I don't know if this is true throughout the United States, and would like to here more, but in the large metropolitan area where I live, the fee structure for ProAm competitions is out of sight and is chasing ordinary salary-making mortals to the poor house. Seriously, I am frightened. The influx of uber-wealthy students, almost all in our case from Hong Kong, but of course one must not stereotype, has changed the fee structure. Pros are now raising their fees, in many cases asking for a flat fee per comp, regardless of the number of entries (I don't get that at all). I don't want to be chased away from this world that I love, but I am talking about dollar figures that approach what I make in 6 Their interest is making enough money to support their own career, this is a business for them, I know. I am not saying these women can't dance, they are as motivated /talented as poor ones. I just don't know what to do. I have heard Giampiero gets enormous money from his amateur partners (and they are not Asian), I don't know about others. Any thoughts, or is this an old, tired topic?
Actually, I am not one of those who accept the term "partner" in relation to my teacher. I am his student, one of several. No more, no less. But I know there is kind of a debate around this term, and its implications in the pro-am system.
As for the fee structure you are talking about, and I believe you are in NYC, it is a problem, unfortunately. However, I think it relates more to what I call "The-Pro-Of-The-Month-Club." They price themselves based on market principles: they will charge whatever the market bears, and they are welcome to that. However, there are enough fish in the ocean that a student need not shell out money in a relationship that makes her uncomfortable or unhappy, and it really isn't a bidding war. In defense of the pros who demand exorbitant fees: Most, if not all, compete actively now for top spots. Pro-am dancing takes its toll on the teacher. Frankly, it is difficult for a leader to maintain his skill while dancing with a much lower-level partner. So, if you want to dance with Champion X, realize that Champion X will charge you what he believes is equivalent to the toll you will be taking on his very precious body and his chances of winning the next title, plus the added premium of his "designer-label" name. If you are not comfortable paying that, there are many, many other teachers who may not have the same sparkling pedigree but can still offer their student top-notch instruction and partnering in a competition.
I believe in the case of Giampierro, he only has one student, and he will not take any other pro-am student. I also believe he is not the only pro to make that choice. I don't know the details, but it is logical that the student in each case would be charged more or less what a group of students would otherwise share amongst themselves.
Maybe the partner thing is more of a give and take relationship, the amateur gives and the pro takes.
On the otherside of the coin, the amateur demands, and the pro caves.
I actually witnessed an argument where the student and the pro partner of the teacher got into it over practice time. They each accused the other of monopolizing his time before a competition.
Disclaimer added after Laura's remark: I believe that Pro/am is a much needed service in the United States and my remarks are cheap shots at the expense of Pro/am for the purpose of getting a cheap laugh. No animals were harmed while composing this post or the post's postscript.
Heh DanceAm, it's stuff like that that helps to give Pro/Am a bad name.
I'm feeling very pessimistic today. DanceSport as a whole just sucks morally/behaviourally in this country.
EDITED NOTE FOR DANCEAM:
I did not at all take your post to contain cheap shots at all! I've been doing Pro/Am for years and I most certainly see the warts in the system -- and was simply laughing/commenting along with you.
Quote: I don't know if this is true throughout the United States, and would like to here more, but in the large metropolitan area where I live, the fee structure for ProAm competitions is out of sight and is chasing ordinary salary-making mortals to the poor house.
The problem with a market is that some people get priced out of it. While it's possible the number of pros might increase and bring down prices, you can't depend on that.
You might however be able to find a market that is not strictly monetary. How would you feel about amatuer dancing? Might you be able to offer an amatuer partner something that those with more money cannot? Might you be able to take on a lot of the training and competing expenses of the partnership that some amatuers cannot?
My point is not to argue that one style of dancing is better than another, merely that you may be more able to play in one market than another.
Chris: One of these days I swear I will kick your a....
Oops.
My extremely proper self is back in charge. Dear Mr. Stratton: Speaking only for myself, I would love to dance amateur. I won't rehash the whole old stuff about 30- and 40- (and 50-!!) something women getting amateur partners, especially with the busy lives that we all live. I also won't rehash the old "wo don't do pro-am because that's how we like it, as much as it is because that's the only way we can get to dance" argument. You've heard all that before.
I cast this curse on you: In your next life, may you return as a female, but have the same passionate love for dance then as you do now. However, you will only discover this love for dancing when you are exactly 36 years old.
Quote: especially with the busy lives that we all live
There is no magic solution, and I don't see how anyone could think my post was implying there is one. We can't all have everything we want in life - I'm certainly making some extremely expensive opportunity-cost choices to dance as an amateur as much as I do. Where I to use my professional training every waking moment, I could perhaps afford to dance pro-am instead, and be one of those griping about the price structure of that instead.
At one point when I was having trouble finding a serious amateur partner, I worked for a few weeks with a fairly experienced pro-am lady. Unfortunately, she kept cancelling our lessons, so we never got help with the technical issues we hadn't been able to solve in our limited practice together. It became clear she had the money for pro-am, but not the time or flexibilty for amateur dancing.
We each make our choices based on the circumstances of our lives. Suggesting that another possibility may exist for some is not the same as criticizing those who don't or can't take it.
