Dance and/or Figure Skate moms

[mefordis]

To all moms of figure skater and/or dancers: how much do you budget each year for skating and/or dance for your girl or boy?

My daughter is 7 years old and I am blown away at how much we are spending per year now. I have to cut something, I know. Especially now that her sibling is turning 3 and I will have to pay for her as well!

At this age I'd love to have her pick one, skating OR dancing. However, I think it really helps to have that dance background for skating. Thoughts on this?

Any budgeting advice would be appreciated!

Thank you!!

 

[NYCDiane]

Figure skating is a great sport --- very expensive though! I would have loved to put my daughter in figure skating but we simply couldn't work it into our budget.

She did take dance. The tuition was $40/mo and the recital costume was $75. The tickets were only $10/ea. She only did dance for 1 season because we moved and our household expenses increased a bit. Now that things have levelled off somewhat, I'm thinking of signing her up for dance again.

She is currently taking acting/voice/movement ($650/year from Sept to May) and has been doing this for 5 years.

She is also in the local cheerleading --- talk about a budget buster!! $110 to register, $75 dues, $85 raffles, $100 fundraiser, and then all the other stuff you have to get: sweatshirt/pants ($30), sneakers ($50), leotard ($10), briefs ($8). Not to mention traveling to 4 or 5 competitions and having to purchase tickets for each one. She loves it, though, and I don't mind doing it since she's actually gaining a lot from it.

 

[mefordis]

Wow! Thanks for sharing the costs with me. My costs for my daughter for both figure skating and ballet/tap/jazz, hip hop, and a hip hop gymnastics class total about $4800 a year! If you'd like a break down I can do that for you a bit later.

I figured come September with my soon to be 3 yr old in ballet/tap the activities cost (along with preschool) will be about $7400. Yikes! My heart is racing.

 

[bigfish2215]

I skated for 13 years as a kid. I loved it. I also did tap just for a little bit. I had private lessons. I really don't know how much my parents paid for it. But they cut corners by buying used stakes from my coach and my mom sewed all my costumes and practice outfits. Some parents worked the snack bar to help with costs. I don't know if your rink does that. But, good for your DD if she likes it!! Its a lot of hard work to learn all the jumps.

 

[mefordis]

Wow, 13 years is a long time! You must be a good skater! Any advice to give to my daughter?

I skated for 13 years as a kid. I loved it. I also did tap just for a little bit. I had private lessons. I really don't know how much my parents paid for it. But they cut corners by buying used stakes from my coach and my mom sewed all my costumes and practice outfits. Some parents worked the snack bar to help with costs. I don't know if your rink does that. But, good for your DD if she likes it!! Its a lot of hard work to learn all the jumps.

 

[raenyny]

$4800 for the year you are lucky!!!! My daughter is 12 and an intermediate level skater costs are $45 per 30 min lesson x 5 a week = 225
15-22 per hour freestyle session x 10 a week = 200
1 hour private ballet for artistry per week x1 = 30
3 hours off ice conditioning = 99 per month

Total = $24,848

Then you have to add in the cost of skates approx $1200
practice dresses, pants, tights, jackets $600
skate sharpenings $12 x 7= 84
competition dress $300
competition fees approx $110 per competition x 5 =$550
Music editing $100

Total $27,682

Now you also have to add in coaches fees for competitions as well as coaching fees for testing, along with testing fees and club fees, dont forget traveling expenses if you are competiting anywhere that would require tolls or a hotel stay you are also required to pay the coaches gas tolls food and hotel stay of course this is split among all of the skaters competing at that competition...figure the total to be close to $40,000 at the intermediate level...not sure what you are looking for your child to get out of skating but it it not a sport for a budget minded family

 

[Kitzka]

I skated eons ago (20+yrs) for 5 yrs. I don't know how my parents did it financially but I remember when I got to a higher level and had custom ic skate boots without blades that were on the area of $150 back in the 80s!

DD dances competitively. She has danced for 10 years. I we spend between 6k and 10k for everything including clothes, shoes, costumes, fees etc.

It's a lot but worth it for us. She loves it.

Lara

 

[raenyny]

My daughter wears Reidell Gold Stars $650 boot and Pattern 99 blades $550...she has been in these blades since she was 9 years old first time we bought separate boot and blade she was in Bronze Star approx $300 for the boot...of course she is an adult size now at 12 and the childrens sizes are much less..LOL

 

[Phlip]

My DD dances Irish--you don't even want to know what that can cost...LOL
Tuition: $500.00 for the year, 2 weeks dance camp in the summer (special dance classes at the studio) run about $200.00. Private lessons are $25+ an hour. Soft shoes-1-2 a season abt $90, heavies-$185 -$200 only 1 per year, and when her feet stop growing we will just get them retipped.
Dresses-I make her solo dresses so I save there. An Irish solo dress is about $1200.00 to $3000.00 depending on what dressmaker your teacher wants you to use. School or team dress-$300 to $500 for us, other schools spend up to about $1200.
Wigs: we don't use one, DD has really curly hair-they are about 80 bucks and you can get about a season out of one.
Socks-we go through bunches of socks-$8.00 a pair.
Competitions-for DD's level about $50 each-she averages one a month or so.
DD only does one 'Major' competition a year and we can drive to it-about $500 - $600 for the weekend-hotel, entry fee, teacher fee, food, etc.
Add in the incidentals-snacks, gas, sock glue, number clips, makeup, crowns, jewelry, tanning (don't ask!) overseas travel and it can be very dear!
We are very lucky that we have a reasonable teacher--

 

[mefordis]

Well, regarding skating, our goal is for her to have fun but not trying to train her to be an olympian. We'll spend what we can and as long as she has fun, goal accomplished.

It sounds like the big bucks are spent when they start competing. I don't think I'll push her to compete, and she hasn't expressed interest in it. Just the private coach and free style classes. And our arena has shows they can take part in. That sounds good enough for me. I don't think she is the competitive type, anyway. There is a Theater on Ice group that I'm going to check out as well.

 

[drinkme]

DD12 just ended her skating "career" last year. I told her at her level, if she wanted to continue skating, she had to drop everything else because of the finances. Well, she really wasn't doing anything else because once you're into skating, it pretty much takes over your life! lol.

She chose to end skating. It's kinda sad when I think about all of those 5:30am practices she put in, and how hard she worked to get where she was.

At first, she cut back to just a few lessons a month because she just couldn't let it go. Now, she's needing to replace her skates and I can't see spending that kind of money to replace them. I guess her skating is really over! kinda sad. But she's working on new acitivities and she's fine with it.

Anyway, getting back to the OPs question. We spent so much money on skating. If you 're going to continue with skating, you will start competing. Then that's when it gets expensive. But you can definitely keep it simple and keep costs down to around $4000-$5000 a year. Once they start working on their axel and doubles, that's where you have to spend more on their skates/blades. And then of course, if she can land her axel, you are probably already competing and already paying big bucks! lol.

 

[mefordis]

Thanks for sharing your situation. I can definitely see it being sad for your 12 year old to stop skating. What benefits do you feel she received from skating? Do you think she has more self confidence because of what she accomplished? Do you regret any of the money spent?

So far my daughter hasn't even covered the Waltz Jump. They will probably get there by the end of the summer. She likes it but so far I don't see any exceptional talent there. I feel I have to see some talent in dancing and skating or anything really before I would spend the big bucks on her activity. Like I said, she is 7 1/2 now. Shouldn't she be doing more at this point?

A lot of times she is at the rink and wants to get off the ice right after her lesson unless she has a friend there to skate with. If not, I have to push her to practice. Should it be this way?

DD12 just ended her skating "career" last year. I told her at her level, if she wanted to continue skating, she had to drop everything else because of the finances. Well, she really wasn't doing anything else because once you're into skating, it pretty much takes over your life! lol.

She chose to end skating. It's kinda sad when I think about all of those 5:30am practices she put in, and how hard she worked to get where she was.

At first, she cut back to just a few lessons a month because she just couldn't let it go. Now, she's needing to replace her skates and I can't see spending that kind of money to replace them. I guess her skating is really over! kinda sad. But she's working on new acitivities and she's fine with it.

Anyway, getting back to the OPs question. We spent so much money on skating. If you 're going to continue with skating, you will start competing. Then that's when it gets expensive. But you can definitely keep it simple and keep costs down to around $4000-$5000 a year. Once they start working on their axel and doubles, that's where you have to spend more on their skates/blades. And then of course, if she can land her axel, you are probably already competing and already paying big bucks! lol.

 

[raenyny]

I wouldn't say its a confidence building sport many times it has been the exact opposite...what I would say is it has taught my daughter tremendous focus...From a young age her coach has asked her to set goals with timelines especially in the summer...like you said your daughter should have a waltz jump by end of summer...gives her a goal, something to work toward...the only real factor of age and where they should be has always been juvenile free by 11 you wanted to be out of that level by 12 (rules are by 13 but from what I understand that's changing this summer out by 14 I think)....In our local rinks you have to have a waltz jump in order to skate on the freestyle sessions so I believe my daughter had one at 4 years old and was working on her axel at 6 (but she was 3 when she started)...if you look at the competition applications you can kind of judge what level your daughter would be at without actually signing her up to compete....Local competitions can be a lot of fun for them and you will see other kids her age at her same level and also some older girls her same level they usually group them by age and everyone gets a trophy at those levels...my advice...stop there!!!!!

 

[lattemomof3]

My dd11 takes 3 dance classes a week- one is a tap/jazz combo class, & she takes clogging & ballet. She was just in 6 dances and the finale at last night's recital. My dd5 takes 1 combo ballet/tap class, so she had 2 dances/costumes in recital. Our total for the year including all costumes and classes was $1700. That really blew me away after I added it up. We live in a small town, and this is probably inexpensive comparing it to larger studios, BUT when I think how inexpensive every other sport/activity is in our town, I think it seems pricey. My dd's love dance, especially the older one, she's been taking dance for 8 years, so I guess the cost is relative to how much your family gets out of an activity. I did'nt include the cost of travel for 1 or 2 dance competitions a year, which we've just started doing. All 3 of my kids do ball in the summer ($30 total, including t-shirts), and ds and dd11 are in basketball camp next week for $30 each, including a basketball and t-shirt. Now, these are much shorter and less class/learning intense than dance, but it does make me realize if we were in a tight financial spot, the dance would be a (heartbreaking), but necessary thing to cut out.

 

[drinkme]

... was working on her axel at 6 (but she was 3 when she started)...

Holy Cow!!!!! My dd didn't even START working on her axel until she was 10. However she started late, she started skating for fun at 7 and then started competing at 8.

I would say once dd started competing it really changed her (for the good). It really did build her confidence. But once the competitions stopped being fun and started being too serious, it started getting stressful. I hated seeing how she couldn't do other things because we had to shell out MORE money for more lessons to keep her skating up. Plus, the stress level got to be too much for dd. She couldn't skate AND do other acitivities because it was too much for her. Some kids can do tons of activities, but dd just got stressed out over it So, she made the decision to take one year off from skating to try other things and she loved some of them and hated other things. I asked her last night if she misses skating and she says yes, but she's happy to be doing other things. She doing activities at her school with her classmates, which she LOVES.

She wants to start dance lessons in the Fall, but I don't think we're going to do the competitions. After reading these posts, it sounds just like skating!!! lol.

To the OP who said that her dd wants to get off the ice. That seems rather normal for now. Sometimes the advanced skaters can be a bit intimidating to the little ones. Just like everywhere else, there are the "mean girls" on the ice. So, your dd probably feels more comfortable working on her basic jumps when a friend is there. Pretty soon she will be the advanced skater, then you won't get her off the ice!

Oh, and I don't regret the money being spent on skating.

 

[mjkacmom]

My DD dances Irish--you don't even want to know what that can cost...LOL
Tuition: $500.00 for the year, 2 weeks dance camp in the summer (special dance classes at the studio) run about $200.00. Private lessons are $25+ an hour. Soft shoes-1-2 a season abt $90, heavies-$185 -$200 only 1 per year, and when her feet stop growing we will just get them retipped.
Dresses-I make her solo dresses so I save there. An Irish solo dress is about $1200.00 to $3000.00 depending on what dressmaker your teacher wants you to use. School or team dress-$300 to $500 for us, other schools spend up to about $1200.
Wigs: we don't use one, DD has really curly hair-they are about 80 bucks and you can get about a season out of one.
Socks-we go through bunches of socks-$8.00 a pair.
Competitions-for DD's level about $50 each-she averages one a month or so.
DD only does one 'Major' competition a year and we can drive to it-about $500 - $600 for the weekend-hotel, entry fee, teacher fee, food, etc.
Add in the incidentals-snacks, gas, sock glue, number clips, makeup, crowns, jewelry, tanning (don't ask!) overseas travel and it can be very dear!
We are very lucky that we have a reasonable teacher--

Ugh - I have to bring dd's solo dress to a seamstress (made for her last year - $2000) to see if it can be let down. She qualified for Nationals this year, but one of her teachers is judging, so she can't go, but is grandfathered for next year (last year was WDW, and she went, and recalled). Our privates are only $15, except when one of the teachers is flown in, and that is $70 per 1/2 hour. Dd's (brown) hair is super straight, so her (platinum) wig gets replaced every 6 months (teacher likes blondes - fortunately dd8 is blonde, so it's easier).

She did win first place this weekend! I really hope she qualifies for World's when they are in Boston! Talk about a big $ saver! Tuition is $130 a month for 10 months, $300 for 6 weeks in the summer, per child. I think it's a steal, with 4 classes a week. We only tan for Oireachtas and Nationals (and Worlds if we get there).

 

[momx2]

After reading about skating and dancing, I don't think I'll complain for awhile about my DD's soccer costs. WOW!! It does cost alot to go away for weekends several times a year, but $40K for a "sport!" Not happening in this house, omg!!

 

[arihillfarm]

Well, regarding skating, our goal is for her to have fun but not trying to train her to be an olympian. We'll spend what we can and as long as she has fun, goal accomplished.

It sounds like the big bucks are spent when they start competing. I don't think I'll push her to compete, and she hasn't expressed interest in it. Just the private coach and free style classes. And our arena has shows they can take part in. That sounds good enough for me. I don't think she is the competitive type, anyway. There is a Theater on Ice group that I'm going to check out as well.

Is there a roller skating rink close by that has a good figure skating program? Same thing as ice skating except on roller skates and usually is quite a bit less expensive because of the costs of maintaining an ice rink. The skates are about the same cost, maybe more and the comp. dresses are the same, but the overall costs for coaching and club practice times should be a lot less. Her skills from ice skating and dance would directly translate from one to the other, so nothing would be lost there.

I started out roller figure skating when I was 18 months old (both of my parents skated and were paired up as dance partners by their coach which is how they met) and stopped when I was 10. Picked it up again in grad school, stopped when I started my career and now still have my skates and go out every now and then.

http://usarollersports.org/figure-skating

-Astrid

 

[jgraney106]

My daughter who is now 21 years old, danced for about 9 years, and did dance competitions, so I know it can get pricey.
One of the things I did was help with the costumes. I traded my time for either a discount on the lessons or I got the cost of my daughters costume. Maybe the studio owner would be open to something like that to help you cut the cost of the dance lessons. Worth a try.

 

[tweedlemom]

My 2 boys dance hip-hop. $150 per child for a 3 month session. 3 sessions per year. Recital costumes for the girls are usually $75, but for my boys they usually just let me go buy coordinating shirt/pants on my own, out of pocket, which ends up being much less than $75 each. So, a little less than $1000 for the year total for both.