SAG-AFTRA and the producers of the Super Bowl Halftime Show have worked out an agreement in which “no professional dancers will be asked to work for free” as part of the show, the union said in a statement today.
The agreement, which comes after several dancers complained about being asked to work without pay, was reached after “open and frank discussions,” the union said. The agreement, however, will allow nonprofessional dancers to take part in the show without being paid.
More than 100 onstage dancers had been contracted and already were set to be paid, while the dancers who appear on-field are considered “volunteers” and, as such, are not subject to the agreement.
Michael Buckner/Deadline “SAG-AFTRA will be advising our professional dancer members that they should not be rehearsing or working on the Super Bowl halftime show without compensation,” the union said. “We are grateful to Roc Nation, their producer and in particular our member Jay-Z, for their collaboration and commitment to professional artists.
Jay-Z founded and owns Roc Nation.
“It is important to note that Roc Nation had always contracted for 115 paid SAG-AFTRA professional dancers as part of the stage show,” the union said.
“As a union, we believe all working participants should be paid and compensated for their labor,” SAG-AFTRA added. “Like millions of Americans, we are looking forward to this seminal moment in hip hop history.”
Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem and Mary J. Blige will perform during the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show on February on February 13 at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles.
