How much do gogo dancers make a night
8 things to know when considering becoming a go-go dancer
Go-go dancing might seem like an easy job. You just get in front of people at a club or party and dance, right? Wrong. There is so much more to it than just moving around. As a former go-go dancer I learned the hard way that it takes more than just looks and moves to succeed. But after figuring it out. I made good money and enjoyed the experience. Here’s what you need to know before becoming a go-go dancer.
1.Train for the Job
Dancers can dance up to 4 hours at a time. Cardio workouts help build endurance. Photo credit: Jeraldine Ramos
Practice dancing and do lots of cardio. Endurance is needed because go-go dancing involves dancing with high energy for long periods of time. If you’re not used to this type of physical workout you’ll tire out easily. You also might also have difficulty breathing and wake-up sore the next day.
2. Take dance classes
Youtube videos are very helpful when learning how to dance or new dance moves. Photo credit: Jeraldine Ramos
In go-go dancing you don’t get to choose what music you are dancing to. The DJs play whatever music they want depending on how the crowed reacts to the mix. The music may change tempo and even style. A go-go dancer must be able to improvise moves depending on the music that is being played. Dance classes or even watching Youtube videos can help you learn different ways to move your body and how to dance to different tempos without looking silly.
3. Connect with go-go groups
Diable Chaton (El Paso/ Las Cruces go-go group) and I, go-go danced when Kaskade a well known music producer and DJ came to The Plum City Lounge in El Paso, Tx. Photo by Mario Arizpe
Go-go groups help dancers find gigs. Check out the go-go groups in your local area, through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. What they post online can give you a glimpse on what type of venues they perform in, if they get a lot of gigs and if they perform for well-known DJs.
Pictures can also show you what types of work they do so you can know what to expect. You don’t have to connect with a group. You can work as an independent go-go dancer and track down jobs on your own.
4. Think like a businessperson
Knowing how to negotiate can get you high paying gigs. I was once paid $100 for thirty minutes of dancing through negotiating. Photo credit: Jeraldine Ramos
When considering a job you need to know how to negotiate your pay according to how much you will be working and how much you will need to be investing in costumes, hair and make-up. Get everything in writing. Having a written contract helps make sure you get paid for services provided. Go-go dancers can earn between $10 to $100 an hour depending on what they negotiate. I have been able to get high paying gigs through negotiating.
5. Promote yourself and the venue
Promoting can not only get people to go to the venue but also get you more jobs while establishing yourself as a go-go dancer.
Photo credit: Jeraldine Ramos
You can promote yourself and the venue using social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. Letting people know what days you are available for bookings and when and where you will be dancing is one way of promoting yourself. Promoting yourself and the venue can help you establish your name in the industry and possibly get you more jobs because it shows you can help bring in a crowd.
6. Be Creative
Venues like creativity. I have created many looks from adding gems to my face to doing my make-up like a doll. Photo by Mario Arizpe
With go-go dancing you must be creative. Go-go dancers are often asked to create themes and dress accordingly for an event the venue is promoting. You can get creative through costumes, make-up, and hair styles. Use the Internet to look up pictures for inspiration or watch a video tutorial on how to do your make-up or costume.
7. Be aware of your surroundings
It is important to be aware of your surroundings when people are drinking.
People can become violent and if you are drinking it can be easy for one to slip in a drug into your drink. Photo credit: Jeraldine Ramos
In most venues alcohol will be sold. This means that there might be some drunks that will be disrespectful. And, if you are drinking along with the patrons it can be very easy for someone to drug you. Make sure you know where the nearest bouncers are in order to signal them when someone gets out of hand or if you feel uncomfortable. Be sure to never let your beverage or water bottle out of your sight. Don’t take a drink from anyone you don’t know. Instead insist on being served only by the bartender or event organizers.
8. Have fun and smile
Smiling and having a good-time sets the mood of venue which can make it look like people are enjoying themselves. Photo by Mario Arizpe
Go-go dancers put the energy in the party. Not smiling puts out the vibe that you are not having fun and can make people leave. People come out to enjoy themselves so be sure to keep their spirits up.
Besides, why not have fun when you are dancing!
Go-Go Dancer - Salary, How to Become, Job Description & Best Schools
How to Become a
The complete career guide to be a Go-Go Dancer: salary, job growth, employers, best schools, and education you may need to get started.
Why We Love It
Go-go dancers work for bars, casinos, nightclubs, and other venues where dancing is a major component of the entertainment provided. They dress up in costumes, wear provocative clothing, and dance to many different types of music to entertain crowds and get people in the mood to join in on the dancing.
What is a Go-Go Dancer?
The following job responsibilities are common for individuals in go-go dancer roles:
- Perform a variety of dances to entertain crowds and encourage dancing at nightclubs, bars, concerts, and other venues where music is a major component of entertainment
- Dance for long periods of time while working
- Design creative costumes—outfits, makeup, and accessories—for performances
- Audition for go-go dancing opportunities
- Promote performances to draw crowds and grow followings
A Day in the Life
Go-go dancing is often confused with exotic dancing, though the two roles are very different.
First, go-go dancers generally do not take their clothes off when dancing. They don’t do lap dances or work for tips. The main role of a go-go dancer is to entertain crowds and get people in the mood to get out on the dance floor and join in on the fun. They are promoters and entertainers that perform at nightclubs, bars, casinos, concerts, and raves. They do not work in strip clubs.
Most go-go dancers are professionally-trained, career dancers. Before performances, they put together their costumes, do their makeup, and choose their accessories. In some venues, they may have designated uniforms, but in others, their goal is to find creative, provocative, and eye-catching costumes that will draw the attention of the crowd and get people in the mood to dance and have a good time.
Go-go dancing can be hard work. Dancers usually perform for 30 minutes to an hour at a time, take a short break, and then start dancing again. While they may have an idea of the type of music the DJ is going to play, the specific songs and beats are usually a surprise, so most of them are trained in a variety of dance styles so they can continue dancing appropriately regardless of what song starts playing.
They also promote themselves and their careers by advertising their events and trying to grow followers. This helps prove their ability to draw a crowd when auditioning for new positions.
Typical Work Schedule
Most go-go dancers work evening and weekend shifts; they need to be available at hours when people are out in the world drinking and having a good time. Generally, they only work part-time.
Typical Employers
Some go-go dancers are hired by DJs to perform in a series of shows to help get the crowd in the mood to dance. Others work for nightclubs or casinos and are employees of the companies they work for. Some are hired by entertainment providers and work in multiple venues as needed. Finally, some find their own work and spend time auditioning for different groups, venues, and opportunities.
How To Become a Go-Go Dancer
Higher education is not required to become a go-go dancer, though many go-go dancers do have formal dance training.
For most roles, only a high school diploma is required. Some go-go dancers learn to dance by taking dance lessons as children and adolescents, and they apply the skills they learned while studying dance in their youth to work as go-go dancers as adults. Others may have just studied dance on their own, or may have natural dancing talent with no formal education.
Many go-go dancers find work simply by asking other go-go dancers if they can audition. Entertainment groups, DJs, nightclubs, and casinos are frequently looking for additional dancers. Speaking with another go-go dancer may land aspiring go-go dancers an audition, and if they’re willing to get up on stage and look good dancing, they can land recurring positions at the venues they auditioned for. Other go-go dancers take a more formal approach and apply for open positions that were formally advertised.
Unfortunately, a career in go-go dancing has a time limit. For most, the work is too hard to continue after a certain age.
Because of this, many go-go dancers work towards a bachelor’s degree in theater, arts, or dance. With a bachelor’s degree, they can qualify to work as dance instructors later in life when go-go dancing gets to be too hard on their bodies. Because these dancers get professional training while studying for a degree, they can qualify to teach a variety of dance styles.
Go-Go Dancer Salary Data
We’ve provided you the following to learn more about this career. The salary and growth data on this page comes from recently published Bureau of Labor Statistics data while the recommendations and editorial content are based on our research.
National Anual Salary
Low Range
---Average
---High Range
---National Hourly Wage
Low Range
$9/hrAverage
$18/hrHigh Range
$33/hrHow do Go-Go Dancer salaries stack up to other jobs across the country? Based on the latest jobs data nationwide, Go-Go Dancer's can make an average annual salary of ---, or $18 per hour.
This makes it an Above Average Salary. On the lower end, they can make --- or $9 per hour, perhaps when just starting out or based on the state you live in.
Salary Rankings And Facts
Highest Education Among Go-Go Dancers
- 0.5% Doctorate
- 4.3% Masters
- 17% Bachelors
- 10.6% Associates
- 29% College
- 26.7% High School
- 11.9% Less than High School
Job Growth Projections and Forecast
2014 Total Jobs
13,0002024 Est. Jobs
13,600Job Growth Rate
4.
6% Est. New Jobs
600How does Go-Go Dancer job growth stack up to other jobs across the country? By 2024, there will be a change of 600 jobs for a total of 13,600 people employed in the career nationwide. This is a 4.6% change in growth over the next ten years, giving the career a growth rate nationwide of Below Average.
Growth Rankings And Facts
What Companies Employ The Most Go-Go Dancers
| Industry | Current Jobs | New Jobs Needed | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-employed workers | 2,000 | 100 | 0% |
| Drinking places (alcoholic beverages) | 1,700 | --- | --- |
| Other schools and instruction; private | 900 | 200 | 0% |
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90,000 go-gos in Hollywood.
For those who want to dance in America. - vicoria_ss
- August 24th, 2010
I recently spent half a year in the USA, in Hollywood, California. Since I am a go-go dancer, I am naturally bombarded with questions about how to go there to dance in a club and earn money. I decided to respond immediately to everyone by writing this note.
In Moscow, and indeed in Russia, go-go business can already really be called a business. This is an entire industry that has involved a fairly large number of people. I can assume that there are more than a thousand go-go dancers in Moscow alone, there are a number of specialized shops for go-go costumes, special shoes, fabrics and many ateliers that focus on sewing go-go costumes. Dancers are in demand in clubs, corporate parties, exhibitions, are invited to appear in clips and films, to perform with pop stars at concerts. This job is prestigious and well paid.
In the US, the situation is completely different. Go-go can hardly be called a business there. In principle, there are very few dancers - there are not even fifty girls in all of Los Angeles. The specifics of the clubs is such that people do not come like ours - to hang out, drink, see others (for example, dancers) and show themselves - but to DANCE and LISTEN TO MUSIC. To be honest, the guests don’t care at all who is dancing in the glass and what that someone is wearing. dressing room. The guards don’t take the dancers to the glasses, as we do, they half-naked themselves squeeze through the crowd to the place of performance – and no one cares about them! What they are dancing in cannot be called a stage costume even with a stretch - it's just a nightmare of any more or less decent Moscow art director. The girls themselves, as a rule, are short, thick-legged, unkempt and often with decent cellulite. I haven't seen a single beautiful dancer in Los Angeles! This is because they pay about 3-5 times less than in Moscow and this work is considered not prestigious - beautiful girls become models and actresses, and dancing remains ugly and lazy .
..
When I arrived and got a job at the club, I was going to make my own little revolution. The plan was this: I have a lot of high-quality, beautiful costumes, I do interesting makeup and hairstyles well, plus the level, of course, is completely different - I was head and shoulders above everyone else, about one and a half to two times slimmer, with an even tan, etc. . Well, plus, of course, I am trained in Moscow (I have been working for more than 4 years in such projects as Famous, The Most, Paradise), I DANC, unlike my American colleagues, who, I would say, rather while away the time until the end exit on stage. Everyone, indeed, appreciated my work and was stormy surprised at how seriously and thoughtfully I approached my work. However, in the end, all this did not lead to anything special, except for the fact that I really became a resident (all the other girls wander every weekend from club to club). It is impossible to change a long-established system alone. The budget is also strictly defined and NOBODY will pay you more than 100-150 dollars per night.
And considering that, while living in America, you will have to rent an apartment, rent a car and buy insurance for it, pay for the phone, internet and gasoline (mandatory monthly expenses) plus just money for life, then, believe me, you will remain in the deepest red! Your earnings will not cover even half of your most basic needs.
A separate issue is a work permit. In America, no one works in the black, especially the clubs. Nobody pays in cash, only checks. To work, you must have a working status (citizenship/greencard/work visa/marriage). It is VERY difficult to agree to work on a tourist visa. This is possible only if you personally know the owners or managers of the club well and if they are Russian. If you turn to little-known Americans with a request to work illegally, they, as respectable citizens, will immediately turn to the police and you will be deported from the country for the next 10 years.
Briefly about how to get a work visa: you need to have documents stating that you have a higher education in your field, have a specific offer from the employer for a certain period (one or two) with a salary sufficient to live in the country, and this salary cannot be higher than what all other dancers receive - in order not to violate the labor code, you must somehow prove that, apart from you, no one from the local population can perform this work, you must have documents stating that you you have extensive experience in this field.
Those who work go-go or are at least slightly familiar with this business are probably now grinning - because. practically NOT ONE item from this list can be fulfilled (unless some have a really professional choreographic education - but this will not save either). So no matter how much you pay lawyers, no matter how hard you try, no one will ever give you a work visa to America for go-go work. And, therefore, having arrived there and even agreeing to work illegally, you will not be able to go to auditions and, which is tempting, to act in films (almost all the cinema in the USA and the world is based in Los Angeles - there are many chances to get into the cinema, but again, you have to have a work visa, and don't forget PERFECT English without an accent).
Bottom line: if you have money and time, you are supported by your parents or your significant other and you just want to go live in America and dance in a club at the same time - as they say, welcome! But if after reading this article you still have ambitious plans to make money or conquer Hollywood, then I take my hat off to your will and determination and wish you good luck.
You will definitely need it...
Work in China as a Dancer on a WORK VISA | EGO agency
Working as a dancer in a Chinese club is a classic for an artist. Everyone started with China. In the Celestial Empire, however, as in other countries, the duties of a dancer include consummation, without intimacy, strip and topless. In their free time from stage performances, the artists are in the hall together with the hostesses and guests of the institution, creating a general atmosphere of celebration and fun. Here it is customary to give girls flowers, from which they have a percentage. Artists performing on stage are given more and more flowers. In order to work in China as a dancer, knowledge of the language and experience is not required - which makes this contract very beneficial for dancers of almost all styles.
ATTENTION! In China, there are constant checks and deportations. Absolutely all cities and institutions are subject to strict control.
In this regard, it is highly recommended not to work in China on a tourist, student or even business visa. For non-compliance with this rule, the Chinese police immediately send to prison for 30 days without trial, after which the Chinese authorities deport the illegal to their homeland. Chinese prisons are considered among the most brutal in the world. To work safely in China, a dancer needs to issue only WORK VISA through a licensed agency.
Requirements for dancers in China
Basic requirements:
- To work in China, dancers of all genres and styles
- are age from 18 to 35 years old
- Not overweight
- Dance video 1-2 minutes long. The video should clearly show how the dancer moves
- Availability of dance stage costumes 2-3 pieces. A variety of bodysuits, beautiful lingerie, mini dresses and sundresses are well suited
Main duties:
- Performances on stage 1-2 performances per night lasting 5 minutes.
You can improvise Go-Go - Participation in 3-4 disco times per shift. One disco time lasts 1-2 minutes and is a kind of flash mob in which all the girls working in the club go to the dance floor and dance in a free style, dance, etc.
- Work on consummation in free time from performances
CONTRACT CONDITIONS FOR DANCERS IN CHINA
The term of the contract is 6 months.
The cost of obtaining a work visa is $100-120. Depends on the region. The processing time for a work visa is from 2 to 4 weeks. The cost of the visa is initially paid by the girl. But arriving on a contract, the employer returns this amount in full. On a work visa, the girls are officially employed and have an official invitation from the employer.
Girls' feedback about work in China
The agency prepares all the necessary documents, does everything remotely, the girl's participation in the process is not required.
The main document in China is the ID-card.
Everyone who lives and works in China has it. This card contains all the information about its owner. Everyone carries this document with them at all times. To obtain such an ID-card, the girl must, upon arrival in China, go to the police station and change her passport for this document. This is done in an organized manner, the employees are accompanied by the administration of the club.
Girls from EGO agency do not have to pay for an ID-card. This is a special feature of the agency. Those flying through other agencies pay 400 CNY.
The air ticket to China is paid by the club, subject to a contract for 6 months. Air travel in two directions is paid subject to the contract term of 12 months. If the contract is less than 6 months, the cost of the air ticket is deducted from the salary.
Dancers work from 22:00 to 06:00.
Artists, along with hostess models, live in special hostels. Housing costs are 100 CNY ($10-15) per month.
Dormitory rooms are well equipped, they have everything you may need for life.
One thing - in such apartments there is no kitchen, since in China everyone eats street food. It's very cheap here. About 40-50 RMB per day is the cost of food in China.
Girls are settled in such a way that they can walk to work in a couple of minutes.
All dancers have two days off per month, which they can take at will, except Friday and Saturday.
1 or 2 times a month clubs hold themed parties. Girls prepare costumes for these parties, come up with some kind of dances, in general, make fun.
Each establishment has between 30 and 50 employees.
Girls' free time is not regulated by time frames. Girls can move freely during non-working hours.
One of the girls' duties is to go out during the day with guests. Men invite girls for lunch, shopping or coffee. It does not matter, the girls are walking with the visitors of the institution.
The main focus of the work is for the man to book a table in the club for the evening. Girls by and large do not work for glasses or flowers, but for tables.
They are the main source of income.
CLICK ON THE BANNER
HOW MUCH DANCERS CAN YOU EARN IN CHINA?
- Guaranteed rate of dancers is 6,000 CNY, which is about $ 900
- In China, it is customary to work actively for consumption, but while the girls are adapting to new conditions, club employees help them and seat them at tables with guests
- A special beautiful attribute of work in China - flowers. They are some kind of internal currency. Each flower is a minimum of 40 CNY (6 $), a maximum of 400 CNY (56 $)
- Cocktails and bottles are counted as flowers:
- A small non-alcoholic cocktail is equal to one flower ($6)
- A large non-alcoholic cocktail or a bottle of wine is equal to two flowers ($12)
- A bottle of champagne is equal to four flowers (24 $)
- Sales plan for girls involves the sale of 120 flowers per month
- If this plan is not met, CNY 50 is calculated for each flower not picked
- A fixed rate is given to girls on the 11th of each month
- Everything that the dancer earns from consumption, she receives on the 1st, 11th and 21st
- All payments are made in RMB CNY
- Also, guests can book tables through dancers.
