Ballet Recital Fees Question

[DebD4T]

At the dance studio that my DD's attend, the rehearsal fee is $7 per student.
Costumes run anywhere from $50 to $100.
Tickets are $14.
There is only 1 show. The school is relatively small (100 students).
We are not asked to volunteer AT ALL for rehearsal or recital. The director has family members, friends and previous students come and work backstage. We drop the student off at the stage door and we don't see them until after finale and awards.
I like it that way. I can enjoy the entire show.

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Here's what I expect parents to do and what I do myself.

Costumes

I find the costumes, do the measurements, the ordering, and find the 'little bits' that might need to be added to the costumes. I ask the parents to make sure the costumes truly fit (by taking in the shoulder straps), and to add the 'little bits'. For an explanation why, it's cost. I can get a basic tutu without adornments for $15 and for the extra $5 for bits to be added. If the parents does the rest, that's $20 for them for the costume. To buy a fully loaded tutu for a four year old, it's going to be at least $50, and the parent still have to adjust the tutu in the shoulders, length, and/or waist.

For costumes that belong to the school, it will depend on the type of costume. Simple leotard and skirt? Parents, please adjust the straps of the leotard so that they don't fall down. Complicated costumes I have a seamstress to do the adjustments, but that fact is reflected in a more substantial rental charge, since I have to pay the seamstress.

Sometimes parents are asked to make simple headpieces.

Volunteering at the show: I ask that every family provides one family member to do one thing. In exchange they get two free tickets. No volunteer? no free tickets.

Backstage moms are the most important thing to have, and the most difficult to get. I had a mom ask me one time why they had to do it. My response was that there had to be someone backstage to make sure the little ones are taken care of during their downtime, we could find babysitters, but 1) thats an additional cost that would need to be passed on to the parents, and 2) do you want strangers watching your children backstage?

We also need people to work the box office and refreshments. I gave up on asking dads to help with rolling out our dance floor. Instead I pay the high school theater techs to do it, with that additional cost being reflected in $1 raise in ticket prices that year.

I do usually use alumni students to help the older students with quick changes and gopher activities.


Thoughts
I have to say that anytime I ask someone to help out, I feel guilty, guilty, guilty. Like I am doing something wrong if I have to ask parents to help out. I keep having to remind myself of two things.
1- It's a long standing tradition, not only in the arts, but also in sports and academic activities, that parents help out.
2- Parents who are involved have children who remain involved. I usually know that a student won't be coming back the next year when a parent refuses (without good reason) to helping out.

Thank you for your input. What you are saying makes sense and gives me a different look into all the recital details. I must say that I really like your 'volunteer for 2 free tickets' idea. It's more incentive to volunteer and feels like your time is compensated with the 2 tickets.

What's different at our studio is that they make the parents feel guilty for not volunteering. I actually had a lady call me during dinner to repeatedly ask me to volunteer for another night in the dressing room after I've already signed up for one. She wants me to do at least 2. I explained that we have family coming into town for Thanksgiving (which is when the show is being held) and her answer was that my family wouldn't mind, they should understand. I do like to be involved and have volunteered in the past as well as this show but I don't appreciate the constant asking. They really seem to expect alot of the parents and many moms I know at the studio are completely fed up. Some are saying they won't do the Spring show because of it.

 

[Bunless]

Thank you for your input. What you are saying makes sense and gives me a different look into all the recital details. I must say that I really like your 'volunteer for 2 free tickets' idea. It's more incentive to volunteer and feels like your time is compensated with the 2 tickets. It used to be that every family got 6 tickets no matter if they volunteered or not. When the high school raised the rent, I had to drop it to four tickets (can you imagine the outcry from the parents?) then a couple of years later, dropped it to two tickets when rental was raised again. I started doing the volunteer in order to get the tickets last year after suggestions from the parents who are great about helping out in response to those who don't

What's different at our studio is that they make the parents feel guilty for not volunteering. I actually had a lady call me during dinner to repeatedly ask me to volunteer for another night in the dressing room after I've already signed up for one. She wants me to do at least 2. I explained that we have family coming into town for Thanksgiving (which is when the show is being held) and her answer was that my family wouldn't mind, they should understand. I do like to be involved and have volunteered in the past as well as this show but I don't appreciate the constant asking. They really seem to expect alot of the parents and many moms I know at the studio are completely fed up. Some are saying they won't do the Spring show because of it. Is there a parent who is in charge of the volunteers? Someone who can be a liason to the management? If so, I would voice your complaints to her explaining that you are already helping out, and that the constant hounding is making you reconsider the next show.

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[3prettyprincesses]

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The parent in charge of volunteers (actually there are 2) are the some of the ones hounding everyone. So I don't know who to complain to! I told them both that I was already helping out and their answer was that they hoped the show could still go on since they didn't have enough volunteers. I do want my DD to do the Spring show too but I'm already weary of the constant asking that I know will be coming again for that show.

 

[sneadae]

[/QUOTE] Thoughts
I have to say that anytime I ask someone to help out, I feel guilty, guilty, guilty. Like I am doing something wrong if I have to ask parents to help out. I keep having to remind myself of two things.
1- It's a long standing tradition, not only in the arts, but also in sports and academic activities, that parents help out.
2- Parents who are involved have children who remain involved. I usually know that a student won't be coming back the next year when a parent refuses (without good reason) to helping out.[/QUOTE]

Yes, I always felt guilty too. As a parent (also), my son and daughter have been involved in sports and other activities where parent volunteers are necessary, so why would the dance performance be any different? I always had to remind myself that if I tried to do every little detail, the show could never take place. I never had trouble finding at least one mom in each class to help out, but #2 above is entirely correct: if parents are involved, their children are likely to remain involved, and also, their children tend to do much better! I think if the parents show interest in their dancer and their dancer's performance, training, etc., then, in return, the school/teacher will show interest in the dancer and their family. It's no different than anything else.

To the OP: it does sound like your school has a LOT of volunteering needs. I'm sure your daughter's instructor/studio owner values your help! I know I certainly would. It's difficult to find parents to help out these days, simply because people are so busy.

 

[Bunless]

The parent in charge of volunteers (actually there are 2) are the some of the ones hounding everyone. So I don't know who to complain to! I told them both that I was already helping out and their answer was that they hoped the show could still go on since they didn't have enough volunteers. I do want my DD to do the Spring show too but I'm already weary of the constant asking that I know will be coming again for that show. I would try to talk to the director (or teacher, whoever you can get to). Sometimes the parent in charge can get a bit to aggressive since they are in charge. As a director, I have to find a parent who is very assertive to be in charge, otherwise they will be walked over. There is the danger of that sort of parent in the flip side, which it sounds like you are experiencing. If this was happening in my school, I would want the parent to talk to me (phone or email is fine too) to express the concerns. Then I could talk to the liaisons to make sure that they are not too aggressive and understand what is going on. After all, it will be affecting my business.

if parents are involved, their children are likely to remain involved, and also, their children tend to do much better! I think if the parents show interest in their dancer and their dancer's performance, training, etc., then, in return, the school/teacher will show interest in the dancer and their family. It's no different than anything else. Mantra mantra mantra, keep telling myself during this Nutcracker season.

To the OP: it does sound like your school has a LOT of volunteering needs. I'm sure your daughter's instructor/studio owner values your help! I know I certainly would. It's difficult to find parents to help out these days, simply because people are so busy. I agree! I was actually wondering if the OP is the kind of parent that we, as teachers and directors, love because they do help. Sometimes it's easy to take advantage of those parents and ask them for more than the usual because we like working with parents who will actually work with us.[/QUOTE]
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[3prettyprincesses]

Yes, I always felt guilty too. As a parent (also), my son and daughter have been involved in sports and other activities where parent volunteers are necessary, so why would the dance performance be any different? I always had to remind myself that if I tried to do every little detail, the show could never take place. I never had trouble finding at least one mom in each class to help out, but #2 above is entirely correct: if parents are involved, their children are likely to remain involved, and also, their children tend to do much better! I think if the parents show interest in their dancer and their dancer's performance, training, etc., then, in return, the school/teacher will show interest in the dancer and their family. It's no different than anything else.

To the OP: it does sound like your school has a LOT of volunteering needs. I'm sure your daughter's instructor/studio owner values your help! I know I certainly would. It's difficult to find parents to help out these days, simply because people are so busy.

To the OP: it does sound like your school has a LOT of volunteering needs. I'm sure your daughter's instructor/studio owner values your help! I know I certainly would. It's difficult to find parents to help out these days, simply because people are so busy. I agree! I was actually wondering if the OP is the kind of parent that we, as teachers and directors, love because they do help. Sometimes it's easy to take advantage of those parents and ask them for more than the usual because we like working with parents who will actually work with us.

Thanks ladies. I've volunteered for all of my daughter's shows in the past, I really don't mind helping out. My frustration came from being asked to volunteer even more beyond what I've already done and will do for them. It's obvious they need the help based on how much they've been asking. And I do have a hard time saying no and maybe they can sense that in me!

Regardless, I cannot wait to see my beautiful girl dancing in the Nutcracker! Ballet is her passion and I fully support her in it. She loves to show me all kinds of ballet steps and combinations at home too. Thanks for all the input!