---

---

 

The following is a letter I plan to present to my two local (Washington and Baltimore) dancer associations. I think it states my position fairly clearly. Dear WASCA Board and Delegates, I offer a few thoughts for your consideration and speak only on my own behalf, not as a representative of any organization. I have recently become concerned with the inequity in the pay scales of cuers versus callers at clubs in WASCA. Are you aware that, in most cases, the cuer at a 2x2 dance is piad less than half of what the caller is paid? I think that many dancers are not aware of this, or haven't thought about it in terms of equity. During the past six years I have heard three reasons for the difference in pay. 1. "The caller provides equipment, so should get paid more." I believe this is a red herring. On five occasions in the past six years I have provided the equipment for a dance rather than the caller. In no instance was any offer made to reimburse me for the use of my equipment. If use of equipment was truly an issue, such an offer would have been made as a matter of course. In addition, I have found that it is expected that I have equipment with me for every dance (and sometimes this is written into the contract) so that it is available as a backup for times when a caller's equipment fails or when the caller is late in arriving. So, I would still have the expense of purchasing equipment, even if it was never used. 2. "There are more square dancers than round dancers." Granted, this may have been true at one time. Round dancing was an "add-on" to the program at many clubs and the number of round dancers was small. It is time to recognize that round dancing has come into its own. My experience, both at clubs where I cue and at clubs where I am visiting, is that 2/3 to 3/4 of the dancers present dance the rounds. In most cases, this is similar to the proportion of attendees that get up to join a square. 3. "The caller's job is more difficult because cueing choreography isn't as hard as calling patter." Having done both, I am not ready to concede this point. It ismore a matter of "different" than "more difficult". I spend the same amount of time preparing and practicing as my friends and colleagues who are callers. Callers often use caller services, which provide examples of figure sequences that can be, and are, used in patter-after a fashion, this is pre-written choreography.The number of figures that a cuer needs to know, across a much wider array of rhythms, is as large as the Mainstream, Plus, and Advanced lists combined. An additional point I would make is that my expenses as a cuer meet or exceed that of a caller. I must purchase equipment to use, and I must purchase music to use. The cost of a round dance record ranges from $5 to $8, and an average of forty new round dances are released each month, as opposed to 25 or 30 square dance records. Also, it is expected that I come to a dance prepared to do requests, and as a result must own and bring a large number of records, to have available when they are asked for. As a cuer, the inequity of payment hits me on two levels. The first is financial. The IRS expects me to show a profit over time-technically, in three out of every five years. So far I have shown a profit once in six years, with little change in sight. If I am judged by the IRS not to be a legitimate business, I would still have to pay taxes on money earned as a cuer, but would be unable to deduct any expenses. It is likely that I would have to pay back taxes on those expenses claimed in previous years, which would be judged as non-allowed. The second reason I am concerned is personal, and a matter of justice. It is simply not right that cuers should be treated as second-class citizens. Round dancing, and cuers, are a valuable asset to WASCA clubs and the whole dancing community, and this should be recognized, including in the area of pay for service rendered. I realize that it is too much to ask that pay be equal, and that use of equipment, number of dancers, and nature of calling and cueing might still be used as reasons for a differential. I propose, however, that clubs consider raising their cuer's pay to at least 2/3 of what the caller is paid. Such a policy would be a first step in addressing the inequity in pay scales that now exists.

Thank you for your time and consideration.
 

Tim Tim Pilachowski Editor, ROUNDALAB Journal Publisher,
Top Hat Cue Sheet Service
49th NSDC, Director of MC's for Rounds
49th NSDC, Vice-Chairman for National Squares
638 Realm Court W, Odenton MD 21113-1559 (USA)
Voice phone: 410-674-8481 Fax: 410-551-2536
email: TJP@math.umd.edu
A round dance a day keeps a smile on your face!