AFL under fire over choreographer’s Grand Final entertainment casting call
A choreographer has put out a casting call for “volunteers” to perform at the AFL Grand Final, but backlash has erupted over performers being asked to dance at footy’s premier event for free.
Confidential
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The AFL appears to be dancing into a storm over a casting call for volunteers to perform for free in a “once in a lifetime opportunity” at the Grand Final.
A backlash erupted on social media after details of the casting call were leaked on social media on Sunday.
But the AFL said the call out was not intended for professional or paid dancers.
A choreographer who has worked on major sporting events, and TV, movie and musical theatre projects, put out a call for “volunteer performers” for “a large scale event in Brisbane on the 24th of October 2020.”
The AFL Grand Final will be played at the Gabba on October 24.
“For this large scale performance to take place we are seeking strong performers who are 15 years and over to take part as a volunteer performer,” the call out said.
“This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for them, as it will be the largest mass scale televised event of the year.
“All performers will be engaged as volunteer performers.”
The pitch added: “We want to keep this performance a surprise, so please do not publicise any information or footage on any social forums. It is important to us that we save all our hard work until the night of the performance.
“Any information or announcements referring to this event must remain confidential until it’s released through official media forums, which won’t be until a few days before the event itself.
“Post performance, performers will be able to share their experiences on social media platforms. Just to clarify, this is a large scaled choreographic segment, therefore we are searching for a large diverse group of performers.”
The first rehearsal was scheduled to be held on Sunday at a Gold Coast or Brisbane location.
Confidential has contacted the choreographer for comment.
The choreographer did not return phone calls or respond to an email asking for comment.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan moved to clarify the situation on Monday, saying the breakdown between paid and volunteer performers for this year’s pre-game entertainment was the same as previous decades.
“To my knowledge it is no different to what it has been in 30-odd years,” McLachlan.
“We’re checking this but apparently Nathan Buckley was a community performer in the late 1980s.
“I don’t know if anyone can confirm that. I’m not sure if he was flying a flag or wiggling in one of those inflatable things.”
McLachlan added: “There will be paid artists and there will be community volunteers. We will always facilitate the community to participate to come out – generally – onto the hallowed ground of the MCG, this year the Gabba, and it’s something we’re incredibly proud of.”
McLachlan said the public storm around the call-out for volunteer performers came with the territory of being “the biggest sport in the country”.
“My job is to explain it and be clear about it. People can have their own views,” he said.
“We’re proud of the fact we showcase and we pay the best Australian artists – and there will be all-Australian artists this year being paid to perform - and then we involve the community.
“Young children and adults who are community performers and they get the chance to be involved in being watched by 3-4 million people and that’s part of what we are.”
Social media lit up on Sunday, with most slamming the request for free dancers at one of the year’s biggest sporting events.
Actor Christie Whelan-Browne tweeted: “Australian choreographer asking dancers (who have lost pretty much their entire years wage in 2020) to dance for FREE at the AFL Grand Final because there is ‘no money in the budget’ for them, but it would be a ‘once in a lifetime experience.’”
Musician Samuel Gaskin also tweeted: “Reminding the AFL and any choreographers or creatives attached to major jobs; asking performers to work for free … (is) totally unacceptable.”
Elijah Ziegeler said on Twitter: “@AFL it’s fairly disgraceful that you’re requesting dancers volunteer at this event that makes you millions of dollars in revenue each year when the performing arts industry has been near ruined in Australia due to COVID.”
But the AFL said the call out was for amateur dance clubs and physie movement groups, and does not involve professional dancers.
In a statement, the AFL said: “As part of most of our major events, including our grand finals, we provide an opportunity for volunteers from the local community to be involved in part of our on-ground activations.
“Having volunteers or community groups involved in on-ground mass activations is something that we, and other major sports and major public events, have been doing for decades, and is in addition to paying professional musicians and singers to provide entertainment on stage.
“Having the community involved in our biggest day is important, and the choreographed activity that will be undertaken by hundreds of volunteers was designed to involve community members and amateur dancers.
“It was never intended or designed as a performance by professional dancers and no professional or paid dancers were approached to be involved in the segment.”
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