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Professional Standards
The establishment, and agreement to uphold, Professional Standards is the foundation stone of any profession. CADA/BC & CADA-ON are deeply committed to creating a lasting resource library of Professional Standard documents for the independent dance comunity of Canada. We recognize the potential of Professional Standards to dramatically improve the working conditions and socio-economic status of professional dance artists across the country.
The Professional Standards documents created by CADA/BC & CADA-ON have first and foremost been developed for dance artists to use in the workplace to create positive, respectful and productive environments for dance making.
In addition, Professional Standards serve the broader community and those who work with and interact with dance professionals. From arts councils to film directors, stage managers to corporate sponsors, arts managers to dance service organizations, charitable foundations to arts researchers, the Professional Standards created and upheld by the memberships of both CADA chapters will inform the collaborative process and support healthy working partnerships with fair and equitable wages.
BC Chapter's Basic Dance Agreement
CADA/BC is currently reviewing & updateing our Basic Dance Agreement contract template!
We look forward to presenting the new document in 2009. In the mean time, we offer the 2001 Basic Dance Agreement and recommend that all artists and engagers interested in using the document contat the CADA/BC office with any questions.
Download the BC Chapter's Basic Dance Agreement
CADA/BC is pleased to publish our first BC Professional Fee Standrds document.
Generated from national arts resources and membership statistics, this document lists a MINIMUM RATE as well as a Professional Standard Range in order to facilitate contract negotiations and recognition of the value of professional experience.
Download the CADA/BC Professional Fee Standards document
For CADA/BC members based in the lower mainland of British Columbia, there is a fantastic legal outreach program specifically aimed at artists & arts organizations:
The Alliance for Arts & Culture "Artists' Legal Outreach"
This program offers legal advice by donation and Pro Bono. Please click here to learn more about this service organization and this program!
Ontario Chapter's Professional Standards for Dance
CADA-ON Professional Standards for Dance, Version 2.0
This is a best practices document intended to provide basic guidelines for the members of CADA-ON in negotiating work agreements. PSD provides suggested minimum standards regarding hours of work, fee standards and working conditions and outlines rights and responsibilities of Dancers, Choreographers and Producer/Presenters in work agreements.
download here
PSD Version 2 includes the CADA-ON Agreement Template, Schedule A & B. You can download it also in letter size format here.
History
Learn about your history! Through the kind permission of Megan Andrews and Banff Centre Press, you can download Putting It Into Words: An Anecdotal History of the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists – Ontario Chapter’s Professional Standards for Dance here.
© Megan Andrews. This article is part of the anthology Right to Dance: Dancing for Rights, edited by Naomi M. Jackson and published by Banff Centre Press (2004). It is reprinted/posted here by permission of the author, editor and publisher. www.banffcentre.ca/press <http://www.banffcentre.ca/press> <http://www.banffcentre.ca/press> . For more information, please contact the author via the CADA-Ontario office.
download here
Further Resources
for dance artists who are also teachers!
Canadian Dance Standards Society: raising standards for Dance Education
Currently based in British Columbia, this organization exists to provide dance instructors with dance educatoin specific courses, materials, dance research publications, and guidance for developing your teaching practice to a truely professional standard!
the Canadian Dance Standards Society
for dance artists contemplating work in film, television, large scale theatre productions, and digital media CADA strongly recommends that the artist become familiar with the following organizations!
ACTRA - Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists
ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) is a national organization of more than 21,000 professional performers working in the English-language recorded media. We are self-employed artists working in feature films, TV, radio, digital media, corporate videos and commercials as dramatic actors, comedians, dancers, background performers, voice over specialists, singers, puppeteers, stunt performers - and more!
Founded in 1943, ACTRA's core mission is to protect and promote the rights of Canadian performers. ACTRA also works to raise the profile of members and pursues performer –friendly policies at all levels of government.
The Union of B.C. Performers (UBCP) is a trade union in the Province of British Columbia and the B.C. Branch of ACTRA. UBCP is dedicated to protecting the rights of professional performers in commercials, film & television, and animation to fair remuneration and the fundamental respect for their craft and artistry.
Canadian Actors' Equity Association
CAEA is commonly referred to as "Equity", it is a professional association for performers, directors, choreographers, fight directors and stage managers in English Canada who are engaged in live performance in theatre, opera and dance.
The business of Equity is to negotiate and administer collective agreements, provide benefit plans, information and support, and act as an advocate for its membership. Equity strives for fairness, integrity and compassion in all its endeavours.
for dance artists traveling to the United States to pursue work:
US Visa Fee
Fees for Visa petitions to work in the United States of America were increased in 2008:
- Fees for the regular I-129 petition for a non-immigrant worker will increase from $190 to $320.
- Fees for the I-539 petition to extend/change status (used for spouses and dependents) will increase from $200 to $300.
- Fees for the I-824 petition for action on an approved application or petition (usually used to request a duplicate I-797 notice of approval) will increase from $200 to $340.
- Fees for premium processing will remain the same.
A Visa application can take a MINIMUM of 3 - 6 months to process so please be sure to begin the process early!!
If you will be making the application personally, it is important to have as much support and input from your USA employer as possible - documentation of invitation, letter of agreement/letter of engagement, etc.
Please check the Artists from Abroad website for the most up-to-date information on artist visa processing!