Once again, please feel free to tell us where every cent of your salary goes. Because many jobs don't pay enough to cover doing pro-am comps a few times a year, but apparently yours does. How is that a necessary part of your compensation? How many people have jobs that cover the costs of doing pro-am? I can name 10 random professions that do not. I can also name COUNTLESS people who think YOU make too much money to do what you do. But I'm sure you think your pay is either fair or not enough. Why should dance instructors have to defend any bonuses they get but you shouldn't have to defend how much you get paid?
If you have a job that requires you to travel on weekends, you make sure it pays enough to board your dog on weekends, pay for a babysitter. If you have a job that requires specific clothing, you make sure it pays enough to do so. If you're running your own business, as most instructors are, then making sure those costs are covered is part of setting your fees. If YOU were an independent contractor, you'd make sure your costs were covered or you wouldn't have a business for long.
And if you have a job with an incentive for sales, you're going to get bonuses. Heck, MANY professions have bonuses as part of the compensation structure. Sorry yours doesn't. If you feel you aren't paid properly in your profession, feel free to switch to becoming a dance instructor, and become one of the dance instructors obviously living in the lap of luxury. Of course, when they aren't swimming in their pool full of diamonds and cash, they also have to defend every cent they make from every source of income because of the demand for transparency. And then be criticized because they don't want their dog to starve and poop all over the house while they are away on business. And that doesn't seem something YOU are willing to do.
