Dancing Abroad - The Dangers

Now that some of the mystery has been laid bare in “Dancing Abroad – The Players” let's get to the risks. The entertainment industry is littered with the bodies of hopefuls who, in an effort to 'make it' are exploited. Accepting a dance engagement in a foreign country has inherent risk on many levels - from your physical safety to your business interests.

With the advent of internet – unsolicited offers to work abroad as a dancer make the rounds. While it is flattering and exciting to receive an invitation it needs to be tempered with even headedness and reality.

I have been offered a dance job with consummation duties, what does that mean? Consummation contracts are common and prevalent in nightclubs and lower star hotels. A woman performs several short dance routines throughout the night. During the lengthy intervals of her 'show' she sits with the guests and encourages them to buy her cocktails. For every cocktail a guest buys she earns a percentage of the sale.

Some women enter into this arrangement knowingly. However many women are duped, believing they were hired for a dance contract in beautiful Cyprus or Japan but find themselves in a front for prostitution. It’s successful because women from poor countries are targeted, who have no means to buy a return ticket home. While America isn’t a poor country, your circumstances may be such that you find yourself stranded in a nightmare.

Consummation is an industry term and an agent may use it in his offer. If not, take note if there is mention of guest contact or interaction. Take note of the length of time you would be expected to be in the nightclub. A legitimate performance contract will not have an 8 hour schedule.

I have been offered a dance job with animation duties, what is animation? There is nothing sinister about animation, even though its focus is on guest interaction. It's on the up and up but it's no performance contract. Many 5 star resorts and hotels have an animation team comprised of men and women. Their duties include things like performing aerobics poolside, leading sports activities, dining 3 times a day with the guests, perhaps teaching a class. In the evening the animation team performs a “house” show. The choreography, theme and costumes are provided by the hotel. You would need a strong back ground in ballet and jazz to qualify.

I have been offered a dance job abroad, is it a scam? Dancers audition for agencies not the other way around. But occasionally a client will request an act that the agency doesn’t carry. In this instance the agency may solicit dancers with an open call. A legitimate agency contacting you with a need will spell out specifics. They actually have a job they are interested in hiring you for. Or you may have come into an agencies line of vision, they want to evaluate your promotion and if they like what they see, have you on file.

However, open calls are usually from wannabe agents trying to break into the industry themselves and are looking to build a roster of acts. Be wary! At the very least, there is an extremely high risk of incompetence. And you must consider the possibility of grave danger. With no track record, they could be anyone up to anything. Stories of slavery and forced prostitution have a basis in reality.

How can I limit my risk of getting involved with an unsound entity? In the first article I talked about how the system of employment generally works. Successful agencies have clients that they regularly supply entertainment to and these are the agencies you want to target. Not the ones that are desperately casting about with vague offers.

How can I ascertain an agencies legitimacy? Risk always exits. But there are some clues that will help in making a determination. How long has the agency been in existence? Established agencies have a track record, one you can check out with a little investigation. Who are their clients? Major airlines, hotels and cruise ships, Coca Cola, IBM? Big time players will work with competent agencies. And finally get references of foreign dance artists that have worked with them and CHECK them out.

No agencies will pick me up, what's wrong? Some people get picked up with relative ease and quickness, for other's it takes time before they can land an agent. Also (and please don’t shoot the messenger) you may not be the kind of act that is employable in this line of work. Rightly or wrongly, in this business they want slim, young, and beautiful. Those are top priorities for clients and agents know it. If you don’t fall within those boundaries you'll have a hard time bucking the system.

What if I am confident in an agency and they have made me an offer? After years of training, paying your dues and developing into a caliber performer, thousands of dollars worth of costuming and promotion later you have reached a milestone. Let me say both congratulations! And hold your horses. You feel giddy and exhilarated at having made it to this point. However the making or breaking of you comes next – the CONTRACT.

What do I need to know about contracts? First of all I am not a lawyer. I have the good fortune to have one in the family who consulted on all of my early contracts. But my advice is just that, mine. When in doubt, consult an attorney. The only thing worth anything is your contract. Understand that and believe it. You may be afraid to negotiate. You may be so excited at the prospect of performing abroad that you fear setting terms will lose you the job. If it does, GOOD. Believe me when I say if that is the case you would have come out the other side of that contract broken. If you accept a contract that entails sizeable risk to you I have no pity for your hard times. Sorry, but if you are not strong enough to set boundaries and protect yourself in this business you have no place in it.

The purpose of the contract is for both parties to detail expectations of one another and in this end and most importantly to limit risk. The initial contract offer will (most likely) put moderate to enormous risk on you while limiting the liability of the other party. Your job is to examine each clause in the contract, weigh the risk to you and counter offer.

Also no point should be left out or unspecified. For example, you have come to an agreement on services and salary. That's great but not enough. When will you be paid, how, in what currency? What if the show is cancelled for a holiday, in-service or no guests come? You need to specify each point to limit unsavory ramifications.

A contract is a binding agreement regardless. For that reason you might consider adding an act of god clause in your contract, consult an attorney for specific wording. I have been through SARS, a violent Maoist revolution in Nepal, the tsunami in India… An act of god clause will release you from contractual obligation (if you so choose). It leaves the option open if things get hairy.

Don’t expect negotiation to be easy. You will be pushed to accept the contract in its original form because that's in their best interests. 'They' are also prone to making one verbal agreement yet having a different agreement in writing. Remember what I said, the only thing that means anything is your contract. Understand that and believe it. Let’s go through a few examples of what your negotiation process might look like.

AGENT SAYS “The artist will stay in the performance area only during her performance time, unless the hotel management makes a specific request.”
SALOME SAYS - The hotel management can make a specific request for you to take your top off and give a lap dance to a guest, or for you to cocktail waitress or to clean the bathrooms. The nature of the request is a blank. Blanks equal risk to you. Never ever assume that 'they would never...'Your counter offer might read: “…unless the hotel management makes a specific request for her to sign autographs or pose for pictures with guests in her costume.”

AGENT SAYS“The artist should venture out of the Hotel only with an escort from the Hotel or the agency, only after approval of the agency”
SALOME SAYS - This isn't unusual; in some areas of the world an escort is necessary for your own safety. However “only after approval of the agency” gives the agency complete control to restrict your movement. Your counter offer might read: “The artist should venture out of the Hotel only with an escort from the Hotel or the agency. The agency is responsible for providing 3 excursions outside of the hotel per week. A week is identified as 7 consecutive days. The agency will accommodate the artist, above the 3 excursions per week, when she has an immediate need to leave the hotel grounds.”

My purpose is not to make you replete with concerns. Actually, yes it is. I want you to think over each word on that piece of paper and imagine how it can be used against you. If you can't come to agreeable terms and conditions in writing do not fool yourself into thinking it'll be different when you get there. It won't. And what's more you will have set yourself up to be exploited. While there are a few agents that operate with honor the majority is dog eat dog. You will be tested. The contract negotiation is the first try. Stick to your guns.

For a continuation of the topic visit the next installment "Dancing Abroad – The Bare Minimum".

Article Source: http://www.bellydancearticles.com

Salome has been dancing since she was a child. At 21 her career transitioned abroad. With representation by "Rising Stars", "Classic Models", and "Showhouse" (among others) she has worked exclusively overseas in a near successive string of short and long term contracts. Learn more about Salome and oriental dance at www.orientaldancer.net.

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