Beyonce’s choreographer JaQuel Knight has hit back at claims the star underpaid her dancers for a recent music video shoot.
Beyonce was said to have posted a casting call for dancers, models and actors for an unspecified shoot and, according to officials at the Dancers Alliance (DA), performers’ union SAG-AFTRA discovered the dancers would be paid $250 (£190) per day instead of the DA’s baseline of $500 (£380).
“Dancers accepting these low rates for this caliber artist or any artist is UNACCEPTABLE,” a Dancers Alliance spokesperson wrote in an Instagram post. “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!”
However, taking to his Instagram Stories, Knight, who has worked with Beyonce for more than 10 years, rejected the claims, penning: “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 artists 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. So please everyone find a new target,” he added, urging DA chiefs to produce evidence of the reported low-rates.
Beyonce has not yet addressed the allegations.
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