Thread: Pricing question

Hey!

I just got prospected for a new club / restaurant which is scheduled to open in a couple of months. They are looking for two dancers on Friday nights to do 3 shows starting at 9 and ending at 12. They have a quote from someone else of $150 per dancer.

I haven't replied yet, and I think this is not a bad price for a club / restaurant in Los Angeles. I briefly discussed tips with the organizer. This is a CD type situation and I am to send her a time line / set break down. I am thinking three 15 - 20 min sets, classic, modern Folkloric and modern Egyptian / Turkish. There is a lot of leaway in that. Costume changes with each set.

Any thoughts? And do you think the price is too low?

{{{HUGS}}}

Samira S would suggest you consult her pricing page
Belly Dancer Rates which shows Los Angeles 'Restaurant work: $30 - $85* Some restaurants pay hourly wages plus tips.' I assume that this is per set price.

Originally Posted by maurazebra

Samira S would suggest you consult her pricing page
Belly Dancer Rates which shows Los Angeles 'Restaurant work: $30 - $85* Some restaurants pay hourly wages plus tips.' I assume that this is per set price.

I haven't gotten really recent LA pricing.
My personal opinion is that $150 is quite low because of the long wait around times. With long wait around times there shouldn't really be a "multi-show discount" and the rate should be the high end of the scale- in this case 3 x $85= $255.
If the shows were right after another (maybe 10 minute costume changes), the price *might* be more in line - and then you'd only be there about an hour and a half. They want THREE hours of your time on a Friday night, when you could be gigging elsewhere and/or doing parties. $150 for three costume changes (and prep for three shows) and what is essentially your whole evening is not a "business making" deal, IMO.
That's just my opinion based on my business and my area though.

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

I haven't gotten really recent LA pricing.
My personal opinion is that $150 is quite low because of the long wait around times. With long wait around times there shouldn't really be a "multi-show discount" and the rate should be the high end of the scale- in this case 3 x $85= $255.
If the shows were right after another (maybe 10 minute costume changes), the price *might* be more in line - and then you'd only be there about an hour and a half. They want THREE hours of your time on a Friday night, when you could be gigging elsewhere and/or doing parties. $150 for three costume changes (and prep for three shows) and what is essentially your whole evening is not a "business making" deal, IMO.
That's just my opinion based on my business and my area though.

Agreed. I wouldn't agree to hang around a restaurant on a Friday night for anything less than my private party rate - because Friday nights are prime time for booking private gigs, and if you are going to be at this same place from 9-12, you aren't going to have much time to squeeze in any private parties.

ETA: if $150 is their price, I would suggest two sets only, with a 20 minute break. That way you are there for about an hour.

Thanks for those who have responded. I am interested in what LA dancers might have ot say.

Daniela - I thought about this as well. I am going to suggest that she actually have 4 dancers in rotation so that when private parties come up for hte dancers, she doesn't find herself in a postion of not having dancers because the dancers are making more money else where.

{{{HUGS}}}

Considering that at least two of the local restaurants that have regular dancers only pay $25-45 per night for 3 hours of unlimited "shows," getting $150 for essentially the same thing doesn't sound all that bad.

I personally don't much like the stick-around-and-dance-all-night venues, but if it floats your boat I guess it's reasonable for an ongoing gig. It's still not up to nationwide standards, but it's better than what most places in LA have going on right now. At that rate, in this market, watch your back! ;)

....

Originally Posted by MelanieLA

I think the restaurants Nasila is referring to are the Morroccan places. I haven't danced in one for several years, but if things haven't changed, you are considered a regular employee, you literally clock in (at one place anyway) and are paid minimum wage, with taxes taken out(W2 form), and you are there for 4 hours, so your paycheck for one night is about $25. These places generally have dancing every night of the week, with 2 dancers on Saturdays. It's basically like waiting tables; you make your money from tips, not your wage.

Minimum wage? Minimum wage???

Minimum wage is supposed to be paid to unskilled workers just starting out in the workforce. You know, flipping burgers or folding napkins.

Although I understand there are plenty of unskilled people out there BDing for pay () I can't imagine thinking of BD as a minimum wage earning job.

And if I was a dancer in that sort of situation, there'd be something in the employment contract about the house guaranteeing an absolute minimum of $200 for the evening (wage plus tips).

Folks are accustomed to tipping wait staff; since the tip is based on the food bill, tips can accumulate very quickly at an upper-scale restaurant. Tipping BDers is not the same at all.

Sheesh.

Deborah

....