Speaking as a hip hop dancer, it is really hard. Hip hop dancers are not looked upon as having the same styles that others do, or as having strong dance styles. Because there's no written syllabus for hip hop, sometimes the foundation that's already been set there is not seen. For example, when I was dancing hip hop at 18 or 19, I was getting $200 from a Canadian artist that I danced for. Fast-forward to 2015, and I have students who are still getting the exact same amount right now. That doesn't make any sense.
Do you understand how it's...? That's why, for me, hip hop is a little bit different, as are the people engaging in it. They love it. Hip hop is vibrant, it's alive, and a lot of people are gravitating to it. We'll see that at the opening ceremonies of the Pan Am Games. At the same time, the financial payout is not the same. Sometimes that's a hardship for any dancer. Most dancers already, if they even want to pursue Juilliard, have to....
You know, we all watch movies where they're waiting tables and doing their art at the same time. They're waiting for that big moment to become that big star. Well, with hip hop it's exactly the same.