Alexandra Busheva brings a unique dual perspective to the table. As a former principal dancer and performer, she understands the artistic and emotional demands of being in the spotlight. Now advising productions in touring, general management, logistics, and bookings, Alexandra shares her insights on balancing creative ambition with financial realities, the challenges facing performers post-pandemic, and strategies to create mutually beneficial solutions for both artists and producers.
1. Having been both a principal dancer and now a production advisor, how has your experience shaped your approach to theatre management?
Firstly, I’d like to thank you for the opportunity to be part of this interview.
Balancing both roles is incredibly challenging! It’s like being a diplomat between two completely different worlds. As an artist, you want to be fairly compensated for the years of hard work, dedication, and talent you have invested in your career. But as a producer, your priority is making the production work financially, which means finding ways to cover payments for artists, venues, crew, and the management team. The simplest way to do that often involves cutting costs on fees and salaries, which can feel at odds with the artistic side of things.
You also have to become more pragmatic and less emotionally involved in individual cases. For example, keeping an injured performer on payroll is a significant financial strain, especially when you also have to pay a swing for the entire tour. The easiest solution from a budget perspective would be to reblock the show and discuss the solutions with the creative team, but that also places extra workload on the performers without necessarily compensating them for the additional effort.
For me, the key is having well-structured deal memos and agreements in place from the outset. Being clear and transparent during negotiations and budgeting helps prevent misunderstandings down the line. When you are managing large productions with many moving parts, having solid policies and processes is crucial. They serve as both a safeguard and a reference point when challenges arise, ensuring that both the artistic and financial aspects of the production are handled fairly.
2. What was the biggest adjustment for you when transitioning from performing to working on the production side?
I wouldn’t say I had any major adjustments in terms of challenges. My background in performing and touring has actually been an advantage; it gave me a deep understanding of all the details that need to be coordinated, whether it’s legal, marketing, or management-related. Having been on stage, I know what exactly artists need, what can go wrong, and how to structure things efficiently to support both the creative and operational sides of a production.
3. How do you leverage your artistic background when advising productions on logistics, budgets, and general management?
Details are everything. You can’t just plan a tour on paper by making the numbers and schedule look good, you need a practical approach! This helps minimise unexpected surprises or last-minute demands from artists.
For example, you can’t simply schedule a late-night performance and expect artists to find their own way back to their hotel. It’s not just about convenience; it’s about safety. Many performers, especially ladies, may have heavy stage makeup, styled hair, and large bags filled with rehearsal clothes, shoes, food, medical supplies, muscle recovery tools, towels… the list goes on. Touring is more than just stepping on stage for a performance. It includes soundchecks, rehearsals, warm-ups, cool-downs, added matinees, interviews, press calls, and constant preparation. When managing logistics and budgets, I always factor in these realities to ensure that the schedule isn’t just efficient but also realistic and artist-friendly.
4. From your perspective, how has the post-pandemic landscape changed for performers, especially in terms of rates and expectations?
It’s interesting that we are still discussing the post-pandemic impact, yet we continue to feel its effects. The theatre and entertainment industries were hit hard: jobs disappeared, events were cancelled or postponed, and pre-production investments were often lost, as ticket sales couldn’t recover without a clear timeline for when things would return to normal.
During that time, performers, like many others, had to adapt to digital platforms, by offering online concerts, virtual classes, and leveraging their talent more as educators than as artists. But once the world started reopening, most were eager to return to the stage, often willing to compromise on salary and working conditions just to perform again.
And, of course, we know how the business world operates: when demand is high, costs are cut. With an oversupply of performers and producers trying to recoup their losses, fees and salaries were slashed. Unfortunately, this led to a long-term depreciation of rates, making it even harder for performers to negotiate fair pay now that the market has been reset at a lower value.
5. With budgets tighter than ever, what advice would you give performers on negotiating their worth?
There is only so much you can negotiate within the limits of a production’s budget. However, what is crucial is ensuring that your deal memo and contract cover all potential risks from the start.
For example, what happens if matinee shows are added? Is there a rehearsal fee on performance days? What if the tour or shows are cancelled, leaving you without time to secure another gig? How are injuries and sick days handled? And if you are asked to step into another role due to reblocking, are you compensated for the extra workload?
These details might not always be top of mind during negotiations, but they can make a huge difference in protecting your time, effort, and financial stability. Being proactive about these terms ensures that you are not just accepting a fee, but also safeguarding yourself against unforeseen challenges.
6. How can technology or innovative practices be used to bridge the gap between budget constraints and creative expectations?
Nowadays, there is great potential for the industry to adopt tools that other sectors have already integrated, such as automated platforms for casting, NDA and contract generation, payslips, per diems, payrolls, schedules, and tour books. Automating these administrative tasks could significantly cut costs and streamline operations.
I would love to see a global booking and touring platform powered by AI, one that could optimise routes based on logistics, venue availability, and deal structures. That would be a game-changer for production planning.
It is also exciting to see how productions are already using projections and LED technology as cost-effective alternatives to traditional set designs while enhancing the immersive experience. However, there’s still so much room for innovation. The challenge, as always, is the “chicken and egg” situation. Every technological advancement requires significant investment in R&D before it can be monetised.
