Thread: How much for a half-hour party performance?

If you typically do a 15-minute performance, how much more, percentage-wise, would you charge for a half-hour show?

Thanks!

I'd probably only charge about 20% more, maybe? Give or take a little bit. Most of my charge is for the hour of getting ready, the travel time, and the investment in costuming, etc.

i'm kind of the other way around - I charge X for a half hour, and anything less I charge the same.

but yeah, what lauren said. if you usually charge $150, bump it up to $175 or something like that.

30 minutes straight or broken into 2 15 minute performances with a costume change?
30 minutes straight, one costume, one music set 150.00 plus milage.
2 sets with different music and costume change 175.00 plus milage.

Here's my formula. My standard fee for a party/special event is $200. That covers anywhere from 15 minutes to 30 minutes. If they really want 40 minutes, and if I think it's appropriate for the crowd and/or venue, that's still included in the $200.

These are the conditions for which I might lower my fee:
If they want only a 15 minute show and my driving time is particularly short (15 minutes or less)
If it is not a prime time gig (Friday or Saturday evening)
If one or both of these conditions exist and I am feeling motivated to do the gig, I may knock it down to $175. If budget doesn't seem to be an issue, though, I will still ask $200.

If they want a 30 minute show and my driving time is more than 40 minutes, it goes up to $225.

When I started doing private gigs over 10 years ago, the standard rate in my area for a solo dancer was $150. Every cost of living in this country has gone up since then - gas, food, housing, makeup, you name it (though interestingly costume prices have held rather steady...) so I figure that at this point, $200 should really be the standard.

Oh... forgot to mention that if they want the 30 min. performance broken up into two shows with a break in between and a costume change, $250.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I'd probably only charge about 20% more, maybe? Give or take a little bit. Most of my charge is for the hour of getting ready, the travel time, and the investment in costuming, etc.

What percentage do agenices usually take of the amount you would normally get for a gig?

I've only worked for one agency, so I don't know if their policies were standard or not.

The agency I worked with didn't take it as a flat fee. He quoted a price to the customer, then called me & offered me a certain price for the gig. If there was more travel, for instance, a larger % of the gig price went to me.

Generally, though, if he charged $125, I'd see only $95-100 of that unless there was a lot driving involved. So roughly 25%, more if I had to travel any real distance.

Oh, and the agency also provided a gift for me to bring the GOH (a beer mug or decorated coffee cup for instance), helium balloons & party "poppers," a poem the giver could choose for me to read the GOH, etc. so their percentage wasn't strictly for booking, it covered those costs as well.

Compared to the price of a yellow pages ad & the nuisance of answering the phone (I HATE the phone) it was well worth it to me. The agency I worked with was well-established & had a lot of repeat clients I wouldn't have had access to otherwise.

without taking travel / mileage into consideration I usually charge $200 for anything 20 minutes and under. If they WANT a 30 minute show and I don't think they REALLY want a thirty minute show (for example Americans who have never hired a belly dancer before) I really try to convince them they don't want it.
I usually charge *at least* another $25 is they want a longer show (or if the event is likely going to take more time, for example a wedding).
If they actually want 2 fifteen minute shows- that's two shows. The first will be $200 and the second (if there's not more than half hour between) will get a (small) discount.
I know some agencies that charge a flat fee (say $25) and others that do a %. I've worked with ones ranging from 10%-25%. They usually will ask what the lowest you can go is, and I tell them $200.
All this being said- the rates around here WERE the same ($120-$150 party/$50-$60 regular venue) for FIFTEEN years. In the last 3 years due to dancers sticking together and working really hard and supporting each other we've gotten rates up to a reasonable level.