11 Ladies Dancing - So how much do they cost?

[Ian Macmillan]

After a gap of some 20 years, The Times has today revived its costings of the various gifts bestowed in The Twelve Days of Christmas.  Overall, the cost this year would be £22,803 as compared to £14,837 in 1995 but, in real terms, this year's total is reported as less since, had the basket of goodies risen in price with the RPI, it would have cost £26,637 this year.  Thus "a diehard romantic spoiling his true love would be £3,834 better off this year."

 

There is, however, considerable variation in the comparative costings of the various items listed - and of interest here, "Dancers have benefited most from wage inflation while the poor partridge has dived in value."  This conclusion was reached by asking Equity to quote for 11 Ladies Dancing, drawn from first-year members of the Royal Ballet Corps, on a week's pay to cover the two nights on which they were billed to appear (nights 11 and 12, presumably), with time to rehearse and attend classes. In 1995 this would have cost £2,750 but this year that has risen to £7,236 a 166% increase.  (A partridge, by comparison, cost £3.99 in 1995 but just £3.60 today.)

 

The same Equity ballet contract in 1957, when my wife joined the then Opera Ballet, was signed by David Webster and paid just £7-10s a week. 

[Lisa O`Brien]

After a gap of some 20 years, The Times has today revived its costings of the various gifts bestowed in The Twelve Days of Christmas.  Overall, the cost this year would be £22,803 as compared to £14,837 in 1995 but, in real terms, this year's total is reported as less since, had the basket of goodies risen in price with the RPI, it would have cost £26,637 this year.  Thus "a diehard romantic spoiling his true love would be £3,834 better off this year."

 

There is, however, considerable variation in the comparative costings of the various items listed - and of interest here, "Dancers have benefited most from wage inflation while the poor partridge has dived in value."  This conclusion was reached by asking Equity to quote for 11 Ladies Dancing, drawn from first-year members of the Royal Ballet Corps, on a week's pay to cover the two nights on which they were billed to appear (nights 11 and 12, presumably), with time to rehearse and attend classes. In 1995 this would have cost £2,750 but this year that has risen to £7,236 a 166% increase.  (A partridge, by comparison, cost £3.99 in 1995 but just £3.60 today.)

 

The same Equity ballet contract in 1957, when my wife joined the then Opera Ballet, was signed by David Webster and paid just £7-10s a week. 

What, 1st yr RB Corps dancers earn £7,236 a WEEK?

[Tony Newcombe]

They wish!!!!!!!!

[toursenlair]

What, 1st yr RB Corps dancers earn £7,236 a WEEK?

 

for 11 of them, presumably. That would be the lords a-leaping, though, because there are only 9 ladies dancing in the version I know.

[SwissBalletFan]

Goodness, an interesting point Ian, however could we all get on the same page factually, especially when discussing a VERY important figure which is decidedly, that ballet dancers pay.

 

In the original song :https://www.carols.org.uk/the_twe1ve_days_of_christmas.htm it is  nine ladies dancing.

 

In the times article http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/price-of-true-love-falls-3-834-in-20-years-b9jk0sjgm it also quotes  eleven ladies dancing.

 

With the amount including rehearsals, and for all dancers....not so much, so please applaud and be generous to your ballet dancers this christmas

 

The phrase 'spurious accuracy' comes to mind especially when such dubious mathematics / economics is quoted to the penny.

Edited December 24, 2016 by SwissBalletFan

[Ian Macmillan]

Katherine: You got me thinking and a check with my Oxford Book of Carols tells me that, sure enough, I've always sung about Nine Ladies Dancing - and a further check with a Wikipedia entry reveals considerable change in the gifts given over some 250 years:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Days_of_Christmas_(song)

[zxDaveM]

Surely a partridge would have soured in value, as we have wiped out all but 5-10% of them compared to days past

[Quintus]

£7236 for 11 man-weeks of first year corps dancers would put them on £34K a year, which sadly seems unlikely - unless Equity built overtime into the figure they quoted

[SwissBalletFan]

£7236 for 11 man-weeks of first year corps dancers would put them on £34K a year, which sadly seems unlikely - unless Equity built overtime into the figure they quoted

 

I think if anything, I think the summer break and holidays  would have to be included into your annual salary calculations. Also, pension payments, insurances. 

 

The difference would be akin to what a consultant charges per day vs what an employee would earn in the same role.

 

[zxDaveM]

8, 9, 11 dancers dancing - gotta be at least a £3m bill if they were paid their truth worth surely!!

[taxi4ballet]

Are they also including the cost of pointe shoes and costumes?

[Melody]

Not sure if it's an American thing, but all the versions I'm familiar with have nine ladies dancing. The lords, pipers, and drummers are rather interchangeable though.

 

So however much it costs, it's only 9/11ths of what The Times seems to think it costs.

[taxi4ballet]

It is 9, no idea where they got 11 from.