More often than not we are approached by clients who have a budget for everything else but paying the artists. Food for the dancers or a picture with celebrities are not valid payments — exposure does not pay our bills. It feels unfortunate that while being an artist requires specialized skills including years of training, these skills are not appreciated in the form of monetary compensation. What really goes into a performance? Hours spent choreographing, researching recorded music and then editing, else collaborating with a composer or live musicians, which requires significantly more work and specialized skills, administrative work to coordinate performance logistics, hours of rehearsals for the dancers, designing and coordinating costumes, time spent during the technical rehearsal, getting ready in costumes and makeup and driving to and from the performance venue.