Gee Thanks for the Notice

[MamaBelle4]

We finally got our invoice for dance costumes yesterday for our 3 girls in dance: $526.

I knew it was going to be pricey and in years past, it just had to be paid prior to the recital, which we've always more than accomplished.

Now it is due February 3rd. New policy change. 2 weeks notice.

Oh, and if we are late, it is a 10% fee.

This is the last straw with this studio. Thank God the two best teachers are leaving and have already signed the lease on their own because they're sick of the owner's foolishness too.

 

[mnrose]

Dance costumes are a major rip off. Ridiculous. I was so glad when my daughter got off that racket and went with a different kind of studio entirely.

I feel your pain.

Sounds like the owner of your current studio might be a little cash strapped.

 

[MamaBelle4]

Dance costumes are a major rip off. Ridiculous. I was so glad when my daughter got off that racket and went with a different kind of studio entirely.

I feel your pain.

Sounds like the owner of your current studio might be a little cash strapped.

It is so hard to pay $50/costume knowing they're going to wear it for 3 minutes. Not to mention the 2-3 pairs of tights I'm sure I'll have to buy per kid, plus the "right" color shoes and accessories.

 

[mjkacmom]

I got a text from dd's dance teacher that her dress was done, and i had to wire $3400 to ireland that week.

 

[firecracker725]

Dance is very expensive. My oldest took classes in a studio when she was 3, and we had to buy $200 worth of costumes that she got to wear for maybe 15 minutes on stage. They're now in the dress-up box being enjoyed by her little sisters. Now they all take classes at school from a private teacher, and their recitals are low-key and just as cute.

 

[Momto2minniemice]

Both my girls dance. My youngest I have always paid around $100 for her. Now my oldest the thing I love is they have you pay so much to start with at the start of the year. If your child is asked to be in more dances it is up to you. I think for my oldest I am sitting around $600 for the year. In addition to the recital each year, the following year they dance at a lot of different places and use the costumes for them. So I guess it makes it a little better!

 

[VandVsmama]

I feel your pain. My kids did dance classes for a year when they were younger. The 3 min performance at the recital cost me almost $400 in recital fees, site rental fees, costumes, and tickets. We switched to swimming after that.

 

[snoodledoo]

I got a text from dd's dance teacher that her dress was done, and i had to wire $3400 to ireland that week.

Jeez, now I'm glad DD never took up dance! And I thought club sports were expensive.

 

[mjkacmom]

Jeez, now I'm glad DD never took up dance! And I thought club sports were expensive.

It's Irish dance, a little different, but definitely costs more than ds's club soccer.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

The studio DD goes to charges $65 for a little kids costume and $75 for big kids. They let you know this at the start of the school year and payment is due in November. If you need to pay later, you may have to charge more for expediting charges. I haven't figured out if they are ordering from last season's catalog for a discount, or ordering super early for a discount,

 

[momto2girls]

One of my daughters dances too. Yes, these costumes can be ridiculously expensive, especially when you need to have a custom tutu constructed. Yikes!

However, everything is relative. My other daughter rides and shows horses. It makes dance look downright cheap!!!

 

[MamaBelle4]

Just to be clear, it isn't the price that bothers me. I knew it was going to be hefty.

No, what bothers me is "pay in 2 weeks or pay 10% more" when they already mark up the costumes a minimum of 20%. Especially since the policy used to be have it paid before the June recital. It's been this way for the past 4 years then they change it with no notice. I had planned on paying it over a couple months, now that's no longer a possibility.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

My 2 nieces (12 and 10) dance. The older one is in no less than 6 numbers, the younger one about 4 (they share 2 of them). The older girl has been dancing for 10 years, so she is now in "adult" classes, and therefore, larger costumes - but she's horribly skinny (I honestly think she's anorexic at this point - all the years I've known her, I've never seen her eat anything other than fruit and bread-and-butter). As a result, they order the smallest costume possible for her, but then they need to go to a seamstress and have it completely taken apart and re-sewn to fit her. 6 costumes.

Not to mention that the younger one, while she eats and her weight is normal, she's short for her age, so her costumes need to be altered for length. My BIL and SIL can't win.

 

[MamaBelle4]

My 2 nieces (12 and 10) dance. The older one is in no less than 6 numbers, the younger one about 4 (they share 2 of them). The older girl has been dancing for 10 years, so she is now in "adult" classes, and therefore, larger costumes - but she's horribly skinny (I honestly think she's anorexic at this point - all the years I've known her, I've never seen her eat anything other than fruit and bread-and-butter). As a result, they order the smallest costume possible for her, but then they need to go to a seamstress and have it completely taken apart and re-sewn to fit her. 6 costumes.

Not to mention that the younger one, while she eats and her weight is normal, she's short for her age, so her costumes need to be altered for length. My BIL and SIL can't win.

The way costumes are sized is a joke. Last year, my DD5's tap class, NONE of the costumes fit. They were tight on the privates and as a result the neckline stretched shockingly low.

And regarding your niece, do your BIL & SIL see it too? If not, perhaps delicately say something if you're close enough. My niece (14) is shockingly skinny, but she eats, not that most people know that. She doesn't like to eat in front of people. She's comfortable enough with me that she does, but when we have large get together with extended family, she doesn't

 

[leebee]

If they are serious about ballet, wait until they start blowing through pointe shoes every week or two, at about $100 a pair. Makes costume charges pale in comparison!

OP, I, too, would be annoyed with the policy change, lack of notice, and "late" fees. Do you have to pay a recital fee, too? I hate being nickeled-and-dimed to death, so I feel your pain. DD's dance studio wasn't too bad regarding costumes; studio owner didn't mark up costumes, just charged us the tax and a shipping fee (only one, not one per costume) to make sure her costs were covered. I used to work in her office and handled some of the costume ordering, so I know she wasn't making money on them. However... registration fee, recital fee? That's just squeezing your customers. Tuition should be covering the cost of running the business, and that includes teachers' salaries, recital costs, insurance, utilities, etc. Raise tuition $5 a month, but stop squeezing me for your business costs.

 

[MamaBelle4]

If they are serious about ballet, wait until they start blowing through pointe shoes every week or two, at about $100 a pair. Makes costume charges pale in comparison!

OP, I, too, would be annoyed with the policy change, lack of notice, and "late" fees. Do you have to pay a recital fee, too? I hate being nickeled-and-dimed to death, so I feel your pain. DD's dance studio wasn't too bad regarding costumes; studio owner didn't mark up costumes, just charged us the tax and a shipping fee (only one, not one per costume) to make sure her costs were covered. I used to work in her office and handled some of the costume ordering, so I know she wasn't making money on them. However... registration fee, recital fee? That's just squeezing your customers. Tuition should be covering the cost of running the business, and that includes teachers' salaries, recital costs, insurance, utilities, etc. Raise tuition $5 a month, but stop squeezing me for your business costs.

Yep, registration fee $20 PER student. For the pictures for the recital, sitting fee of $5/class/student. We have to buy tickets to the recital and this year they're planning on splitting to recital to two parts, the younger kids' classes then the older kids and the ballet. I'll have to buy tickets to both.

Oh, and last year I got there 4 hours before the tickets went on sale to wait (my mom is 4'11 and I stick her in the front row so she can see because the auditorium is not very sloped). The entire one side and middle front two sections (probably 200 seats) were completely filled by the "staff". Left 1 side and the back for all the parents. It was a joke.

 

[leebee]

Yep, registration fee $20 PER student. For the pictures for the recital, sitting fee of $5/class/student. We have to buy tickets to the recital and this year they're planning on splitting to recital to two parts, the younger kids' classes then the older kids and the ballet. I'll have to buy tickets to both.

Oh, and last year I got there 4 hours before the tickets went on sale to wait (my mom is 4'11 and I stick her in the front row so she can see because the auditorium is not very sloped). The entire one side and middle front two sections (probably 200 seats) were completely filled by the "staff". Left 1 side and the back for all the parents. It was a joke.

Oh that sitting fee burns my butt (and wouldn't that be uncomfortable, sitting on a burned butt, LOL!!!)! THAT's the photographer, sucking money out of your wallet! I'm actually surprised that your studio owner hasn't come up with the thought of reserved seating for recital. Our reserved seats cost $8 than general admission seats. No, thanks, I've given you enough money already! DD's studio has always had 2 recitals (one Sat evening, one Sun afternoon) and she was always in both recitals, so two sets of tickets. I finally started volunteering to work on the stage crew, just so I could see recitals for free!

 

[cabanafrau]

It was always interesting to see what those balances would show for the dance costumes. Back when my girls were dancing we paid $50 per costume deposit before Thanksgiving and then received balance notices in the spring. Because some costumes were handled by the ballet teacher and the rest were handled by the studio owner it was fascinating to see when the balances were asked for, when the costumes came in, what the quality of the costumes were like -- and just how big the balances were. Inevitably the ballet costumes were of much greater quality, came in weeks sooner and balances due were much less. It was obvious the studio owner was ordering costumes later and later and therefore premium rush charges and rush delivery charges were causing the tabs to climb -- along with how much she was adding on as an extra profit center for herself.

 

[MamaBelle4]

Oh that sitting fee burns my butt (and wouldn't that be uncomfortable, sitting on a burned butt, LOL!!!)! THAT's the photographer, sucking money out of your wallet! I'm actually surprised that your studio owner hasn't come up with the thought of reserved seating for recital. Our reserved seats cost $8 than general admission seats. No, thanks, I've given you enough money already! DD's studio has always had 2 recitals (one Sat evening, one Sun afternoon) and she was always in both recitals, so two sets of tickets. I finally started volunteering to work on the stage crew, just so I could see recitals for free!

Oh no, the sitting fee is payable to the studio. You pay the photographer separately. You're paying for the use of the studio, not the photographer's fee.

 

[okeydokey]

Just to be clear, it isn't the price that bothers me. I knew it was going to be hefty.

No, what bothers me is "pay in 2 weeks or pay 10% more" when they already mark up the costumes a minimum of 20%. Especially since the policy used to be have it paid before the June recital. It's been this way for the past 4 years then they change it with no notice. I had planned on paying it over a couple months, now that's no longer a possibility.

Wait, the studio marks up the cost to make money for themselves? Is this normal?

My Kids are in band and color guard and we pay what the item costs only.