I am wondering if anyone else has had this issue? I would love to hear how they handled it.

Maria, I too think you made the right decision to stand up for yourself, particularly since it seems you ended the relationship in a professional manner.

Dance happens to be a career that is generally also a calling, and dancers honor and respect our work and community so much that we sometimes devalue ourselves. For that reason, dancers may find it difficult or even feel “icky” about insisting that they be paid and be paid what they are worth. As a group, we would benefit I think, to stand up for ourselves more often.

If I’m understanding your “fine line” comment as walking a fine line or even there being a vague line between being considered unprofessional versus professional by others when you stick up for yourself, my answer is that you will always run into a few that will react negatively to your asking to be promoted or just plain paid to do what you do. In other words the “fine line” is always in someone’s head (yours or theirs).

In your particular case, I suspect that their grumbling and sour grapes had everything to do with their desperation and failures regarding a crumbling business (desperation makes people do some pretty selfish and unkind things). Feel justified that they’ll no longer have the opportunity or the credibility to offer a poor reference to future employers.

I just think back now that if I wouldn’t have stuck up for myself as a professional that deserves to be paid for their hard work, I would of never been paid. In the end it’s disappointing that the place is closing down, but I know I did the right thing.

Do you have thoughts about standing up for yourself as a professional? I always think it’s a fine line.

Thanks for the post! it was great

And I love the final thought of Would you want to work with you? That says it all, doesn’t it!

I’ll be forwarding this one to everyone I work/play/dance/collaborate with – thanks for assembling such a cohesive article!