how are choreographers paid?

[bart]

All those responses to the Dancer-Salary topic made me think: what about choreographers? Some are obviously on company payroll. But what about the freelancers?

Jerome Robbins got just $10 a performance for his first ballet, the huge hit "Fance Free." I assume the going rate is higher now. But how is it arranged: royalty by performance? licensing to a company? what? And how lucrative is choreography if a ballet hits it big?

[Leigh Witchel]

It's far less standard than for dancers - like authors, payment is according to perceived market value.

Everyone does it differently. The basic structure is a fee for making or setting a ballet with a license for a pre-determined time. Then (or as well) royalties per performance.

Even fewer choreographers make a living through choreography than dancers.