Posted by dancer (129.78.64.106) on November 04, 2006 at 06:24:31:

In Reply to: Overpriced Musicians - Unethical Teachers posted by Concerned parent on November 03, 2006 at 13:02:18:

I sort of don't know how to respond to this topic since I both agree and disagree with the points made.

First of all, calling dance musicians who come to the states "vermin" is uncalled for and downright shameful. I don't think people realize how much these people have to go through when they come here. Moving around from house to house, forced to eat whatever food that is offered (true, at least they get food, but still), rehearsing like dogs for arangetram after arangetram (they are usually brought here for a block of performances spanning a few months). It's hardly a comfortable lifestyle, but they do it because just like everyone else, they have families to support back home.

And it is not the musicians who are to blame for high costs. A large percentage of the fees goes to the guru (or guru's organization) bringing the troupe. I do agree that gurus charge parents ridiculous amounts of money for use of an orchestra and keep too much of it for themselves! If anything, we should be feeling sorry for the musicians who I believe may be being cheated. I do not think the musicians GIVE the money to the gurus--- the contract has already been made by the guru's organization, a cut for me, a cut for you. The musicians come because the money offered is more than what they would make in India, but still... not enough, in my opinion. It seems that every day I here of another guru buying a big new house or a Mercedes. An exaggeration on my part, maybe, but I don't think this is a coincidence.

"Cant you do without them and their tyranny?"

The short answer? No. I have been to arangetrams with recorded music. They're ok if you're on a tight budget but still want to have the formal debut. However, they do not compare to arangetrams with a live orchestra. At least, as a dancer, I would not have wanted to dance to recorded music at my arangetram. If you have to, ditch the dinner, shell out for the orchestra.

I had a very pleasant (in fact, fun) experience with the dance musicians for my arangetram. They stayed at our house for a week and rehearsed with my guru and me for 5 days before the performance and were truly a blessing. They were genuine, hard-working people, and it's really quite disturbing they are wrongly getting such a bad reputation.

   
   



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