This information is based on information from area bellydancers. To add your input be sure to contact Lorelei.dancer AT Gmail.com.
How much should it cost to hire a bellydancer? Dancing in the area and want to know what to charge? Should a part time or less experienced dancer cost less? The answer to these questions and more below.
How Much Should It Cost To Hire A Bellydancer?
The cost of a hiring a bellydancer varies depending on the location and type of performance. Samira Shuruk has a resource including rates in many other areas of the country. Also do read her rates article.
Remember, though a bellydancer may be performing 15-20 minutes at your event, he/she spends at least an hour prepping her costume and makeup the day of the event. There is also travel time to get to the event and a small amount of set up one he/she arrives at your event. That is in addition to all the work the dancer you hire puts into choosing and editing music, and practicing for the event.
The cost of a hiring a bellydancer varies depending on the location and type of performance. Samira Shuruk has a resource including rates in many other areas of the country. Also do read her rates article.
Remember, though a bellydancer may be performing 15-20 minutes at your event, he/she spends at least an hour prepping her costume and makeup the day of the event. There is also travel time to get to the event and a small amount of set up one he/she arrives at your event. That is in addition to all the work the dancer you hire puts into choosing and editing music, and practicing for the event.
Typical types of performance with standard rates:
Short event show
Longer event show
Show and a Lesson
Restaurant Show
Why else does it cost so much?
Professional costuming can range from $200 to $2000. One source of mid-range cost costumes is Dahlal Internationale. Professional dancers also invest in makeup designed for performing professions, such asMAC.
Should A Part Time Or Less Experienced Dancer Cost Less? The short answer is no.
Whether a dancer has another full or part time job, or how often he/she performs is not as important as how much effort he/she has invested in this art. Once a Middle Eastern dance artist has trained professionally, they should earn the standard professional pay.
This is not to say that more experienced dancers or performers with a particular skill do not charge more, just that less experienced dancers will just not charge less than the standard listed above.
Remember performing artists do not have typical jobs. They generally do not have a yearly review process which can lead to raises. They do not get heath or retirement benefits from their performance job. So it is important to start at the standard rate, and work up from there. If a dancer does not feel he/she is worth the standard rate, then they are not ready to perform professionally.
This is also why bellydancers do not audition for free. A dancer may meet with a client or restaurant owner beforehand, but they will not give a free costumed performance in place of a paid dancer.
Also note that bellydancers do not generally dance for all male event such as Bachelor parties. They do however perform for many Bachelorette parties.
What About Community Events? What About Charity Events?
Community haflas are a different situation than a professional gig. At events like this, many performers of many levels (beginner student to professional) are sharing their work with each other. It is as much a meetup and networking event as a show. Sometimes a headlining dancer gets paid at events like this, and in others the cover charge is only enough to cover venue rental or food.
Some dancers do donate performances to charity events, but it is not expected. Generally a performer donates performance to charities that he or she would also support with a monetary donation. However, if other performers, DJ's, Caterers are being paid, the bellydancer should be too.
Short event show
- Minimum $175 - $200 for one 5-15-min bellydance mini show at a private event.
A mini show includes some props (like zills, cane, veil, sword, tray of candles or hula hoop for fusion dancers) and some limited audience participation. Expect a dancer to require a non-refundable deposit to hold that time on her calendar for you. The deposit is normally half of the total fee.
- Minimum $150 per hour is the minimum rate for an event where a dancer “floats around” without a solo show (for a minimum of 3 hrs) or $200 for only one hour.
In this sort of event, the dancer would use minimal props. There would be more audience participation for this type of performance, including the dancer posing with audience members for pictures. Expect a dancer to require a non-refundable deposit to hold that time on her calendar for you. The deposit is normally half of the total fee.
Longer event show
- Minimum $250 - $350 for one full show 20-30 minute performance at a private event including birthdays, bachelorette partys, baby showers and weddings.
A longer event show includes a variety of songs/tempos with props (wings, zills, veil, cane, double veil, sword, tray of candles, or hula hoop for fusion dancers) and audience participation. Expect a dancer to require a non-refundable deposit to hold that time on her calendar for you. The deposit is normally half of the total fee.
Show and a Lesson
- Minimum $250 - $350 for one mini show and one short bellydance lesson.
The mini show includes some props (like zills, cane, veil, sword, tray of candles or hula hoop for fusion dancers) and some limited audience participation. The dancer may or may not change out of her costume for the lesson portion. Dancer will teach an introduction to bellydance lesson, unless a specific topic is requested. Some may provide coin hip scarves for the students to borrow during the lesson. Expect a dancer to require a non-refundable deposit to hold that time on her calendar for you. The deposit is normally half of the total fee.
Restaurant Show
- Minimum $100 for one 15-20 min set. Minimum $150-$200 for two 15-20 min sets (depending on wait time between).
Why is a restaurant show less than a private party? Restaurants receive a discount for booking a dancer more than once. A restaurant show is usually a weekly show, which could be split among several dancers or belong to 1 dancer on the same night every week. In some cases, a restaurant may have a dance performance every night of the week. A set includes a variety of songs/tempos with some prop usage depending on the available space. Dancers do not generally do more than 2 sets per night unless they are well compensated for the time between sets. Shows should also have set times (which is also better for the business) and dancers should not have to wait more than an hour between sets. Dancers should receive a minimum of $35 for a last minute cancellation by the venue.
Why else does it cost so much?
Professional costuming can range from $200 to $2000. One source of mid-range cost costumes is Dahlal Internationale. Professional dancers also invest in makeup designed for performing professions, such asMAC.
Should A Part Time Or Less Experienced Dancer Cost Less? The short answer is no.
Whether a dancer has another full or part time job, or how often he/she performs is not as important as how much effort he/she has invested in this art. Once a Middle Eastern dance artist has trained professionally, they should earn the standard professional pay.
This is not to say that more experienced dancers or performers with a particular skill do not charge more, just that less experienced dancers will just not charge less than the standard listed above.
Remember performing artists do not have typical jobs. They generally do not have a yearly review process which can lead to raises. They do not get heath or retirement benefits from their performance job. So it is important to start at the standard rate, and work up from there. If a dancer does not feel he/she is worth the standard rate, then they are not ready to perform professionally.
This is also why bellydancers do not audition for free. A dancer may meet with a client or restaurant owner beforehand, but they will not give a free costumed performance in place of a paid dancer.
Also note that bellydancers do not generally dance for all male event such as Bachelor parties. They do however perform for many Bachelorette parties.
What About Community Events? What About Charity Events?
Community haflas are a different situation than a professional gig. At events like this, many performers of many levels (beginner student to professional) are sharing their work with each other. It is as much a meetup and networking event as a show. Sometimes a headlining dancer gets paid at events like this, and in others the cover charge is only enough to cover venue rental or food.
Some dancers do donate performances to charity events, but it is not expected. Generally a performer donates performance to charities that he or she would also support with a monetary donation. However, if other performers, DJ's, Caterers are being paid, the bellydancer should be too.
