Re: [Organizers] Payout formulas

Our Thursday Night dance in Rochester is rather small - about 45 attendees on average. We charge $6 for members or students and $7 for non-members. We do not differentiate the band payment based on the number of members. The rationale is that in a smaller band, the members have to work harder to keep the constant flow of the music, so they earn more. Our guaranteed minimum is based on distance travelled. Local, Medium (up to 100 or so miles), and Far: Callers $30, $40, $50 Bands $75, $120, $200 We count the take at the door, subtract rent ($1.5 per person), and food, then calculate Caller = larger of (21% of remainder, or guarantee) Band = larger of (71% of remainder, or guarantee) In the summers we run at a slight loss, but when college is in session we break even. Extra money comes from memberships, donations, and the profit from our Thanksgiving Weekend Dance. Our group is also considering re-tooling the formulas. We would go broke if we paid what has been noted in other posts, so those dances must be much better attended. We are in a bind because if we charge more, we're afraid the attendance will drop - that would be very bad. One thing we're considering is to have an increased admission to cover bigger name bands. Does anyone have a varied price at the door, depending on the performer(s)? How does it work? Are the attendees agreeable? Bob ************** Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001)