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Chicago Dancer Survey 2026

The origin of Chicago Dancer Pay Transparency Project is rooted in the belief that pay transparency gives dancers agency to make informed decisions about what companies they audition for. As dancers, we often do not know what compensation a job offers before auditioning which is unique to our industry. Even then, we may not know until/if a contract is offered to us. Almost every other industry at the very least offers a pay range in their postings and a run-down of their benefits.

Learn more about what happens with the data collected here
1.What Dance Company do you or have you worked for during 2026?
If you work for multiple companies, please fill out the survey separately for each company.(Required.)
2.Which of the following best describes your role in the company? Choose all that apply(Required.)
3.Are you designated as an employee or an independent contractor? An employee fills out a W2 and has taxes withheld from their paycheck.
An independent contractor typically does not have taxes withheld and receives a 1099 from the IRS. They will have to pay additional taxes on their income(Required.)
4.Are you paid an hourly wage? (e.g. you rehearsed 7 hours a week and were paid $15/hr versus a stipend where you're given a lump sum)(Required.)
5.If yes, how much are you paid per hour?
6.How often are you paid if making an hourly wage?
7.Are you paid a rehearsal stipend as a dancer for the company? (e.g. the company gives you a given a fixed, lump sum rehearsal stipend for the entire rehearsal period)(Required.)
8.If the answer was yes to the question above (if you are paid a rehearsal stipend), how much is the typical stipend in 2026? Please use numbers only to answer.
9.How often are you paid your rehearsal stipend?
10.Are you paid a performance stipend? (ie a predetermined lump sum that the company pays you per performance)?(Required.)
11.If yes to the question above, what was the typical stipend amount for a performance? Please use numbers only
12.How often are you paid your performance stipend?
13.Are you paid a flat weekly stipend (for example a company may pay dancers $100 a week not based on hours worked)(Required.)
14.If yes, how much is the weekly stipend? Please use numbers only for your answer
15.Are you paid based on ticket sales? (an amount that the company pays you based on a percentage of ticket sales)(Required.)
16.If yes to the question above, how much are you typically paid based on ticket sales? Please use number only or a range formatted like this "$100 - $150 per performance"
17.Are you paid with a salary? Definition: "Salaries refer to a fixed amount of money that is paid to an employee regardless of the number of hours worked each week"(Required.)
18.If so, what is your annual salary?
19.What benefits do you receive? Choose all that apply(Required.)
20.How many hours a week do you dance with this company?(Required.)
21.How many years have you worked for this company?(Required.)
22.Were you ever an apprentice, intern, trainee, or 2nd company dancer with this company?(Required.)
23.If so, how many years did it take for you to become a full company member?
24.How many years have you been dancing professionally?
25.How many companies do you currently work for?
26.Did you fill out the pay transparency survey in 2023 and/or 2024?
27.What other jobs do you hold in this company in addition to being a dancer for them? This could be teaching company class or teaching for their school, choreographing for the company, running their social media, helping with administration, etc.
28.Do you also work for independent choreographers and/or do freelance dance work?
29.If yes, how much are you paid per freelance project?
30.What outside jobs do you hold besides dancing professionally? This could be teaching at a dance studio, choreographing, social media, administration, dog walking, sales, service industry, etc.