Dancing for Beyonce Is No Dream, Girl
TMZ has learned that dancers working on Beyonce's latest videos are being low-balled on their salaries in order to make the videos on the cheap.
Sources tell TMZ that the music diva is shooting several music videos in L.A. this week, which we're told she is financing, not her label. Sources also say Beyonce's choreographer, Frank Gatson, has refused to work with any of the dancers' agents on this job.
We're told that by eliminating the middleman and dealing directly with the dancers, Beyonce can pay them below standard wages. Industry contacts say this practice is highly irregular for an artist of Beyonce's stature, and it undermines the dance industry as a whole. TMZ has learned that in order to maintain good working relationships, the production company for the project , RSA Films, has recently agreed to pay agency fees for some of the dancers.
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. Without agents fighting for their rights, the dancers on Beyonce's latest videos will earn less.
While some dancers have boycotted the high-profile gig, others, willing to go around their agents, have been flown to L.A. and put up at hotels to work for the lower rates -- just to say they danced for a megastar like Beyonce.
Since music videos are not covered under union rules, Beyonce's camp is not violating regulations, but they are not in sync with Dancers' Alliance, an organization created by dancers to standardize non-union work.
Calls to Beyonce's reps were not returned. Frank Gatson's rep had no comment.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Music, Beyonce Knowles
