The Backup Dancer

I wonder if backup dancers are not always a bit torn on the inside. Clearly, they want to be seen. They want to perform, and they like being on stage. Obviously they are very talented. At the same time, they are consistently and purposefully overshadowed by the latest greatest fifteen year old (or nine year old, if you're Willow Smith) with a recording contract.

Turns out, in order to be a backup dancer (or any professional dancer, really) you need not only tons of talent, but also a driven work ethic and stamina. The auditions are heavily competitive, and it takes a combination of luck and persistence to really land the right post.

Salary: I first went to Answers4dancers.com. This website reeks of legitimacy. Its name rhymes AND it's hip. It broke the salaries down by category: Broadway musical dancers make about  $1653 per week. Film, TV, and commercial dancers go by union rates. Music video dancers get about $475 for a ten hour day of shooting. In Las Vegas, Cirque du Soleil dancers make about $1,200-1,600 a week, while EFX dancers make about $680 for the same week. Finally, you may hit the backup dancer jackpot and dance for $400-500 dollars per week at a theme park or on a cruise ship. I then went to the next most trusted source on the internet - TMZ. It reported in one shocking article that Beyonce was totally ripping her dancers off. She refused to work with their agents. Apparently, by eliminating these middle men, she "undermin[ed] the dance industry as a whole."  TMZ further reported that usually a dancer cast in an A-list artist's video "can earn around $3000 for two rehearsal days, and two shoot-days of work." I don't know about you, but I am actually inclined to trust TMZ on this one. I'm sure they checked their sources.  

Advantages: Hopefully, you're doing what you love. Dancers usually dance because they love it. Not all businessmen can say the same for business. If you make it, you probably get tons of exposure. You get to travel. You get to meet cool (read: famous) people. There is always the possibilty for romANTICS (see Britney Spears, JLo, LeAnn Rimes, Madonna, Miley Cyrus, and Usher's relationships with their backup dancers). If you do it for long enough, Glee may notice you and give you the part of the dumb blonde on their emotionally stunted show.

Disadvantages: Not all dances are created equal. You could be dressed in a sexy outfit dancing front and center with Beyonce, or you could be one of Lady Gaga's bowl-cut, ashy-skinned minions. Even worse, you could be KFed. Your job is dependent on you not getting sick or injured. These are incidentally also the hazards of the job. You are going to be out-shined. It's in your job description. You are subject to the whims of the stars: Britney Spears made her  backup dancers sign in their contracts that they will keep her from drinking or using drugs - as if this was anywhere within their control. You will never truly be loved. Worst of all, you might end up in High School Musical 3.

Dance Dance:
We're warmed up like dance biscuits!