Anonymous wrote:DD is 3 and just started a ballet/tap class once a week. She loves it. They have just been measured for costumes for a recital that will be next year in late May or early June.
We have to pay for the costume by Nov 7th and if we pay late there is an extra $20 late fee.
The costume is $75!
This is madness, She will wear it once and then never again.
They do different costumes every year apparently so there is no way to pass it down to the class or for you to borrow one.
Is this normal for dance studios in this area?
It seems like a huge rip off, especially for the 3 year olds. I wish she could just wear her leaotard/tights.

Op- our studio is the same. We were told to expect between $50 and $90 per costume, to be paid in November. How much depends on what the teacher will choose.... We get 2 tickets "free" for the recital in May. I hope the costume will be something that can be worn again, like on Halloween, for example.
I'm well aware I could have chosen a community center ballet program instead and avoided all those fees and a recital......so I can't really complain too much. You do have a choice.

My take:
1. People can choose to spend their money as they wish.

2. It seems that schools are not making much of a profit on these costumes--some people never use them again, and some kind of like having them for dressup.

3. Serious ballet schools have minimal/no costumes for end-of-year performances, especially for the little ones. Some people like that approach, some don't.

4. I personally don't care for the gaudy costumes and butt-shaking "dancing".

Anonymous wrote:Well, considering the tuition of Maryland Ballet (and I personally have no issues with the cost) you are hardly one to lecture others about what they choose to pay for their kids' lacrosse or hockey or sparkly dance costumes.

You're right that there's no arguing with someone who lacks basic reading comprehension. I pay for quality teaching, not flashy appurtenances. Which is why we're at MYB.

Anonymous wrote:Well, considering the tuition of Maryland Ballet (and I personally have no issues with the cost) you are hardly one to lecture others about what they choose to pay for their kids' lacrosse or hockey or sparkly dance costumes.

I am the person who posted about growing up poor--this is not my post.

Well, considering the tuition of Maryland Ballet (and I personally have no issues with the cost) you are hardly one to lecture others about what they choose to pay for their kids' lacrosse or hockey or sparkly dance costumes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No kidding. My son is playing tournament tomorrow. Registration fees (~$100), uniforms ($40-50), his helmet is $170, gloves are $210, stick is probably about $200 now but the shaft/lacing/head are always in rotation so it's hard to tell. Cleats? Maybe $50-100. Did I mention club, coaching and clinic fees? That's around $1500-3600/ year depending on the teams, camps, clinics, etc.

Did I mention he is also a black belt in taekwondo? $80/month plus testing fees. We are on the long cycle with those now that he has achieved, but they use to be and extra $40 every 4 months. And I have three boys who all do taekwondo and lacrosse.

I must admit that I laugh at your $70/year tutu.

Two wrongs do not make a right, or weren't you taught basic morals?

Both of these are symbols of the extra-curricular insanity that's been gripping the US for decades. Coming from Europe, where after-school activities are much less popular, this all seems like madness. Plus, from a social inequality point of view, it's highly unfair to regard such extra-curriculars as a "must" when half the country can't afford them.

You are working from the incorrect bias that spending on your kids activities, be it dance or soccer or lacrosse or camping is evil or "madness".

It is not.

In the US kids activities are very popular and because of this there are extraordinary numbers of free or low cost activities so that those kids who can't afford them can still have opportunities to experience things like dance or baseball or music. You might not have that in whatever part of Europe you came from but we do have ample free and low cost kids programs here in the US.

Maybe you ought to educate yourself about what is available to kids in this country before you start jumping on that Europe good/America bad bandwagon. You just sound ill informed and arrogant.

Probably better-informed than you, my dear, but arrogant and superior, certainly And the xenophobic card is too easy. Try something else.

My kids are at Maryland Youth Ballet. What I like is that they are taught well and that the emphasis is on love of dance for its own sake, not for some inane sparkly show. I am willing to pay a pretty penny for quality teaching, not for a ridiculously overpriced costume and the idea that every tiny effort has to be rewarded with bravos and glitter. Don't get me wrong - performing in public is an important skill to learn. At MYB, parents go in on the last day to see what their children have learned, and at a certain level there are opportunities to audition for roles in various Nutcrackers - true recognition comes after sustained effort, which is as it should be. And there is no need to turn every occasion into a money-maker.

I just don't understand how people put up with this. Also many of these dances seems to involve zero skill, a lot of butt shaking and makeup. Not the lessons I'd want to teach a girl.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, 21:02, recital dances for three year old creative movement has zero things to do with technique. It is all about performance, lights, sparkle and being comfortble on stage. It is about putting on a show and entertainment value. The costume is part of the experience, and for most preschoolers the best part. There is no difference in technique at that age from the three year old at the ritzy competition studio, the serious traditional ballet conservatory, the bare bones community center program or the dolly dinkle studio. The only difference between the groups of that age is the type of show they put on and how entertaining they are, due to the physical limitations of their age. And a sprakly costume of flounce and feathers only adds to the performance experience, not just for the audience but the dancer as well.

If you are still that bitter and resentful you need to reevalute how you look at things. It is not a healthy attitude to have.

I'm only bitter when I read how buying $40 costumes plus paying a $50 recital fee plus charging family members $15/head for a ticket means that there are little girls out there with dreams to dance just plain can't because of businesses like those around here that insist that this is the only way. Not losing sleep over this in my daily life, don't worry.

You are wrong.

There are so many community center type programs which do exactly what you say you desire. They cost very little (parks and rec type prices), have in studio performances with simple or low cost costumes, etc. Some even have very flexible or lax dress codes depending on their target clients financial situation.

There is exactly what you say you want for those who do not wish to or cannot spend money on dance. There are also studio programs for those who want the dance experience and a real performance complete with theatres, costumes and sparkle. Then there are conservatory programs for those who are able to spend a lot of money and time on dance and competitive programs for those who want to make a car payment or more a month on dance.

It is not unfair that all these different types of programs exist, but it is unfair for you to expect that there only be the types of programs you want to or are able to pay for.

I'm actually able to pay for all of that now. I just choose not to. Not because of the cost, but ultimately because of the attitude of the people involved such as yourself. Did you see what you wrote above? A "real performance"? Those community center dancers don't have a "real performance"? Why, because you define a real performance as one with expensive purchased costumes and fancy stages?

It's not the cost, it's the attitude that keeps me away.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No kidding. My son is playing tournament tomorrow. Registration fees (~$100), uniforms ($40-50), his helmet is $170, gloves are $210, stick is probably about $200 now but the shaft/lacing/head are always in rotation so it's hard to tell. Cleats? Maybe $50-100. Did I mention club, coaching and clinic fees? That's around $1500-3600/ year depending on the teams, camps, clinics, etc.

Did I mention he is also a black belt in taekwondo? $80/month plus testing fees. We are on the long cycle with those now that he has achieved, but they use to be and extra $40 every 4 months. And I have three boys who all do taekwondo and lacrosse.

I must admit that I laugh at your $70/year tutu.

Two wrongs do not make a right, or weren't you taught basic morals?

Both of these are symbols of the extra-curricular insanity that's been gripping the US for decades. Coming from Europe, where after-school activities are much less popular, this all seems like madness. Plus, from a social inequality point of view, it's highly unfair to regard such extra-curriculars as a "must" when half the country can't afford them.

You are working from the incorrect bias that spending on your kids activities, be it dance or soccer or lacrosse or camping is evil or "madness".

It is not.

In the US kids activities are very popular and because of this there are extraordinary numbers of free or low cost activities so that those kids who can't afford them can still have opportunities to experience things like dance or baseball or music. You might not have that in whatever part of Europe you came from but we do have ample free and low cost kids programs here in the US.

Maybe you ought to educate yourself about what is available to kids in this country before you start jumping on that Europe good/America bad bandwagon. You just sound ill informed and arrogant.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, 21:02, recital dances for three year old creative movement has zero things to do with technique. It is all about performance, lights, sparkle and being comfortble on stage. It is about putting on a show and entertainment value. The costume is part of the experience, and for most preschoolers the best part. There is no difference in technique at that age from the three year old at the ritzy competition studio, the serious traditional ballet conservatory, the bare bones community center program or the dolly dinkle studio. The only difference between the groups of that age is the type of show they put on and how entertaining they are, due to the physical limitations of their age. And a sprakly costume of flounce and feathers only adds to the performance experience, not just for the audience but the dancer as well.

If you are still that bitter and resentful you need to reevalute how you look at things. It is not a healthy attitude to have.

I'm only bitter when I read how buying $40 costumes plus paying a $50 recital fee plus charging family members $15/head for a ticket means that there are little girls out there with dreams to dance just plain can't because of businesses like those around here that insist that this is the only way. Not losing sleep over this in my daily life, don't worry.

You are wrong.

There are so many community center type programs which do exactly what you say you desire. They cost very little (parks and rec type prices), have in studio performances with simple or low cost costumes, etc. Some even have very flexible or lax dress codes depending on their target clients financial situation.

There is exactly what you say you want for those who do not wish to or cannot spend money on dance. There are also studio programs for those who want the dance experience and a real performance complete with theatres, costumes and sparkle. Then there are conservatory programs for those who are able to spend a lot of money and time on dance and competitive programs for those who want to make a car payment or more a month on dance.

It is not unfair that all these different types of programs exist, but it is unfair for you to expect that there only be the types of programs you want to or are able to pay for.

Anonymous wrote:

No kidding. My son is playing tournament tomorrow. Registration fees (~$100), uniforms ($40-50), his helmet is $170, gloves are $210, stick is probably about $200 now but the shaft/lacing/head are always in rotation so it's hard to tell. Cleats? Maybe $50-100. Did I mention club, coaching and clinic fees? That's around $1500-3600/ year depending on the teams, camps, clinics, etc.

Did I mention he is also a black belt in taekwondo? $80/month plus testing fees. We are on the long cycle with those now that he has achieved, but they use to be and extra $40 every 4 months. And I have three boys who all do taekwondo and lacrosse.

I must admit that I laugh at your $70/year tutu.

Two wrongs do not make a right, or weren't you taught basic morals?

Both of these are symbols of the extra-curricular insanity that's been gripping the US for decades. Coming from Europe, where after-school activities are much less popular, this all seems like madness. Plus, from a social inequality point of view, it's highly unfair to regard such extra-curriculars as a "must" when half the country can't afford them.

Anonymous wrote:No, 21:02, recital dances for three year old creative movement has zero things to do with technique. It is all about performance, lights, sparkle and being comfortble on stage. It is about putting on a show and entertainment value. The costume is part of the experience, and for most preschoolers the best part. There is no difference in technique at that age from the three year old at the ritzy competition studio, the serious traditional ballet conservatory, the bare bones community center program or the dolly dinkle studio. The only difference between the groups of that age is the type of show they put on and how entertaining they are, due to the physical limitations of their age. And a sprakly costume of flounce and feathers only adds to the performance experience, not just for the audience but the dancer as well.

If you are still that bitter and resentful you need to reevalute how you look at things. It is not a healthy attitude to have.

I'm only bitter when I read how buying $40 costumes plus paying a $50 recital fee plus charging family members $15/head for a ticket means that there are little girls out there with dreams to dance just plain can't because of businesses like those around here that insist that this is the only way. Not losing sleep over this in my daily life, don't worry.

No, 21:02, recital dances for three year old creative movement has zero things to do with technique. It is all about performance, lights, sparkle and being comfortble on stage. It is about putting on a show and entertainment value. The costume is part of the experience, and for most preschoolers the best part. There is no difference in technique at that age from the three year old at the ritzy competition studio, the serious traditional ballet conservatory, the bare bones community center program or the dolly dinkle studio. The only difference between the groups of that age is the type of show they put on and how entertaining they are, due to the physical limitations of their age. And a sprakly costume of flounce and feathers only adds to the performance experience, not just for the audience but the dancer as well.

If you are still that bitter and resentful you need to reevalute how you look at things. It is not a healthy attitude to have.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't these kids wear their leotards for the recitals? All the markups are ridiculous.

Because it is not entertaining or special to just go onstage in your classwear, especially at that age.

Why do soccer players need to bother with matching uniforms? Can't they just play in whatever they have at home?

The mark ups are not stupid. They are actually minimal. And, they are a business, not a volunteer activity or a charity.

Um, so you know which team the kid you're passing to is on? My kid is in soccer and they have cheap matching t shirts. There's no new outfit for the last match. Don't worry, we have no plans of joining the "travel team" which everyone around here seems to be elite enough to join (and wealthy enough to pay for). Martial arts and their constant funding of belt tests annoys me as much as the recital costumes.

Honestly it WOULD be entertaining to see a group of children dancing their recital pieces without the sparkly outfits, hairsprayed hair and makeup. Especially in the younger years. It's become so much of a fashion show and less about the art of dance. I go to my niece's recitals and you can tell they are proud, but wouldn't they be just as proud in their leotard and a new tutu that can be passed from class to class?

It's all about separating the haves with the have nots. I'm bitter because growing up we had very little money, so I couldn't participate in any single extra curricular activity until 9th grade. All my friends took dance and sports and I was jealous. Why must we continue to hold back the kids who are just unfortunate to not be born to middle class or upper class parents?

Anonymous wrote:Why can't these kids wear their leotards for the recitals? All the markups are ridiculous.

Because it is not entertaining or special to just go onstage in your classwear, especially at that age.

Why do soccer players need to bother with matching uniforms? Can't they just play in whatever they have at home?

The mark ups are not stupid. They are actually minimal. And, they are a business, not a volunteer activity or a charity.