# Dance recital question - Does this sound right?



## mouso (Feb 8, 2007)

My DD (3 years) is in a ballet/tap class. It is very informal and a lot of fun and running around. Just what a 3 year old likes!

We signed up to do the recital and I know it has fees, and am OK with that, although some of the fees are causing other parents to complain.
$50 costume + $40 space + tickets (possibly 5-$15 each)- do these sound reasonable? I thought so, more or less.

Anyway, the teacher sent out the latest info on the recital and it said there was no still photography OR video taking during the recital.
BUT she is recording it so let her know in advance if we want to BUY A DVD from her after the recital.







OK, now I'm annoyed.
Really? Is it normal to not be allowed to even take a video or PHOTO of your child at their recital?
This ain't Swan Lake, this is a bunch of 3 y.o. kids dancing to a Kermit the Frog song.








Thanks!


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## annethcz (Apr 1, 2004)

Yes, this sounds completely typical to me. I find some of these practices annoying, but it's been the case for all of my DDs' dance classes, with the exception of a community ed program.


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## Tigerchild (Dec 2, 2001)

Aside from the "space" fee (not sure what that is?) that sounds typical to me. My DD has been in dance for almost 5 years now. The old venue for the performances had pretty draconian rules, they've switched to one that will allow NON flash photos, but no video. They sell DVDs as well, though they're cheaper than $40.

At first I was kind of happy that the photo restrictions were limited--until there were a million glowing screens from cell phones and digital cameras going all night. So now I see why that the other more professional theater had those restrictions.

People can be really rude while videotaping (I've noticed at school events). They act like no one but themselves is in the theater, which can be problematic if they're waving their camera in someone's face and having that screen glowing the entire time and there are many of them.

If you have a camera with an actual viewfinder and you suppress the flash, though, you can probaby sneak in lots of pictures without being rude though.







I wish I had thought of that when my DD was little bitty. OTOH, the photographer who takes the official slots gives away candids of the kids during the performance for free to whoever buys the official group pics, and her photos would be better than mine!









ETA: The DVDs and photos were basically fundraisers that helped along with ticket sales to pay for the venue. Though I don't really mind that the school gets the extra money, their prices are some of the best in the area, and the director and teachers kick butt (very gentle, non-competative, supportive environment, which is...a bit of a rarity outside parks and rec I've heard), and my favorite teacher just bought the school so I want to make sure she makes $$ so that it will be in operation for a long time.


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## Ornery (May 21, 2007)

This is how it is at my dd's recitals, and it has been this way since she started at 3ish.

Very annoying.


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## LynnS6 (Mar 30, 2005)

Totally par for the course and totally annoying. It's one of the reasons dd didn't do ballet this year.


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## Wild Lupine (Jul 22, 2009)

The prices seem high to me, but maybe that's a geographical thing. DD's dance studio doesn't allow video taping or pictures during performances ever since someone posted a bunch on the internet (and sold them) without the other parents permission.


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## verde (Feb 11, 2007)

Same where I am.


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## anj_rn (Oct 1, 2009)

Pretty on par, it is very distracting for kids to have cameras and videos going during a recital. We usually had several stationary cameras and a handheld during the recital, and then someone edited it and sold it, with any money going to the school.


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## One_Girl (Feb 8, 2008)

We take lessons through our community center so the recital cost is only $15 and the costume cost is $5 (or it may be the other way around). If you are taking lessons through a private place for a high amount of money then I think that the higher prices sound normal. I thought that $20 was extreme until I read your post though.


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

Sounds right for dance as well.


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## CarrieMF (Mar 7, 2004)

sounds about right here except we don't pay a space fee & the 3/4yo classes don't go to recital. There is NO video or pictures during recital, however at the rehersal the weekend before you can take photos. The only difference between the recital & rehersal is they are not wearing makeup(they're in costume & hair though).


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## crowcaw (Jan 16, 2009)

Yup -- almost exactly our costs. (x2 with twins)


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## daytripper75 (Jul 29, 2003)

Once you see how papparazzi some of the parents get at these things, you'll probably be happy with the no photography rule. My daughters school does a Christmas pageant each year and there are always a bunch of parents who think it is okay to set up a tripod in the first row and stand behind it. None of the rest of us wanted to see the pageant anyway...right? /sarcasm
This is a great opportunity to just sit back and enjoy your child without worrying about anything else.


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## hermionesmum (Feb 8, 2007)

Your fees do sound high!
We get the chance to observe classes at the end of every term for no additional cost and are free to take pictures at those. Every other year they do a show, hire the costume for between £5-10 and tickets last time were £5 concessions £8 for adults. No photos allowed but the DVD is available for around £12.

Maybe you could approach the teacher about observing classes periodically, do you get to bring the costume home to get a good picture after the performance?


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## mtiger (Sep 10, 2006)

Those do sound about right - might be a bit less or a bit more elsewhere, depending on the region, dance studio vs rec program, etc. Most performance-based stuff prohibits photos during the actual performance, although many groups allow photography during dress rehearsals. It does get very aggravating (not to mention distracting for all) when you have people jockeying for photo positions while you're trying to see your kid.


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## mamatoablessing (Oct 17, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *annethcz* 
Yes, this sounds completely typical to me. I find some of these practices annoying, but it's been the case for all of my DDs' dance classes, with the exception of a community ed program.

ITA. We're going on year 3 of dance with DD#1 (she's 5.5 now) and every recital has been this way. Fees, costumes, tickets, no cameras, etc.

But we always sneak in our Flip Video Camera. It's small and most people don't even see us recording.









ETA: they always let us video and take pictures during the dress rehearsals.


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## emma00 (Jan 14, 2003)

My dd's former dance school built all the recital fees into quarterly tuition payments - but if you broke it down, it was probably about the same. I don't really remember if there was a rule about video - but personally I prefer to watch the performance without trying to video / take pictures as I find that when I do try and film something that I end up not really "seeing" the performance.


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## dachshundqueen (Dec 17, 2004)

I pay $70 or so for the costume, $50 for the site rental. They neither have nor charge for tickets, that would really irritate me and it would be something I'd take up with the studio. If the studio isn't charging high enough tuition rates through the year to cover ticket costs, then they have a business plan failure. It's a big fundraising opportunity for them it sounds like. Boo. I don't like backdoor fundraisers.

Liz


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## mommajb (Mar 4, 2005)

The tickets plus location fee seem redundant to me. What is the ticket money supposed to cover?


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

I'm going on DD1's two years in dance, plus my own 19-year dance class career. I've never heard of a space fee, but the rest sounds typical for me. Our costume this year was 50, plus 20 each for the 10 tickets we purchased. And yeah, no video or photos is typical. It's not only distracting to the audience-- it's also terribly distracting, and dangerous, for the performers. Standing under stage lights, facing a darkened theater, a performer looking in the wrong place at the wrong time can be pretty close to blinded, momentarily at least, by a flash going off.

We get buy with pics at the rehearsal, plus pics before and after. Our school also requires that students pose for the class photo. You're not required to buy the photos, but they want every student in the class photo.


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## Phoenix~Mama (Dec 24, 2007)

It's the same at my DSD's dance school. You have to pay all that, a $10 ticket per person for the recital... I think the DVD was $25 or $30... we don't buy it, her Mom does.

And they have pics taken professionally at dress rehearsal that you can purchase packages of.

There is a lot of money involved with dance.


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## bec (Dec 13, 2002)

Just to add to the crowd. Sounds about right to me. We don't have a site fee, but costumes are between $30-$50, tickets are $6 each and we are not allowed to use flash during the recital, nor are we allowed to video. There is a DVD that is sold of the recital that we do purchase (around $20), and they do take professional pictures of them in their costume at the dress rehearsal. We are allowed to take pictures at the dress rehearsal, though, so you might ask about whether that is allowed (if you are wanting a pic of them on stage). It's a lot easier that way to get a decent picture because the audience isn't crowded and you can get way up close to the dancers, use flash, etc. Our program is from really little ones (3 years) on up through high school, which probably explains the strict rules. While it might not matter to the three year old set, the older kids work all year long on their dances, and deserve the respect and attention that any performance would be given.


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## mamalisa (Sep 24, 2002)

Stories like this are the thing that holds me back from signing my dd up for dance. She wants it more than anything, but it's crazy expensive when you factor all this in. Ds plays baseball on two different teams, there's a flat cost except gear. No admission to watch, no crazy rules on not being able to watch practices, so much easier and it costs a lot less.


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## ollyoxenfree (Jun 11, 2009)

DD danced from age 3 to 12. Your fees sound comparable - our costume fee was about $75, there was no "space" fee (isn't that what tickets buy?), and the ticket fee was $20 or $25, but it was a large, professional theatre that normally hosts Broadway-type shows.

The restrictions on camera and video were in place too. Honestly, I didn't mind. In our case, since it's a big theatre, we can't get a decent photo or video anyway from our seat. You aren't allowed to get out of your seat and crowd the aisles and stage for photos either. The purchased DVD is better quality than what we could achieve.

I also get annoyed with the paparazzi parents who attend events. Our ds was performing with his community youth band last month. One father set up his camera using a tripod extended from the back of a seat in the middle of the auditorium. He blocked the view of people sitting behind him for at least 3 or 4 rows. He ignored the complaints of people around him. We were about 2 rows behind him and ended up shifting down our row to get a better view.


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## shesaidboom (Oct 19, 2007)

We never had a space fee, but back in 1992 my family was paying $65 for each costume rental and $15 per ticket for dance recitals. The recital video was $25.

We had a no photography/video rule during the dances, however, at the very end of the recital all the dancers would come on the stage and parents were allowed to take all the pictures/video they wanted. I know for a fact that some parents snuck pictures and video, but most saved it until the end. I really liked this as even though it is nice to have pictures and video of your child dancing, it is very distracting for the dancers and for everyone around you. Even if you aren't using flash, imagine a theatre full of little glowing LCD screens! As someone mentioned, if you turn off the flash and the screen, and are using a camera that doesn't have that little orange/red light that focuses on the object, it probably would be okay to take pictures from your seat as long as you are discreet about it.


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## TiredX2 (Jan 7, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mommajb* 
The tickets plus location fee seem redundant to me. What is the ticket money supposed to cover?

That was also my only "huh" moment.


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## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

Yep. Totally normal.

The first year, I had a hard time with all of it too. But, A LOT of work goes into these things, and the studio doesn't make any profit off of this.

After a while, when I saw how much work these productions are, I started to appreciate them more. I miss it SOOO much now.


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## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamalisa* 
Stories like this are the thing that holds me back from signing my dd up for dance. She wants it more than anything,

If I had the money, and my daughter wanted it more than anything.. I think i'd give it at least one try. Or, i'd find a city run dance class that either has a recital in the classroom without costumes, or try it from August til January then drop out before they start the recital practice.

It can be expensive. Especially if you have a "dancer". It starts out with one class, then in a few years, it's four classes. (four costumes, two or three pairs of shoes.. etc) I never saw myself being a dance mom. But, it was the best experience my daughter ever had. She met these girls when she was six, and 11 years later, they are all still good friends. On Friday nights, she always had a place to belong. All the girls would go to dance, then hang out at the studio with the owner and the teachers. They'd eat pizza, and just goof off. We have awesome pictures of them growing up together.

But, yes... it's a huge financial investment.


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## JessicaTX (Jul 9, 2006)

It sounds like you are getting off easy!
Costumes for my girls are $84, the recital fee is $20, there is no flash photography or videoing allowed during the recital, and that dvd is sold for $20 and it's not a high quality copy or anything.
We can however video the dress rehearsal, and when you try to do that you can see why no videoing is allowed during recital. Moms are not nice people when someone is getting in the way of their perfect shot of their little angel


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## mouso (Feb 8, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *emma00* 
but personally I prefer to watch the performance without trying to video / take pictures as I find that when I do try and film something that I end up not really "seeing" the performance.

I was thinking that. I do want to be *there* and not trying to film so maybe this will be a good thing.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dachshundqueen* 
I pay $70 or so for the costume, $50 for the site rental. They neither have nor charge for tickets, that would really irritate me and it would be something I'd take up with the studio. If the studio isn't charging high enough tuition rates through the year to cover ticket costs, then they have a business plan failure. It's a big fundraising opportunity for them it sounds like. Boo. I don't like backdoor fundraisers.

Liz

That's what got me about the photos. I started to feel like, wait, a space fee _and_ ticket fees _and_ DVD fees- added up to a lot of money being made at our expense. And I wasn't complaining, until suddenly I couldn't even take a dang picture!

Oh, and I would never use a flash! Only a video camera or my DSLR that has a great low light lens. I would use the eyepiece on both.

But, anyway, it does seem normal so I am feeling OK about it all. Thanks everyone!


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## VisionaryMom (Feb 20, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *annethcz* 
Yes, this sounds completely typical to me.

Agreed. This was the standard for all of my (many, many) music performances as a child, and it's been the case for DC's as well. Some are annoying. Others are for very specific reasons - parents taking photos distracts children, too many flashes or red lights can be blinding when you're on stage, etc.


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## dancindoula (Jun 20, 2005)

Dance teacher and dancer here, and our next performance is in 2 weeks. We do three performances and need a night for dress rehearsal, so our $75 recital fee covers theatre rental, insurance, sound track, extra stage crew, printing, etc., etc. We also don't charge for tickets, though, because we want as much of the community as possible to be able to come. Parents are free to video dress rehearsal and take non-flash photos then, but not during the shows. It IS distracting to the rest of the guests and the fire marshal won't let anyone stand in the aisles, and it really is dangerous for the older dancers who can be momentarilly blinded/disoriented by the flash or red flickers. The DVDs are professionally produced, but we only charge $25 and it usually just barely covers cost - in the past parents have complained when we offered less expensive, less professional DVDs, so you can't win for losing. We no longer do professional photos because it's just not worth the hastle/money and most parents expressed that they would rather just take their own photos at dress rehearsal. It's not a scam, and in our case not a fundraiser either, since the fees listed JUST cover costs of the production. Plus, we do our best to work with parents to make the costs easier on everyone. But our productions are quite good, our school is non-competitive and supportive, and we love our students, so all these add up to being popular.


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## VisionaryMom (Feb 20, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dachshundqueen* 
I pay $70 or so for the costume, $50 for the site rental. They neither have nor charge for tickets, that would really irritate me and it would be something I'd take up with the studio. If the studio isn't charging high enough tuition rates through the year to cover ticket costs, then they have a business plan failure. It's a big fundraising opportunity for them it sounds like. Boo. I don't like backdoor fundraisers.

Liz

That's not true and shows a lack of understanding about performance events. At our winter recital, families often get 1-2 free tickets (depending on how things are going that year), but the studio is renting a space at $500 a night. It's the best space available for this sort of thing in our area. I know that I don't personally want to shell out more in tuition to cover the cost of $1500 in theater rentals for the Nutcracker. It makes far more sense that the studio charges $8/ticket for people who want to see the show than to expect the parents to provide the money for the show in addition to the time & talent.

If everything is built into the tuition costs, it creates a whole host of issues. First, the cost of tuition would be pretty high and probably would prohibit many parents from being able to send their children. In all except the strictest studios, children at younger ages do not have to perform in recitals. By spreading the cost of everything over the semester's tuition, you're charging parents who would opt out of the recital, and that is a poor business decision. Let's not forget, either, that it would be near impossible to calculate the cost of the tuition when you don't know how many people are going to participate in recitals. Costumes aren't cheap!

Second, the studio needs a way to make money through people who want to view creative content, rather than requiring the people who participate in the creative activity to cover all of the costs. If I go to a movie, I don't expect it to be free. I expect to pay to see it, and the same should go for live performance groups - whether they're 3-year-olds dancing to Kermit the Frog or adults in a symphony.


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## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mouso* 
Oh, and I would never use a flash! Only a video camera or my DSLR that has a great low light lens. I would use the eyepiece on both.

But, anyway, it does seem normal so I am feeling OK about it all. Thanks everyone!









The other reason for no videos is... Imagine there are two people in the row right in front of you, they each have a video camera, and they each have a child in the same class as your daughter. So, they want to video tape their daughter's performance, but unfortunately it blocks Grandma's veiw of YOUR daughter. So, now you paid for grandma to have a ticket, and she didn't really get to see her precious grandbaby dance, becasue the men in front of you wanted to tape it.

ALso.... Bonus information. Don't Yell "Go *insert dd's name*!!!" During the dance. Other parents want to hear the song and, it ruins the DVD.


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## CarrieMF (Mar 7, 2004)

Quote:

If the studio isn't charging high enough tuition rates through the year to cover ticket costs, then they have a business plan failure. It's a big fundraising opportunity for them it sounds like.
I disagree.

We have to pay for tickets. this year they were $18 for an adult & $15 for a child. You HAVE to buy a ticket for your child if your child wants to sit & watch after/before they're done(which has nothing to do with the dance studio but the theatre we have the performance at). The studio covers the rental of the theatre in the tuition, but if you want to watch you pay. We have our recital Mother Day weekend every year, 2 shows. Tickets go on sale a month before at MIDNIGHT & it's hard to get tickets a day later because they go so fast. The studio makes very little, if anything, on ticket sales compared to the cost of renting it for 3 days, using their video/sound/lighting/usher services, etc. It's not like they're charging $40 for an adult & $30 for a child like when Robert Munsch came.


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## sleepingbeauty (Sep 1, 2007)

I danced for 14 years (ballet/tap). This is pretty typical from what I can gather. I think it sucks though (the no video/pics rule I mean).


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## CarrieMF (Mar 7, 2004)

oh and I know a few people have mentioned how expensive it is for dance, but when you look at other sports they're just as much if not more expensive


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## Tigerchild (Dec 2, 2001)

Dance is expensive. So is hockey, music (assuming you eventually decide to buy your instrument, invest in one on one lessons, join an orchestra/band that travels, ect.), fencing, figure skating, some types of art (I feel this pain myself, with pottery, debating whether or not to invest in a wheel, hoo boy!), ect.

If you find the right studio and the right instructor and have the right kid (loves it) then it's worth the investment. You can choose to not participate in recitals, you don't have to buy the DVDs, and when your kid loses interest, then you can quit!









I wish my DD was interested in something cheap, like swim team, double dutch, or cup stacking (though for all I know those are $$ too!). She's not. She absolutely loves to dance, she wants to add another class next year (she takes two right now), it allows her to satisify kinetic and artistic urges, and she's sacrificed her Saturdays by her choice (even turning down party invites and being able to participate in other things like Girl Scouts, ect) since she was 3. To be honest, it's kind of annoying because I don't like all the extra driving/waiting around for me, I'm cheap, I really worry about body image with something like dance (but her studio has dancers of all ages with all kinds of body types, the director is kick ass and often talks about healthy bodies and how dance is for everyone, and they don't have any competition teams, so mollifies me a bit)...but for now this is what really fires up her interest.

That and...fencing.  Another freakin' expensive sport, but she's only just starting in that and won't give up dance for it, so I can hope the interest will wane.


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## mommajb (Mar 4, 2005)

Umm, swim team is not cheap. None of it is cheap, most interests/hobbies/sports/arts involve money and time on the part of the participant and those that care about them. I've participated in enough variety as have my children. Things only look "cheap" in the beginning when they are trying to suck you in. Even then if you are talking more than one person it won't be "cheap." Everything has a cost.


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## Tigerchild (Dec 2, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mommajb* 
Umm, swim team is not cheap. None of it is cheap, most interests/hobbies/sports/arts involve money and time on the part of the participant and those that care about them. I've participated in enough variety as have my children. Things only look "cheap" in the beginning when they are trying to suck you in. Even then if you are talkingt more than one person it won't be "cheap." Everything has a cost.

Yessss....and my point is that I don't understand why people complain about dance being expensive and not sports or orchestra or whatever. I get that the "dress up" aspect probaby bugs some folks, and probably the sports teams don't offer you a DVD of the season for $45 (though again, for all I know they do!). You can dilletante just about anything on the cheap, but if you become super involved, it just gets expensive. I don't think dance should be expected to be inexpensive, when really few things are.

Do people think that dance is just floofy or something?


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## mtiger (Sep 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Tigerchild* 
I wish my DD was interested in something cheap, like swim team, double dutch, or cup stacking (though for all I know those are $$ too!).

But that's the thing - most any activity, when done seriously, is not cheap. My son's best friend is a swimmer, and it's not a question of "here's a Speedo, go swim". There are transportation costs (not every HS has a pool), camps, clinics, instructors, etc.

My kid plays field hockey. It costs me a lot of money beyond the Fall season at school. Winter league, spring league, camp, summer league. They go to camps & competitions on the other side of the country. I pay a heck of a lot more than for a stick, shin guards, cleats and a mouth guard.

My other one is a musician. Lessons, instruments, comp instruction, etc.

Having involved kids is not cheap, regardless of what the activity is.


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## Tigerchild (Dec 2, 2001)

OKAY FORGET I EVER MENTIONED SWIM TEAM and please understand that my point was that I really don't see why people recoil at the thought of $$ for dance, when it's not all that much more expensive than other expensive sports or arts. BTW, did anyone notice that in my post I DID say "For all I know swim team is expensive?" Guess not. All I know is that our local swim team costs about the same as dance lessons give or take a few bucks, I assume that you rack up some extra $$ for meets both in travel (but no one is required at this one to participate--hmmm, sounds kind of like the recital doesn't it?). Swimsuits aren't cheap unless you buy cheap ones (maybe that's why I have to replace them about 3 times a year, which averages about half the cost of my dd's recital costumes. If she was swimming more, I'm sure I'd have to throw in at least an extra suit.) Can I reasonably assume that the swim team does not sell DVDs at $40 a pop? Do they charge admission to meets (our local pool doesn't). OTOH, you have to buy goggles, which could be uber expensive, maybe the swim caps with the team name are a ripoff in price, and then there's gas for transportation to meets, I bet they have some kind of fundraising booster club or something (most sports seem to) that hits you up for stuff several times a year. Though I bet that the pool doesn't have a no video taping or photography policy, only professional photographers allowed, so there.

In any case, the point was, I don't see why dance is singled out for being bad for being "expensive". Anything can be made expensive, it's the American way. And the more into it the kids are, the more classes/coaching you rack up, the more $$ you've got to spend. I don't see why that is shocking and unexpected for dance. But again, perhaps it's because it's seen as floofy and just a bunch of people waving tulle at each other (and people freak out over stage makeup and sequins).


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## mouso (Feb 8, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Tigerchild* 
OKAY FORGET I EVER MENTIONED SWIM TEAM

...in my post I DID say "For all I know swim team is expensive?" Guess not.



















I saw it. I know what you meant!


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## mommajb (Mar 4, 2005)

Tigerchild I knew what you meant. No harm done here. The more involved you are the more anything costs is what I was trying to point out in my post.


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## mtiger (Sep 10, 2006)

I also knew what you meant, as opposed to what you said. And no one said Dance is so much more expensive than any other activity. That's what I found so odd about your post. OP just wanted to know if what she was paying was in line with what other people do.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Man, I am all about the no camera rule. I would be more than happy to pay $40 for a well done video of a recital I sat back and enjoyed. What I don't like is juggeling a camera that cathes ittle more than the backs of a thousand other people with cameras.

The fees seem typical. Even for a small child. My friend had to buy a $40 make up set for her dd. when she was three. But it was all part of the experiance







: Part of learning what it meant to be a dancer. That was in addition to costumes, having hair professionally done, site fees, tickets (her dd had to be at 4 shows and she was only allowed something like 8 tickets total, if she wanted to accompany her dd to all four shows rather than just drop her off she had to purchase at least one ticket to each show which left four tickets up for grabs for the rest of the family) But then she had her dd enrolled in the swankiest dance school in town.


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## raksmama (Feb 20, 2005)

Since I am a dance teacher I might have different perspective than some.

I`d like to present another aspect of this to consider: Do you really want just any one you don`t know to film your child?

Most people, I know, are other parents who just want to film their own children. But what about others, possibly weirdoes who might post the pictures on the internet or post the video on YouTube?

Believe me when I tell you this stuff does happen!

Having some kind of restrictions on who can film the recital protects the performers. I will not perform in a recital if anyone can just film or photograph me.

Many schools will edit the DVD if there are mistakes (like someone falls on their butt. Do you want everyone to have this on film?). The DVDs are usually filmed fairly decently. By having the school film the DVD rather than just let everyone film on their own protects the integrity of the artists.

I think it is totally fair for the school to request no filming at the recital and then sell their own DVD afterwards


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## cedoreilly (May 21, 2005)

Sounds normal to me. My DD dances through the rec department. The preschoolers are not in the recital. It is $10/ticket. No kids 6 and under at the actual recital (they can go to the dress rehersal, though). The costume you have is cheap. One of my DD is $60 and the other $75 this year. You can video/take picture during the dress rehersal but not the recital. They do have a DVD of the recital for, I think, $30. I just tape and take a picture of all the kids in her class during the dress rehersal. They also have perfessional pictures if you want them done. There is no pressure to buy the DVD or have pictures done, though. The only reason they offer them is because parents requested them. I just figure in the recital fees when I am budgeting for her dance class at the beginning of the year.


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## Irishmommy (Nov 19, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jalilah* 
Do you really want just any one you don`t know to film your child?

What difference does it make if 20 people videotape your kid, or one person does and sells it to 20 people? That's still 20 people with film of your kid.


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## mandib50 (Oct 26, 2004)

totally typical. and i do have to say that at least where i live (because renting venues are much cheaper than mentioned), it bothers me to the nth degree to have to pay fees to watch my own child dance after i have paid her fees, bought her costumes, carted her back and forth and did all the required fundraising and volunteering.

instead of spending money on cheap certificates that say "world's greatest dancer" (yes, they also give these to the 17 year olds!) and a cheap medal with the club name as a "gift" to my girls for dancing, i would much prefer at least one free ticket to the show.

but that's me. and i'm done with our club ~ the politics and fighting that goes on behind the scene is ridiculous.


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## mandib50 (Oct 26, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Irishmommy* 
What difference does it make if 20 people videotape your kid, or one person does and sells it to 20 people? That's still 20 people with film of your kid.

that, and we are allowed to videotape during the rehearsal so the videos are still out there. i had a mother in my dd's ballet class who had bought a DVD and then went ahead and posted their group dance on facebook. so that video, taped by one person, is out there for thousands of people to see anyway.


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## raksmama (Feb 20, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Irishmommy* 
What difference does it make if 20 people videotape your kid, or one person does and sells it to 20 people? That's still 20 people with film of your kid.

If the School films the recital there is just more control.

There is no guaranteeing that someone won't still post the Schools DVD on YouTube, but I think they would be more likely to do it if it were their own filming.
Also, the school would be in more of a position to request that the film be taken off YouTube if the footage were their own.

As I mentioned before, the schools DVD will most likely be more professionally filmed than what the parents in the audience could film. The lighting and angles would be better and really obvious mistakes can sometimes be edited out.


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## Parker'smommy (Sep 12, 2002)

Yep, sounds typical. We don't pay the "space fee" though. Our studio rents a professional theater for our recital. The theater sets the ticket prices, not our studio. The theater sets the rules for no pictures/videos, not the studio.

For recital we just have to buy costume (70) and tickets (18). There are dvds for sale for $20, and a yearbook/program with tons of pics of the kids in it for $10.

BUT....we can take as many pictures/videos during the dress rehersal. Also, the dress rehersal is open, and free so I have lots of friends come to the dress rehersal to see dd dance for free...


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## CarrieMF (Mar 7, 2004)

Quote:

the schools DVD will most likely be more professionally filmed than what the parents in the audience could film. The lighting and angles would be better and really obvious mistakes can sometimes be edited out.
Ours isn't. The theatre tapes it. They will take the 2nd night's performance if it's better than the first night but there is no different angles ore anything. They tape from way back in the theatre & you can see heads. We pay $30 I think for a dvd. I still get it because I want a copy of my children dancing.

Even if we were allowed to tape or take during the recital I wouldn't be able to. The first night once my kids are done we head home, the performance starts at 7 & is 3-4 hours long depending on whether there is production that year too. In order for them to not be miserable trolls for their performance the next afternoon we don't stay.lol I stay backstage & help the backstage moms get the kids ready/occupied.

The next night we have tickets, but I stay backstage until shortly before my kids go on though this year it looks like they're later in the performance, right before intermission so I may bring them up with me & then take them back before they need to line up.

We have 2 dances between my kids & there will be talking in there too. Our studio does a play & the dance groups have a bit in it(this year it's Peter Pan). Once my kids are done then I go back & bring them out to continue watching. DH & my oldest usually leave at intermission.lol

Next year I'll have costume & hair changes to do. The parents are the ones who go back & do costume changes/hair changes, we don't rely on backstage moms to do it because they have their own kids to do too & sometimes there's barely time to do a hair/costume change before they're lining up again.


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## iamama (Jul 14, 2003)

My dd dance school charged about 30 for the costume and maybe 20 venue. The show is free to the public and a fundraiser for Haiti. We are free the photo and video as far as I know or you can buy a dvd and she also post it on her dance website!


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## TanyaS (Jun 24, 2003)

Our studio charges a $35 fee per family for the facility so that there is no need to charge for tickets. That is the only thing that seems unreasonable to me. I would rather pay the fee than ask family and friends to pay.

The DVD fee eliminates everyone using camcorders to record their child. It really does get in the way of everyone around them being able to enjoy the show. We typically tape our dd during the rehearsal and buy the DVD. Our DVD is recoreded by the local university and is usually pretty good. I am just prepared to shell out a little extra every May. We have photos taken in two weeks, too!


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## BethSLP (Mar 27, 2005)

our fees were even higher! I feel your pain on this.

DD just had her recital on saturday.

We had a $75 recital fee and a $75 costume fee. Tickets were $7 each (but we were given 2 free tickets). No video or flash photography allowed, but you could take non-flash pics. The DVD is $30. The professional photos were astronomically expensive. Most packages were $100+. I asked if we could buy the proofs and was told the first proof was $25 and each additional was $8 each. They had collage 12x12 pics that started at $60 each. They also sold flowers, medals, and trophies in the lobby. The other thing that irked me is that they have all the girls buy special tights (available through their website which gives a kick back to the dance school, etc.) Ridiculous.

We settled on a DVD and 1 rose for DD which she was perfectly happy with. She suffered actually through this whole process with a lot of anxiety about it, wanted to back out, etc. but felt very proud when it was all said and done. I volunteered to be a backstage mom so that she would not have to separate from me except for the few minutes they were actually on stage. Even still, it was scary for her. I am not sure what we will do about dance from here on out. Perhaps just the class and not the recital.

My best friend's girls take dance in Albuquerque and I find their class to be much cooler in terms of the recital. The kids dance to fun songs and have fun outfits. My DD's recital was themed CINDERELLA and everything was princess, bride, prince obsessed, etc. It was a bit Jon Benet and off putting. DD's class were dancing puppies which was fine, but many of the girls (age 3 and 4) were "little brides" and other weird princess themed stuff. My best friend's girls are dancing to BOOGIE SHOES and FUNKYTOWN this year. Last year, one was a monkey and danced to a medley of "hey hey we're the monkees" and "brass monkey." More my speed....









That said, we LOVE her teacher and the class is at a sattelite location (a gymnastics studio). Rumor is that the teacher is not happy with the way the dance school does things and is starting her own program at the gymnastics school. This teacher is fantastic, and I imagine a recital run by her would be much better. She's very down to earth and good with the kids. So I'm undecided as to what to do in the fall.

XOXO
B


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## ollyoxenfree (Jun 11, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BethSLP* 

My best friend's girls take dance in Albuquerque and I find their class to be much cooler in terms of the recital. The kids dance to fun songs and have fun outfits. My DD's recital was themed CINDERELLA and everything was princess, bride, prince obsessed, etc. It was a bit Jon Benet and off putting. DD's class were dancing puppies which was fine, but many of the girls (age 3 and 4) were "little brides" and other weird princess themed stuff. My best friend's girls are dancing to BOOGIE SHOES and FUNKYTOWN this year. Last year, one was a monkey and danced to a medley of "hey hey we're the monkees" and "brass monkey." More my speed....









B

The end-of-year recital performed by dd's dance studio was always a production of a fairy tale or a children's classic. They did Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, etc.

I had less problems with the "princess" kind of stuff (it is mostly little girls who begged for that stuff, after all) than I did with the occasional routine that incorporated suggestive and sexualized dance moves, even for tweens and younger girls. One year was particularly egregious and a number of parents pulled their children from the studio. I think they cleaned it up after that - but we moved away, so I'm not sure. I've seen it as a trend in dance recitals - one that's pretty disturbing.


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## ILuvMyBaby (Feb 24, 2004)

I am a dance teacher and this all sounds right to me. I have not heard of the space cost but maybe that is typical where you live.

It is very distracting to the children on stage with the stage lighting and flash camera and videos cameras to be going on and off.

Do you have a dress rehersal? That is normally where we allow parents to take their own pictures and video if wanted. The lights are on in the venue so they don't have to worry about all the bright flashes.


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## mclisa (Jul 26, 2004)

Those are our prices.

We can't take FLASH photography, but are can take pictures at the dress rehearsal without a flash. It's actually refreshing to just sit there and enjoy it by watching it and not by watching it through a camera lens.


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## Kidzaplenty (Jun 17, 2006)

That is about typical of our dance studio. I was dissappointed with the "professional" DVD's that were sold to us from our last recital, though. I think I could have done much better.


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

We're really, really lucky. We go to small school of the arts run out of a church. It's small, but decent. They have classes during the day for homeschoolers (although we attend the "regular" class), master classes, 3 recitals each year, and it doesn't break the bank.

The girls don't buy the costumes. They pay a $25 fee per costume each recital, and that's it. The teacher owns them and recycles them through the grades, and the fee covers dry cleaning and buying new ones as necessary. The recitals are held at the local high school and the cost is a recommended donation of $5 per family. They've never made a fuss about pictures or videos at performances, but you can also buy a DVD. I kind of wish they would take a stand on flash photography, because as others have said, it's not safe.

The costumes are fairly classic and not really anything fancy. Here's a picture:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...f&id=539102741
(my daughter is the little one with glasses in the front all the way to the right)

And the dance rehearsal:





I'll admit-- it's not as polished or super fancy or cutsie as other studios I've seen, but it really works for us.


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## RufusBeans (Mar 1, 2004)

Normal, even cheap


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