Should dance instructors get "extra pay" for showcases?

D

Dr Dance

Forum Master
It has not been my practice. I figure that me paying for six months of weekly private lessons is more than enough compensation for a two to three minute performance at a studio showcase. But some others feel differently.

One couple who performed choreography from my teacher took her out to a late night buffet after the showcase as an "extra treat" to thank her for her coaching. My regular partner wanted to buy "a gift" for her coach after dancing with him during the recent showcase. I am not referring to "entry fees" that some proprietors charge which I believe should be paid by the student. I am referring to "tips," "gifts," or other extra compensation for a teacher who has done their due diligence to perform with student in a showcase.

What do you think? Yea or nay?
 
If a teacher is dancing with their student in a showcase, I would expect them to charge their student for their time. Whether that's directly to the instructor or through the studio would depend on the studio's setup, I imagine. But beyond that? I suppose the sort of tips you're talking about aren't a bad thing, but I wouldn't feel any particular obligation. I guess if a group went out for dinner directly after the showcase, I'd consider it pretty normal for a teacher's students to pick up their tab.
 
My studio charges $35/routine (used to be $25) entry fee, and you have to purchase a ticket for either the day only or day + dinner, which is $50-$100 depending on what you choose (and I think that is singles, couples is slightly less than double).

I generally give my instructor(s) a $25 gift card for a restaurant or something as a token of my appreciation. Probably not enough, given that I'm not a nod-and-obey kind of Showcase student, I'm more involved in the creative process than perhaps is normal.
 
IndyLady said:
My studio charges $35/routine (used to be $25) entry fee, and you have to purchase a ticket for either the day only or day + dinner, which is $50-$100 depending on what you choose (and I think that is singles, couples is slightly less than double).
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What kind of a space does it take place in? Is the $50-100 what anybody who wants to spectate pays?
 
What if the student ordinarily takes 1 lesson a week, and for the showcase the student adds an extra lesson per week for the 6 weeks (or whatever) it takes to learn the routine? Unless you'd ordinarily be booked solid anyway, that's extra money you wouldn't get without the showcase.
 
If you value a professional's skill to partner with you in a performance, you should be willing to pay appropriately. If you don't value that skill enough to pay for it, then you should find an amateur partner to put on the performance. The fact that you have paid the professional for extra lessons to learn your part does not pay for the professional's performance.
 
snapdancer said:
If you value a professional's skill to partner with you in a performance, you should be willing to pay appropriately. If you don't value that skill enough to pay for it, then you should find an amateur partner to put on the performance. The fact that you have paid the professional for extra lessons to learn your part does not pay for the professional's performance.
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I cannot like this enough.

My favorite saying is this " your hobby is my profession. " I have had to tell this countless times to people. If they still don't get it we recommend them to a different school.

Not sure why someone would think taking extra lessons would offset the cost of performing with them. You are taking lessons to learn your part and to get ready to perform. At no point would this ever be considered payment for a performance. Just like it wouldn't offset the cost of competing with me either.

What I think is lacking is a clear upfront cost schedule for said showcase and what you are paying for versus what you are getting. If it's presented in a way easy to understand then I do t think it would be second guessed.
 
Joe said:
What if the student ordinarily takes 1 lesson a week, and for the showcase the student adds an extra lesson per week for the 6 weeks (or whatever) it takes to learn the routine? Unless you'd ordinarily be booked solid anyway, that's extra money you wouldn't get without the showcase.
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I can imagine scenarios where it might make sense for a studio or instructor to offer a student some sort of "showcase package" of X lessons and the performance. And I can imagine scenarios where the price of that package might boil down to "sign up for X extra lessons and get the performance gratis".

But as a student, I would never *ask* for an unadvertised deal along those lines.
 
Most teachers with whom I associate are up front about their "showcase charge." My two teachers both do not charge for a showcase dance. They both believe that their own exposure to the public for our dance is payment enough. But if I ask them to do additional performances such as reprise the dance at another venue, they do charge extra at the rate of one private lesson per hour. (A bit of a price break since their lessons are 50 minutes each.)

For Larinda's case, she has additional responsibilities as a studio proprietor. I would take that into account.

Another reason that teachers may hesitate to charge showcase fees is that they are trying to encourage students who may be reluctant to "perform." (Heh! Not me. I never met a showcase performance opportunity that I didn't like.)
 
If you sign up for more lessons to prepare for the showcase and never dance the showcase you have still gotten your fair exchange of services for money that you paid for. Knowledge has been imparted to you and time spent on you. As a professional to perform in the showcase they have to prepare themselves (makeup, hair, costume wear and tear, tanning) which incurs a cost as well. They are still working when they are performing in a showcase and deserve to be compensated for that. If they choose to offer a package of X lessons to prepare for the showcase plus entry for Y dances at $Z that is their business choice but they deserve some compensation for working.

Any additional tip/gift is unnecessary but certainly a nice gesture. I would certainly enjoy a celebratory dinner after a showcase (if one is not already included in the evening events) with my (hypothetical) pro and if I took them out I'd want to pay.
 
Dr Dance said:
Most teachers with whom I associate are up front about their "showcase charge." My two teachers both do not charge for a showcase dance. They both believe that their own exposure to the public for our dance is payment enough. But if I ask them to do additional performances such as reprise the dance at another venue, they do charge extra at the rate of one private lesson per hour. (A bit of a price break since their lessons are 50 minutes each.)

For Larinda's case, she has additional responsibilities as a studio proprietor. I would take that into account.

Another reason that teachers may hesitate to charge showcase fees is that they are trying to encourage students who may be reluctant to "perform." (Heh! Not me. I never met a showcase performance opportunity that I didn't like.)
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Exposure LOL
 
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