Concerns have been raised about the Super Bowl halftime performance as reports reveal that many of the cheering “fans” in the audience were actually unpaid volunteers.
An investigation by the Los Angeles Times uncovered that these volunteers were asked to commit to nine days of rehearsals lasting nine hours each day. A significant number of them were professional dancers under the representation of the same agency as the paid performers featured during the halftime show. The issue came to light when Taja Riley, who had been compensated for dancing in two previous halftime shows, criticized the NFL and Roc Nation, the producers of the halftime spectacle, for what she described as the exploitation of primarily black artists.
The request for volunteer dancers was communicated to individuals represented by Bloc this year. Bloc also manages Fatima Robinson, the choreographer selected for the performance. Robinson defended the decision not to provide compensation to the volunteer workers, stating that their role merely required them to “walk and chew gum at the same time.”
Riley questioned the extensive schedule imposed on the volunteers, stating, “If they are simply ‘concert-goers,’ why would they be required to commit to such a rigorous rehearsal period?” She suggested that a more reasonable timeframe would have been two days instead of nine. Additionally, she highlighted that if their role was solely to enhance the concert experience, they should have had a maximum of an eight-hour work week.
Given that dance artists typically work as independent contractors, they lack representation from labor unions. Out of the 500 dancers involved in the Super Bowl halftime show, only 100 are slated to receive compensation.
