Thread: Chicago - ongoing restaurant prices?

Hi all, I've been out of the restaraunt scene for quite a while, so I am wondering what you local divas are charging for one and two sets of 20 minutes?

One and two sets of minutes?

This gig is probably about 40 minutes from me, and if they dont want to pay a solid price, Im not really willing to go out of my way to be there.

Thanks!

Su

what is the price now a days?

http://www.samirashuruk.com/standard...uidelines.html

These are the most current rates I've been given.

Ah Samira, there you are! I was hoping you would post your link! I couldnt remember what it was. :)

Yep- 1 set, 15 minutes, live band $100 (for a weekly gig)

Thanks Z. I find it interesting that no one has posted. I can only assume we are all back to undercutting and no one wants their price out there. Sad and frustrated.

That's not really fair -- it's a lot to ask of people, to share how much they make on a public message board. You wouldn't get much response from a group in *any* profession asking that question -- teachers, doctors, gas station attendants.

It's funny - somehow it's more personal to talk about how much money you make than to talk about your sex life!

Besides, if an individual says "I get paid this much" then any lurker on the board can waltz into the restaurants where that person dances and offer to dance for just under that price. It's a lot of power to hand to... every stranger in the world!

But that's why Samira Shuruk's site is so useful. We can all share info in a pool instead of individuals having to give specifics about their individual rates.

I find I have much more success asking questions like:
"What is the going rate range?"
"What do these places pay?"
"What are parties paying per show?"
as opposed to "what are you making?"
It takes the personal out of it.

Then again- I know I charge more than the "typical minimum" in my area, so I know there are dancers quoting below me so really don't give a second thought to "If I tell she might undercut." As long as they're charging at or above the minimum, it's not undercutting.
What gets me is when they undercut and lie about it. *sigh*
OK. sorry...back to Chicago rates...

Lauren makes a good point; but I believe you can post your minimum fees. Now I'm not a pro but I have discussed this with my Instructors, For Portland OR the minimum for a 15 min set is 50 dollars. No one should dance for less than that. If you can get more then fifty go for it. When negotiating a price always start high and never go below the minimum unless it is a charity event. Now I know there are dancers who make more than the minimum just for being their self a TOP Notch dancer who always puts on a great show.

I will now slink back into my corner.
Go to Bottom of PageGo to Top of Page

Good points. Wording the question more impersonally would probably get a lot better response.

I think this posts speaks to more than the price of a dance. Many of us feel that our once thriving Chicago dance community has fallen apart and there is little left but sniping and one-upping. I know I feel that way and others do too. A year ago, this same thread would have had 4-6 dancers offering their rates. What happened to that knowledge sharing that used to be so public before?

I saw the link to Samira's site and agreed with the information so I really didn't have anything additional to add. I don't agree that "we are all back to undercutting" because "we" were never all undercutting in the first place.

Thanks Aibel. Thats what I thought, too.

You know, I hate to say this, but I swear from every source I hear from (and I did hear from *several* people off boards), someone is complaining about someone else undercutting, and all of these complaints are about people who are well respected in this dance community.

It makes no sense. Maybe its just a no win situation.

I heard this afternoon that I'm allegedly one of the people being discussed (or maybe the single target--oh joy!) so if that's the case here are some facts (not that we would want to let those get in the way!!)

I dance at one suburban restaurant about every six weeks or so. I get paid $50 per set + tips (with a CD). The owner would like me there more often but my schedule doesn't work with that. She's not thrilled with some of the other dancers she has had there, so I referred two other local dancers to her who are now dancing there regularly, if that's considered undercutting someone has created a whole new definition. $50 a set is in line with what is available in the 'burbs (and is the same rate as Tizi Melloul in Chicago) so that's not undercutting anyone.

I charge $200 for a 20-minute private party set and depending on the location and number of guests involved a Goddess Party runs between $175-$225....not undercutting.

So there you go, mystery grapevine chatters! Have fun!

~~Kimahri

The party minimum is $150 as I understand it, but I'm choosing not to charge the minimum. If you've negotiated more than minimum for your restaurant gig, bravo! This whole behind-the-scenes sniping is so ridiculous...anyone that knows me would laugh at the idea of me charging any less than the maximum possible in any given situation!

~~Kimahri

Kim, I appreciate you posting your rates. I apparently overquoted my price, and now I know ahead of time I probably won't maintain this gig for long. I quoted a price of $80 for one set $140 for two in the burbs. But I'm apparently undercutting by charging $160 as the minimum for a private party (which I thought minimum was $150- so $160 was higher when I posted it. If ya'all are charging $200, I'm upping my price.

ETA I wasnt going to name names on a public board, its all conjecture anyway, but since you mentioned the rumors,(and we might as well get it out in the open) yes, your name was brought up, but it was certainly not *not* the only name.

This whole thing is ironic in the end because everyone is accusing everyone *else* of undercutting while they feel the price they charge is decent (its a total not me mentality). It sucks big time because if we all charge the same rate, and its out there, its so easy for someone not in the loop to undercut. But then again, if we dont all know eachothers price, then we are threatining our own community.

Too true! One does not own costumes as famulous as yours to charge pennies for the privelage of seeing you in them with two lungs full of fabulous!

I thought Tizi paid $75. Did they change their rates? The one thing I liked about Tizi, was that they paid a standard rate for all dancers. There was no guess work, no undercutting. If you danced there they paid X dollars.

It's been ages since I've been at Tizi, it's possible that I'm remembering incorrectly...or maybe they have a different rate for the Sunday night shows which were the only times I was there. I remember being less than thrilled after the Golden Navel with the prospect of dancing there for a month at what seemed a very low per-set price for being in the city. Dancing at Athar is only 5 minutes from my house and the sets are early enough that I can book a party gig for later so that makes it doable for me at their price.

~~Kimahri

While we are getting things out in the open, my feelings are that the people willingly participating in those kinds of personal attacks on the reputations of others without any regard for the truth are cowardly members of a mob....not a community.

~~Kimahri

I wouldn't necessarily believe that. There are gigs that pay for talent. If your dancing is TOP Notch and your able to draw a good crowd you have nothing to worry about. except maybe there a better dancer than you....

I believe some undercutters are worried about a set minimum cause they are not good enough, pretty enough, young enough. by having a set minimum they may loose gigs for a lack of ability. That may be true. I believe if your cheap enough the performance will reflect that: cheap and unskilled. now with set minimums a more talented dancer at the same wage will get the spot for quality performance.
What may be hard to swallow is your not as good as you thought you were.

So if your getting 80 for a show, maybe your one of the ones who stands out among the other dancers. I aplaud your success.

Lucinia- thanks. We'll see! I'm not the best this city has to offer tho, but certainly not the worst.

I also think its easy for somone to loose a gig and blame it on undercutting than deal with the fact that the restaraunt owner just doesnt want them for whatever reasons, not to mention just plain old jealousy.

But the thing is, when you are let go...you usually dont know why youve been let go, so you believe what you want, I guess.
Go to Bottom of PageGo to Top of Page

In any kind of a "gossip" situation, I would seriously question the ulterior motive of the "source." Does this person have an ax to grind concerning the target of their complaints? Or is it simply the Green Eyed Monster shooting barbs and hoping some of them stick. Or is it that this person just doesn't have anything better to do with her time than stir up trouble because some people just thrive on drama. Before you (generic) throw someone under the bus, perhaps you (generic) should check out the facts.

And I don't agree that we're no longer a supportive community. At least I find the dancers I hang with to be supportive, informative, friendly, amusing, terrific dancers, and wonderful women. (And Sumaya knows that I include her in this group .) I think if the peeps you're talking with do nothing but complain about everyone else, with all due respect, maybe you need new friends. The disgruntled will stop complaining if they don't have an audience willing to listen.

Donna

(If I'm coming in late to this party, my apologies. I just don't get on Bhuz that often anymore, and when I do it's usually only for a couple of minutes at a time.)

Hey Sumaya... I'd have chimed in earlier, but I've been busy. I'm actually posting from California right now.

To clear up the Tizi thing... we get $85 for one-set (10-15 min) private party and $100 for the 2-set (15-20 min) Sunday gigs. If we only dance one set on Sunday (if the place is dead, that is) we get $85. All tips we collect are ours. It's not the best pay in the retaurant biz here, but the tradeoff is we're treated very well. We know they're *not* going to go with the next undercutter who comes in. They like who they have and they stick with us.

I can't really speak to other restaurants since the only other one I've danced regularly at is now closed and that was way in the beginning of my pro career.

For private parties, I start at $150 for a 15-20 minute set. Price goes up depending on location (how far I have to drive) and other circumstances (2 sets, little lesson with performance, any other extras). After reading this thread though, it may be time to up my prices there too!

As for gossip... ick. Just ick! I'm sorry folks have been saying these things about Kimahri. What a crappy thing to do to such a classy lady!

Hey M,

Thanks for posting.
Go to Bottom of PageGo to Top of Page

Hiya!
I'm almost *never* on Bhuz, but when I saw this, I felt even if late I should add my 2 cents... I had btw answered the poll when Samira Shuruk did her AWESOME web page thingy-deal, & I haven't much else new to add, but I'd hate to think I'm one of "those", & to make it clear:
I ask for $100 a set at ANY restaurant (even if weekly) so 2 sets is $200, etc... this is your typical 15-20 minute show, of course, to recorded music or a live band. I do not troll for tips.
Do I still 'do' the restaurant scene? Nope, not really. After my 3 years in the whole nightclub scene, I'm done with restaurant owners.
I do however get tons of private events such as weddings, retirements or birthday-type gigs in banquet halls & occasionally private homes, and I start at $200 a show within reasonable driving distance.
When I started doing gigs (in early 2001) I was told 'going rate' was $125 for private gig 1 show & $75 for 2 sets in a restaurant--I should've asked more people. I found that at $200 I did a lot less backyard BBQs & more high end stuff (homes with service staff & guest quarters that more than rivaled my apartment) so of course I made sure to be costumed very high end (Bellas, Sim Moda Evis, Pharoanics & Mme Abla costumes, well cared for & well fit) with nails, hair & make-up perfectly done; professional photos on my site (ie: NOT snap shots in restaurants with red eye, etc) on top of my dance training & performance experience (shown to prospective employers with quality video clips on my website & youtube, NOT free 'auditions') and my ever-expanding credentials--not that I'm the best around here, just that I take the time & caring to present myself as professionally as I can.

THE COMMENT ABOUT KIMAHRI's COSTUMES BEING EXPENSIVE was (imho if directed to me) a slap in the face. THAT's why it's OK for her to charge high?!? BS!!!!

I was once replaced in a restaurant (even with a large student folllowing) by a chic with a too short, wrinkled & stained skirt, a hickey, bad hair & make-up & tasteless performance. Yuk. Restauranteurs (imo) want to pay the least $ they can, & imho, raises do not happen--even if they are delighted with you, even after years & years.

Why do we make the same amount of money that was paid to dancers in 1980?!?! Because it's all some ask for. And it's hard to explain to anyone why, if you love dance so much, you need to be paid to do it? I've been putting a roof overhead & food in mouth (with performing & teaching MED only) for 5+ years. Too bad my phone company won't take a performance ($200 value) to pay for my bill, but the $ I do make by dancing pays that bill & all the others.
Well there you go.
Now you know why I usually just lurk. I'm opinionated.
Ciao!

I hear this frequently. If loving something means you shouldn't get paid to do it, then how can anyone ever have a career they care about? I just don't get it.

Shouldn't everyone, ultimately, after paying their dues in a cubicle or wearing a name tag, be striving to do what they love for a living?

The idea that if you love what you do then you should do it for free really conflicts with the entire concept of finding your 'right livelihood.' It implies that we should all toil away at jobs we hate and have only fleeting moments of happiness in our lives, away from our 'work.' That's in opposition to everything I believe in.

Oh great. More drama.

Sonya, it wasn't ever meant to be a slap in the face (and Kim, if you took it that way, I apologize) and if you had taken her workshop with me in Milwaukee (and I wouldnt have taken her workshop if I didnt think she herself was a fabulous dancer/instructor- nor would I have given her a standing ovation after her set), you would know that the "two lungs full of fabulous" was a reference to her workshop and the quality of her performances.

Before you attack me and accuse me of insulting people, you should understand what goes behind those statements. (And I am not sugar coating any of these words nicey nice, beause I know that you are not the kind of person who does that either).

With respect,

Sumaya

well, bless this thread for reminding me why it's GOOD that i'll never make it into the restaurant gig scene! I am not what they're looking for, and since I don't get those gigs, I can't afford the costumes that would make me so, but then i come on and read awful threads about the drama that goes into the different animal that is The Restaurant Gig. and ew.

plus I'm a pro waitress and wanna see the ugly side of a kitchen as little outside of work as possible! ;)