What do backup dancers get paid

Music videos, movies, and most media content would be empty without backup dancers. They add flavor to the video by providing rhythms for some of its more boring moments like in Hollywood blockbusters where they act as an extra pair of eyes that provide emotional context when necessary or even just break up long stretches between dialogue scenes with interesting choreography sequences on top. Do you dream of being a backup dancer on tour?

How much do backup dancers make on tour? What are the qualifications to be a backup dancer? Find out in this blog post. As a backup dancer, you spend your days rehearsing and performing to the best of your ability. Dancers are in high demand these days, but not everyone knows how they make their money.

This blog post is for anyone who wants to know more about the financial side of being a backup dancer. If you want to find out what it takes to become a dancer, keep reading. The world of dance can be a very competitive one. Dancers are professionals, but they may not have degrees. So, how do dancers make money with their dancing skills?

Well, there are big companies that hire the best of them. They pay these professionals as salary earners and sometimes give work on a contract basis too! So, how do dancers make money with their dancing skills? Well, there are big companies that have standby dancers. They hire dancers and pay them as salary earners. Furthermore, the smaller-sized companies also hire dancers. And being that they have limited resources, they only pay per show or on a contract basis.

Anyway, I am going to elaborate on how dancers get paid. The details provided will help wannabe dancers to plan, make an educated decision, and also know what to expect before embarking on this journey. As I mentioned earlier, some companies hire dancers and place them on a salary like regular office workers.

And companies that promote such arrangements are well-established financial and in popularity. These companies have the resource, high demand for dancers, and know the business inside-out. They are more interested in hiring dancers that would work with them for an extended period, not one that is not ready to be tied down by a company. So, if you are serious about building a career in dancing, then you should consider heading to such companies.

The good thing about them is that dancers have the opportunity to progress in their positions, which means more pay and popularity over time. Most of these companies hire dancers to teach dance lessons or perform in music videos, shows, and so on. The company started in by dancer and choreographer, Alvin Ailey, and based in New York. Another prominent company that hires dancers and places them on a salary is ABT. And as I said, these are established and large companies that have the resources for such an arrangement.

So, they prefer to hire and pay dancers on a per-show basis. If you plan to make dancing a long-term career, you should be aiming for a top academic position or to work as a dance lecturer in a college. Nevertheless, if you work harder and pursue your goal with passion, you will get to the top in no time. As a dance professor, your duty will be to teach the various dance technique, as indicated in the curriculum.

You will be teaching different courses related to dance. Dance is usually under the department of theatre art.

You can also choose to become a full-time professor, where you will continuously receive your salary- a professor-grade level salary. Or you can become an adjunct professor, where you will only get paid per course or hours taught.

If you are aiming to teach in primary or secondary schools, then you must obtain a college degree and certification to do so. It will also be best to learn about the requirements in your state before applying for jobs.

Here is another category of dancers. When you become a commercial dancer, it means that your only interest is to work on a per-project basis and nothing more. Even if the project is for a year, you are in. Once it ends, you are out there seeking the next dance project to jump on and make some money. Once they are done with a project, they move to the next one and then the next. Without a doubt, being a commercial dancer comes with a hefty price.

In some days, weeks, and months, your wallet would be filled up with cash, and you can pay your bills comfortably. In some days, you will encounter dry spells. Although dancers do not have an official union some dancers may be part of Actors Equity or another theater union , certain standards do exist to govern the working conditions of dance jobs.

Longer gigs exceeding these parameters receive time-and-a-half compensation. Because of the gig-to-gig nature of dancer income, dancers also find other ways to bring in money between performances; this can be through teaching, food service or arts administration, among other day jobs.

The U. Depending on the gig, your dance job may also come with benefits including health insurance, dancewear shoes, sweatpants, etc. Dancing on a tour is great for dancers not only because of the exposure but also because of the income and job security.

In addition to making a weekly salary, dancers may also receive a per diem, which is a daily stipend for food and incidentals. While dancers on tours may be compensated for their work and time, dancers may have to absorb some expenses. Depending on the artist, dancers may have to pay for their own costumes or styling. Pay can sometimes be commensurate with experience in dance jobs.

Dancers who are just starting out may have to work for no pay, but over time annual dancer salary can increase:. Networking is an excellent way to meet other dancers and have access to jobs so that a dancer can gain experience.