$100 for a dance costume? Really?

[mom2binsd]

I work in the office at DD's dance studio and have an idea of costs etc...

Our studio lets the parents know at the beginning what color shoes they will need for the recital, so unless your child outgrows their shoes they don't have to buy new ones. We have a 50.00 deposit and usually I've paid about 20-35 more for a costume.

New tights aren't a big deal, depending on the costume they are either tan or pink, occasionally white, it specifies when the costumes are put up on the poster in the studio- we put up a poster with all the costumes pictured and specify what color tights and it shows how all the accessories/straps go etc. We sell Bloch and Body Wrapper tights for 10-11 dollars, they last forever.

Recital costumes are expensive, I've seen the catalogs, our studio doesn't mark them up but she does have to pay when she orders them and carries that expense. At our studio the recital is completely optional, some kids don't attend, either due to family vacations/other sports that conflict or choice, although I'd say very few skip the recital.

We also do a small Christmas show that is great for kids to get used to performing, it's in a high school auditorium, tickets are 5.00, costumes are a bit simpler, but still about 50.00 total.

Our recital is held at a large college auditorium, it's needed due to the size of the studio. need for a professional sound and light system. Tickets are 15.00. We have a dress rehearsal that two parents can attend and video tape. There is one show, and a DVD is available for purchase for 25.00, totally optional.

We do not require specific make up or hair up do's, just suggestions to put on blush/lipstick so that the dancer isn't washed out. Hair needs to be neat and pulled back off the face.

[katydid1971]

Lets see last year's costume was $75 plus $12 for the tights Plus $7/ticket and there were 2 performances so another $40. We did get to use her regular shoes. When I was a kid my dance teacher would spray paint our shoes for the show and then the next fall everyone would be dancing around in shoes with the spray paint falling off.

[elektra]

The costumes are a rip. Then add in the pictures, ticket costs, and you are out at least $150-$200.
Our studio does not require new shoes and new tights though- there is no way you could even tell if they are brand new or not IMO. I would skip the new shoes and tights for the show if your existing ones still fit and do not have holes.

[Snow mom]

We pay $55 for the costume and $75 for the recital itself. I truly doubt that it will be worth anywhere near that amount to watch DD dance around up on stage with the spastic preschool group for 5 minutes but it's not optional at our studio. Hopefully she'll enjoy it and get something out of it.

[sarahsthreads]

Wow, that's a lot! Our costumes for the littles are in the $50-$70 range and include the new tights, no new shoes needed - but there are specific colors we have to provide at the beginning of the year.

My older one is in a higher level class, where they require specific brands as well as colors of shoes, all of which are expensive, naturally. Her costume costs a bit more - I think last year it might have been $120? - but it covers three dance numbers. (So, it was a fancy leotard, plus a tutu for the ballet number, a different skirt for jazz, and tap pants for the tap number, as well as a hat for one number and some other little accessories.)

We do have a recital fee, but any number of people can attend the recital free of charge. I agree once you add in pictures (which we always buy) and the DVD (which I also always buy, since I'm so busy running them back and forth to wherever they're supposed to be that I don't get to see very much of the recital) and flowers, dance can get pricey. But it's pretty much the one activity either of them does that requires any specific cash outlay, and they both love it!

Sarah

[Hemlock]

We pay a $60 deposit per costume and they end up costing $75-$100 total. We are not required to purchase new tights/shoes unless a very specific colour is required (which has never happened in my daughter's class). This year my daughter will need 9 dance costumes

[dowlinal]

For ages 7 and under we pay $70 per costume, tights are included and ballet slippers are spray painted to match

For ages 8 and above it's $80 plus tightd which must be purchased through the studio for $10.

We don't pay a rectical fee, but tickets are @ $18 per ticket.

I have 3 kids dancing in 5 total classes and it's costing $390 for the costumes & tights.

[jent]

Thanks all for the input. So, it sounds like we are at the higher end of the range, especially for her age.

I think it's the new shoes (and likely new shoes/tights color combo) that really bugs me (I can understand insisting on good condition tights). I think for this age group, they could make an effort to keep things simple, and they could easily find cute costumes that work with the black tights and shoes that everyone in her class already has. It's not Broadway!

I'm new to all this-- I didn't take dance lessons growing up (my parents didn't have time or money). I was all for more low key dance classes at this age (like the Y) but most of those are mixed classes, and dd had her heart set on "real" ballet. She's a huge Angelina Ballerina fan, and loves watching ballet videos on YouTube. They haven't started talking about the show to the kids yet (or parents, until they hit us up for money) but I'm sure once they do, DD will be super excited and it would be a huge disappointment if I told her we were missing it.

I think the studio is just starting to bug me. DD wasn't even supposed to be in pre-ballet, she is old enough for the beginner ballet class. On the first day, DD was lined up with the other kids at the bar for no more than 2 minutes when the teacher took her by the hand and led her into the pre ballet class. Regular ballet is taught by the studio owner and accompanied by a live pianist. I don't know what happens in pre-ballet as there's no window to view that classroom. The teacher for that class just went on maternity leave and the class is now being taught by her assistant, who looks to be high school age to me. I think I feel like I'm being taken for a ride by this studio.

[kellij]

Our last year was something like $80 for the recital fee and $100 for the costume. It's so ridiculous! They also raised the class 5/month to 50. I kept asking DD if she "really" likes it a lot because if not, it's just all so ridiculous. She decided to do tumbling this year, she's 6.

The first year she was in it, when she was 3, she didn't start until Jan. We had to pay the recital fee, enrollment fee, costume fee and monthly fee. It was out of control. They didn't mention anything about certain type of show until the dress rehearsal the DAY BEFORE the recital! We had the wrong style, or something of ballet slipper. Like she had the little danskin slippers from Target, and they wanted the real ballet slippers. I had to find a place open on a Saturday and buy them for the one show FOR A THREE YEAR OLD! I was so irritated.

The owner of the studio just moved in our neighborhood to probably the most expensive house here, so it seems to be working out well for her!

[mom2binsd]

Did they tell you that they had to have black tights and black ballet shoes for class, I've never heard of that...almost all ballet shoes are pink and most studio's do tan/pink tights for class and recitals....that's pretty strange.

It sounds like it might be a good idea if it's possible to find another studio for next year.

Like I said earlier, they should have told people to buy the right color shoes from the start.