Stella Entertainment
Summer is in full swing! And there’s nothing like the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day for celebrating summer. As you plan your pool parties, luaus, company picnics and summer soirées, don’t forget about entertaining your guests, because let’s face it - entertainment can make or break the party. Why not wow your guests with live Hawaiian entertainment, hula dancers or fire performers performing to the greatest hits of Polynesia? If you’ve never booked hula dancers, let alone party entertainment for a corporate or social event, fret not. Check out our guide to booking hula dancers and fire performers for your next party or luau. And if you don’t have the slightest idea for planning a summer party or event, be sure to visit Round Up | Hawaiian Entertainment with Aloha Atlanta for party planning tips, outfit inspiration and even music ideas. In the meantime, if you find any of the tips helpful, be sure to LIKE or SHARE on Facebook or Twitter! Mahalo. :)
1. How to Book Hula Dancers | Set an Entertainment Budget:
If you’re planning a summer party or corporate event, creating a budget is the first step to ensuring your event is successful. If you’re an event planner, there’s the obligation of staying within your client’s budget. And if you’re planning a family reunion, graduation party or other social event, you definitely don’t want to run the risk of running through your own personal finances. But by carving out every part of the event, you can have an accurate estimation of how to make all the party planning pieces fall into place. And having an idea of how much you can expect to pay for entertainment is a crucial part of deciding your entertainment budget. To create a preliminary budget, you’ll want to skip forward to Step #2 and research possible entertainment vendors for your event to get ideas of pricing and rates, even if you aren't quite ready to book. With these early rates and estimates, you'll be able to compare them with your overall budget to see how much you can afford to spend on entertainment. And remember, the cheapest entertainers aren't necessarily the best.
2. How to Book Hula Dancers | Research Party & Corporate Entertainers in Your Area:
When its time to start researching hula dancers and fire performers for your party or corporate event, decide if you want to book through an agency, or book the entertainment directly. A reputable entertainment agency can guide you through the booking process which can provide a level of security if you don’t have experience booking entertainment. But talent agencies also add a percentage as a booking fee, which could also be well worth it if you live in an area with limited entertainment. If you live in, or near, a larger city with a stronger market for live entertainment such as New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago or Atlanta, you can cut costs by hiring your entertainment directly. These days, most entertainers are easy to find with websites, social media and online profiles. And by doing a little research, along with asking the right questions, you can decide which entertainment act will be best for your party or event needs. Here are some key questions to ask:
How many hours are included and what are their rates?
A two hour minimum is usually the standard for booking entertainers. But many theme party entertainers are flexible and can accommodate various event hours from 1 -4 party hours. But of course this will vary per entertainer and be affected by any other bookings they have lined up for your date.
Do the hula dancers have any overtime fees?
There are some corporate entertainers that will charge you for every single minute of overtime past their contracted hours. At Aloha Atlanta, our hula dancers are flexible and can accommodate you if your party times get slightly off. Life happens. And beyond that, our overtime rates come at a discounted rate so that your soirée is everything you could ever dream.
What time will the hula dancers arrive?
We’ve known some party entertainers to show up just as the party is starting, which is great when it works. But most days, there’s always some weekend event, or some unfortunate car accident that holds up traffic. You want to make sure you book performers that will arrive early and be set & ready to go at start time.
What type of wardrobe do the hula dancers wear to perform?
Consider what type of party you’re having and who your guests are. The show we perform as Aloha Atlanta for a nightclub is definitely not the same show we would perform for the Cub Scouts. And yes, we’ve performed for both along with church audiences in between. If your guests are on the conservative end, you want to make sure the performers’ costumes aren’t considered offensive to your party guests.
How many breaks will the hula dancers take?
You don’t want to waste your event budget on performers that take a 30 minute break when they’re booked for just one hour. And if you book hula dancers for multiple hours, they’ll definitely need a break for water, bathrooms, vendor meals & etc. The best parties have a natural flow to them, even when they’re strategically timed, so you don’t have to be a drill sergeant about time, but you’ll definitely want to make sure you have an idea upfront of how many breaks the performers will take, and for how long, so there are no surprises.
Do the performers’ have any performance or gig requirements?
Find out if the performers need a particular type of space to perform in, or if they need sound equipment, vendor meals or etc. You don’t want to find out the day of your party or event that the performers can’t actually perform in your space, especially when booking fire performers. With Aloha Atlanta, we have developed a flexible show that can be performed in a variety of event spaces from large stages to intimate backyards. Plus, we also have the option of providing our own sound equipment for smaller events.
Do the hula dancers provide anything other than the performance?
Having live performances to entertain your guests is a great way to liven up any party. And what’s even better is having instagram-worthy photos with the entertainment to post about all the fun your guests had. For social events like birthday parties, island themed engagement parties and summer family reunions, this can help create memories to be shared and treasured with loved ones for some time to come. And for the event planners or those hosting corporate events and charity fundraisers, photo opportunities with the party entertainment can be great marketing, while creating positive brand engagement and company loyalty. Ask the performers if they provide any photo opportunities with the guests, or lei greeting for the guests’ arrival.
How many hours are included and what are their rates?
A two hour minimum is usually the standard for booking entertainers. But many theme party entertainers are flexible and can accommodate various event hours from 1 -4 party hours. But of course this will vary per entertainer and be affected by any other bookings they have lined up for your date.
Do the hula dancers have any overtime fees?
There are some corporate entertainers that will charge you for every single minute of overtime past their contracted hours. At Aloha Atlanta, our hula dancers are flexible and can accommodate you if your party times get slightly off. Life happens. And beyond that, our overtime rates come at a discounted rate so that your soirée is everything you could ever dream.
What time will the hula dancers arrive?
We’ve known some party entertainers to show up just as the party is starting, which is great when it works. But most days, there’s always some weekend event, or some unfortunate car accident that holds up traffic. You want to make sure you book performers that will arrive early and be set & ready to go at start time.
What type of wardrobe do the hula dancers wear to perform?
Consider what type of party you’re having and who your guests are. The show we perform as Aloha Atlanta for a nightclub is definitely not the same show we would perform for the Cub Scouts. And yes, we’ve performed for both along with church audiences in between. If your guests are on the conservative end, you want to make sure the performers’ costumes aren’t considered offensive to your party guests.
How many breaks will the hula dancers take?
You don’t want to waste your event budget on performers that take a 30 minute break when they’re booked for just one hour. And if you book hula dancers for multiple hours, they’ll definitely need a break for water, bathrooms, vendor meals & etc. The best parties have a natural flow to them, even when they’re strategically timed, so you don’t have to be a drill sergeant about time, but you’ll definitely want to make sure you have an idea upfront of how many breaks the performers will take, and for how long, so there are no surprises.
Do the performers’ have any performance or gig requirements?
Find out if the performers need a particular type of space to perform in, or if they need sound equipment, vendor meals or etc. You don’t want to find out the day of your party or event that the performers can’t actually perform in your space, especially when booking fire performers. With Aloha Atlanta, we have developed a flexible show that can be performed in a variety of event spaces from large stages to intimate backyards. Plus, we also have the option of providing our own sound equipment for smaller events.
Do the hula dancers provide anything other than the performance?
Having live performances to entertain your guests is a great way to liven up any party. And what’s even better is having instagram-worthy photos with the entertainment to post about all the fun your guests had. For social events like birthday parties, island themed engagement parties and summer family reunions, this can help create memories to be shared and treasured with loved ones for some time to come. And for the event planners or those hosting corporate events and charity fundraisers, photo opportunities with the party entertainment can be great marketing, while creating positive brand engagement and company loyalty. Ask the performers if they provide any photo opportunities with the guests, or lei greeting for the guests’ arrival.
3. How to Book Hula Dancers | Finalize the Entertainment Booking:
Once you’ve set your budget, done your research and decided which entertainment will be best for your needs, you just need to complete the booking to guarantee the entertainment for your party or event. This process usually consists of a written contract or agreement with the talent, along with an invoice for your records. And most professional performers will require a deposit (usually 50%) to commit to your date. If you decide to book the talent directly (YAY to you for supporting small business) they’ll provide you with booking forms aka a contract and invoice. And if you book through an agency, they’ll provide you the booking forms on behalf of the entertainment. The contract should outline everything the performers will provide along with your agreement to pay your remaining balance on the day of the event.
And that’s it! Booking hula dancers isn’t as complicated as it may seem. With a budget in mind and a little research, you can book Hawaiian entertainment to take your party or event to the next level. If you’re interested in booking hula dancers or fire performers for your next party or event, be sure to check out Round Up | Hawaiian Entertainment with Aloha Atlanta. You may also like 21 Themes for Fire Performances, THE SUITE | How to Start Ballet as a Grown Ass Adult, or How to Host a Hawaiian Luau.
