Dancer Archive
Thread: Contract Dance Work
I couldn't find a thread about this, but I want to get some opinions on paid dancing.
We've started an entertainers guild, and have been getting requests to entertain for other guilds and events.
Free is definitely out of the question. But what is a good amount to charge? I assume it should be hourly, and pay based on the skill of the dancer/musician. Has anyone done this yet? I'm thinking that most people will flat out laugh at any type of reasonable price. I'm thinking, for a Masterthe rate would be10-30k per hour per person.
I'm not talking about sending out 2 twi'leks, a human, and a male wookie, all dancing different things wearing different outfits that are still skilling up on footloose.
You get exactly what you want, If you want 3 female twi'leks wearing flesh wraps dancing exotic2/4 nonstop for 2 hours, then that's what you get.
I manage a player only roleplaying cantina on the Kettemoor server. I have a full staff to pay:
2-3 dancers, musicians, 2 bartenders, bouncer, 2 waitstaff
and hopefully soon a line cook and dependable inhouse band. No one is there for any experience earning, people don't come for healingthey are there purely for roleplay. Only 2 of these people are associates of my PA the others are hired off the street. They auditioned and were told what their duties were. This is not contract work and they are working at a seedy place, not a high class establishment.
Dancers and Musicians get 200 credits an hour. Why? Because they get to keep their tips and because we have special lounges that musicians and dancers can give private sessions to (it allows me to deal with dancers and musicians who want to dance and play at different levels then the main floor) where they will get very good tips.
Staff get 500 an hour because they usually get no tips or small ones. They have to work 8 hours a weekend so far, 4 days Sat and 4 days Sunday. Sometimes if they're especially good I'll give them a bonus. This makes running a cantina very expensive about 6k per day for salaries not including maintenance or food and drink.
Honestly these people are worth a LOT more, because they DONT just dance and play. I wouldn't have them in my cantina if they did. These are roleplayers who have steady jobs and an identity and regular customers so I guess they are benefitting from it too. But running a player run cantina you won't make a profit unless you have a lot of big spenders in the area at least not at this stage.
Now I plan on hiring in talent for occasional floor shows and plan on paying those people more and advertising with the community. I'll do it two ways, I'll either charge a very high cover charge and patrons won't tip and the talent gets a flat fee, or its a lower fee and they get tips and their troupe has to sort it out.
Someone without this management intensive setup would probably pay much higher prices for parties.
I would say that's how you want to advertise. Birthday parties, celebration parties, PA parties advertise your entertainment that way and they'll probably be happy to give 5k, 10, or 20k or more for an evenings entertainment.
If you can find a group heading to Dathomir or some other dangerous place, they may be willing to play you a set fee + tips to hang around the Tavern/Cantina for occational visits.
I know I have an inexperienced dancer out in the more dangerous places who does quite well without this arrangement. She is only Dancing III and Entertainment Healing III and she has 10,000 credits and a nice outfit. Counting incidental costs and travel costs, she has made about 20,000 credits already. And she only dances on average 1 hour a night.
xp is low since you are the only dancer but the tips are good.