropriate Suzy Nippletassel costume with LOLCAT caption. ..l;,

In all fairness to the general public (as opposed to event organizers), I think many of them just have NO idea how much a professional entertainer of any kind makes. They think to themselves, "gee, I make $15/hr at my job... I'm hiring a magician for two hours... gotta be less than 50 bucks." They don't consider the amount of time spent in practice and preparation, the outlay on props, costumes, music, et cetera. They are simply clueless.

I remember about 20 years ago I went in with a few friends to send a singing balloon delivery to someone for a birthday. We were floored by the price. But after calling around to make sure that was indeed the going rate, we did pony up.

Originally Posted by Chandra

I've sent people messages back that I could provide them one of my new beginner students (who having taken 1 or 2 classes have only just learned how to shimmy and do hip lifts/drops - but not actually dance) for that price.

I've never actually booked one of those (go figure?), but have gotten a few people to step up to the plate and pay asking price for a professional performer.

The sad thing about this approach is that there are beginners who would jump at the chance to do such a gig and there are customers who think that "anybody can belly dance," therefore, a two-week beginner is actually something of an expert. (What? You mean it takes more than two hours to learn all this?) I can understand the frustration behind saying something like this, but eventually someone is going to jump at this "opportunity," and how would you respond if the customer said, "Okay. A beginner should be fine for our party. She's in the range I wanted to pay, and I'm sure my guests won't be able to tell the difference"? Then what? To someone who knows better, this sort of sarcasm is absurd and obvious, but there are so many 6WWs and customers who have no idea of the depth of their ignorance out there, why even sow these seeds?

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

To someone who knows better, this sort of sarcasm is absurd and obvious, but there are so many 6WWs and customers who have no idea of the depth of their ignorance out there, why even sow these seeds?

Not to mention, there really IS a market for this. Recently, I've had a few prospective customers bluntly ask me if I could send a beginner from my "school" for half of what I charge ,m::

Ah, the unstoppable Wal-Mart mentality...

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

ETA: But he looks very cute in a pink tutu!

roflmao!!!..l;,..l;,..l;,..l;, hey, wait! where's the rhinestone collar?

Originally Posted by Chandra

It all comes down to new oats or used oats.
..l;,

well said. lol