Music

Beyonce choreographer hits back after she’s accused of underpaying dancers


Beyonce reportedly posted a casting call for a music video shoot recently (Picture: Getty Images)

Beyonce’s choreographer has defended the singer after claims that she was underpaying her dancers.

The Formation singer was said to have posted a casting call recently looking for dancers, models and actors for an unspecified music video shoot.

Dancers Alliance claim that Sag-Aftra, a labour union representing working performers, discovered the dancers would be paid $250 (£190) per day instead of the ‘DA’s baseline standard of at least $500 (£380) per day’.

‘Dancers accepting these low rates for this caliber artist or any artist is UNACCEPTABLE,’ the Dancers Alliance wrote in an Instagram post.

‘Choreographers not sticking up to production companies about proper DA baseline rates to hire professional dancers is UNACCEPTABLE! Agents NOT informing production companies and upholding their roster of clients’ to DA baseline rates before the call is sent out is UNACCEPTABLE!’

The union added: ‘This flawed system is never going to change without DANCERS TAKING THEIR POWER BACK! We MUST stand by the DA baseline non-union rates for ourselves as a community! But it takes EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US!’

However JaQuel Knight, Beyonce’s longtime choreographer, hit back at the accusations in his Instagram Stories.

The Dancers Alliance have accused Bey of paying low-rates (Picture: Getty Images)

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5yVlzDB9OD/

The dancer wrote: ‘@dancersalliance I refuse to let you guys come and throw dirt on this lady’s name. Someone who continue to provide not only opportunity but that at its highest level of excellence to so many dancers. So many artist in general, even on her “off time”…

‘Never have we ever asked you all to work for two dollars or below the “DA” rates. So for you all to go and jump on this bandwagon of emotional and self conceived notion of such low grade reporting is embarrassing, on your end.’

He added: ‘So please everyone find a new target,’ and urged the Dancers Alliance to produce evidence of the so-called low-rates.

JaQuel has worked with Beyonce for more than 10 years and is responsible for choreographing the Single Ladies and Formation music videos as well as her iconic Coachella headline performance, which features in the Netflix documentary Homecoming.

It’s not known which photo shoot the dancers were being scouted for, but it was reported in November that Beyonce was filming Brown Skin Girls music video in South London.

Metro.co.uk have reached out to Beyonce’s reps for comment.



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