Just to clarify, since I think I was somewhat misunderstood, I am averse to posting the financial data from our individual dances, which is effectively posting the income of each performer without consulting with them. Not necessarily averse to posting averages, etc. Although... comparisons are odious. Right? ;-)
Posting things like average pay is complicated in our case since that figure varies wildly, because our per person bonus is based on attendance and on number of performers. Even for the same band/caller it varies from year to year. Why would we want to put performers in the position of calculating whether they do a gig based on what they expect for an (unguaranteed) bonus? This is what we send to all performers re compensation: ** PAYMENT ** We split compensation equally among all performers, with a 4 person cap on band shares. If you propose a different arrangement, please discuss it with Chrissy Fowler beforehand. Each caller and each musician (for band of 2-4 members) can expect: - $150 guarantee in 2013 - a bonus, given sufficient attendance (Performers share 80% of any remaining gate, after expenses.) Additionally, we pay $50 to the performer who provides sound.Bands greater than four members will split amongst themselves a $600 guarantee plus four shares of any bonus. If there are different arrangements (such as a different split), we tell all the performers on that night but we don't tell everyone else we've booked. And for my part (as a performer) as long as I know what I'm guaranteed, I should be able to make my own decision about doing the gig. In some ways it shouldn't matter what everyone else is making, nor what the series is keeping for a bonus. (Of course, if dances are offering different guarantees for different performers, especially those who are performing with me, well, that does seem weird to me, but it's the organizers' prerogative. I suppose such behind-closed-doors negotiation is how women end up making less than men for the same jobs, but that's a whole nother thing, as they say.) But I'm not saying no one else should publicly post their actual monthly financials. Just explaining why I doubt our series will. Chrissy Fowler
