Assistance a performer likes to get (4)
I believe the answer is:
hand
'assistance' is the definition.
(I know that hand is a type of assistance)
'a performer likes to get' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'a' could be 'an' and 'an' is found within the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for hand that I've seen before include "Worker; pointer" , "Worker - penmanship - four inches" , "that may be engaged in a shake" , "See 12" , "Pass" .)