I'm sorry, I can not give you EVERYTHING for free!!!!!

[Carnie]

true, but i think two mechanisms may make it seem otherwise:

First, this is the pointy-end of a trend (that affects myriad aspects of our lives, including but not limited to this one) that started in the 1980s. So folks thinking about the way things were before that might feel the sting of the difference more acutely than those comparing today to yesterday.

Second, the ramifications of that trend had, in the past, been buffered to some extent by each person's own realization of improved standard-of-living. While not everyone enjoyed that, during the 1990s, especially, it was the reality for a great majority of americans. Now, that buffering is gone, as we now have a reduced ability to bolster our standard-of-living through the exploitation and abuse of our relationships with arguably weaker international partners and adversaries. So things are just getting harder faster, and that's causing more people to engage in this sort of thing more often.

bazinga.

 

[bicker]

hehe... I prefer "tru dat"

 

[Carnie]

Tru dat!

 

[cabanafrau]

wow, that is crazy! I can't even imagine my dd's dance studio giving out coupons/free costumes, let alone all the stuff this lady wanted. the closest dd's studio comes to free anything is if you volunteer at the recital to work backstage, you get one free class the following year.

One free session or a free class for the following year? I'm thinking free session, which is still more than we get at our studio, which is nothing.

 

[BabyTigger99]

I teach dance for our local park and rec department (and have for the past 16 years). We run a 16 week program for $45 for city residents for the season, which ends in a recital at the end of the year. In addition to tap/ballet/jazz classes, we also offer pom pom and baton classes, which have an additional charge for poms or batons. I have already had parents that signed their child up for poms, and complained about having to buy poms. Really? It is an additional $14 for the poms for the year.

And don't get me started on costumes!! We teachers (there are 3 of us) try and keep costumes affordable. I try not to have my parents pay more than $50, which will cover costumes for both their routines. Last year I had a mom tell me that if I could not come up with 2 costumes for under $20, she was going to pull her child from class!!

Thankfully, for every wacko parent I end up with that wants everything free/dirt cheap, I have many other parents whom I absolutely adore and will totally sympatize with me!

 

[cabanafrau]

I'm so jealous of some of the bargains I'm reading on here I'm sure I must look like Kermit by now.

$20 seamstress fee? Our Nutcracker production tries to rely on past recital costumes, occasional simple leotard/skirt numbers plus reliance on a costume bank the studio is slowly but surely building up. With oldest DD in 5 numbers & younger DD in one, I'm still going to be lucky to come away w/ $150 in costume charges.

When DD is in opener or closer for the main recital, I better plan on $150-200 to accommodate the costume changes -- that's w/ a good sprinkling of thrift shop buying & if I can borrow anything from friends or family.

 

[design_mom]

I’m sorry she’s being like that. I think we’ve all met people like that.

Not to defend her, but maybe she’s legitimately confused. I have one neighbor who I think consistently embellishes what she spends on activities and things for her kids. (She’ll go high or low, depending on what she thinks makes her look best.) It would be very likely that she would tell someone that she got free registration, among other things, and that her daughter was so talented you were basically begging her to sign up. If I didn’t know her as well as I do, I might be confused if the studio owner told me she never gives free registration after my “friend” just told me she got free registration.

I believe my daughter’s dance studio offers a free “trial lesson” and pro-rated tuition. If a new student signs up from a referral, I think the referring student gets $10 off the next month’s tuition, but I don’t think the referred student gets anything extra.

As an aside, based on other comments: I will say, though, that I’m grateful to this particular neighbor who gave me some pointers on what questions to ask when choosing a studio. (This is DD's first year in dance.) I had no idea that there would be costume fees and recital fees, etc. in addition to tuition. I assumed it would all be built in to the price – and most studios did not include this info on their schedule/pricing sheet. By asking the right questions, I am confident I know what I’ll be paying for the whole year. However, if I hadn’t asked, I would have balked at the $50 costume fee, too.

 

[Maridw]

The studio I go to and help out at charges $75 a month. Our preschooler learn tap and ballet; our intermediate (grade school) class learns tap, jazz, ballet & hip hop. The older classes learn tap, jazz, ballet, hip hop, modern, lyrical, and pointe. If you have two kids enrolled it is $95 a month, $125 for three kids.

We have parents pay costume deposits in October, November, January, February & March - except for our preschoolers. They only have four costumes. Balance for the costumes is due in April. Our intermediate group did five numbers last year and the other students did from four to eleven numbers. For the other students we try to reuse costumes that we have used in a prior year to help cut down costs.

My BFF is the owner and for those students that are low income, she will try to do a scholarship for the tuition, but they still have to pay for costumes. We only charge a registration fee the first year you join the studio.

We the way everything is lately, she has lost students because some people are having a lot of difficulties economically. Bobbie is doing what she can to help her students without it affecting her too much, but there is only so much she can do.

 

[cm8]

Some people are always expecting something for free.

In my line of work for certain services we charge a fee plus a per page charge. I had a customer call and ask for records. This person was well known to me since he threatened to sue my company. But I am obligated by law to produce the records for him. Since he is such a PITA I waived the fee and just charged him the per page cost to keep him from making a scene. He kept calling a few times every day asking if there was anything I could do. Even though I told him I already waived a fee, and would keep the cost under a certain price he still kept on. I was so peeved. He fully expected me to do this for him at no cost so he could turn around and sue us with using the information I provide him with. UGH!

 

[momof1princess]

OP, i'm sorry you had to deal with this person. i pay $45 per month for 1 ballet class per week for DD13, and then there are recital fees, picture fees, dvd of recital fee, costume fees, etc. i have never, nor will i ever, receive any sort of discount, price break or free lesson from DD's studio. your students are very lucky.

 

[MELSMICE]

OP, i'm sorry you had to deal with this person. i pay $45 per month for 1 ballet class per week for DD13, and then there are recital fees, picture fees, dvd of recital fee, costume fees, etc. i have never, nor will i ever, receive any sort of discount, price break or free lesson from DD's studio. your students are very lucky.

Thank you.

We do have a mandatory performance fee of $30. We also have costume fees if you do not fall in the "new student/combo class" category. Everything else you mentioned is offered but not mandatory.

 

[SereneOne]

I'm so jealous of some of the bargains I'm reading on here I'm sure I must look like Kermit by now.

$20 seamstress fee? Our Nutcracker production tries to rely on past recital costumes, occasional simple leotard/skirt numbers plus reliance on a costume bank the studio is slowly but surely building up. With oldest DD in 5 numbers & younger DD in one, I'm still going to be lucky to come away w/ $150 in costume charges.

When DD is in opener or closer for the main recital, I better plan on $150-200 to accommodate the costume changes -- that's w/ a good sprinkling of thrift shop buying & if I can borrow anything from friends or family.

I think ours relies on past recital costumes, it is our first year so I am not sure. Our daughter is in first grade and is going to be a soldier. Now we also need to buy certain makeup, cold cream and hair gel, but nothing extreme. (By the way, anyone know what a true red lipstick is with no blue in it?)

I am excited and nervous