#performingartsmatter

[danceinspirationboard]

A friend of mine who is a dancer, choreographer, business owner, and arts advocate in New England. Shared this link + some thoughts about why the fees? Why do we charge for your children to take dance classes....

1) In my opinion, it’s vitally important for parents to do their homework to make sure that they are bringing their child to a dance class of high caliber. You wouldn’t send your kid to just any academic school? or music teacher? You would research the backgrounds of the teacher, see a performance of their students/see what alumni do with their education, and make an informed decision if that institution is worth the money they are asking for. If it is not what you want, then shop around! Find a dance studio with a teacher you respect, who yields results that are important to you! 

There are many ways this could go down:

- You want your kid to win in competitions...

- You want your kid to be fit. Dance in lieu of athletics.

- Dance is your kid’s passion. Talk to them about the school and classes. Do they feel that they are getting alot out of it? 

When I was 11 I told my mom I wanted to find a better dance studio, I already felt like I didn’t have much more to learn from my teachers there... I didn’t want to compete, I wanted technique, to perform more, to go to a studio where the “big kids” were “REALLY good,” I wanted mentors that I looked up to. At 11, I knew the studio I was at was not giving me those things. I am so thankful that my mom respected me enough to ask me! Talk to me about it! And help me research new studios.

The one I finally went to was, WAY less expensive than the first one, and WAY better quality dance training, with options for scholarships, work-study, and payment plans for my parents. This was a huge turning point for me, as I never would have had good enough training to get into professional training programs elsewhere, and eventually become a professional. 

2) If you have an issue with how much lessons cost, but also say...

“My daughter shattered my dreams of being a dance mom when she was 5 years old and confessed she didn’t want to do dance anymore. Okay, I didn’t really want to be a dance mom. But the costumes were so cute, and have you seen a tiny hair bun on a 3-year-old ballerina?”

The Dance costume industry for kids is a racket. They are WAY over priced. And if you care more about how cute your kids look than their dance training then you should be paying top dollar for expensive costumes. The best dance studios I’ve attended or have taught at DO NOT CHARGE A LOT FOR COSTUMES. They are clever with budgeting and reuse past costumes. Because they know you can put a kid in something simple on stage and focus on the dance, and they are still just as cute... and they learn more. 

3) A quote from Callie Chapman (Boston, MA) -   “As a society that utilizes places like China to provide products at an unsustainable low price, we undercut services and products created in our local infrastructure causing failing businesses and lucrative businesses (which rely solely on locals for revenue streams). With no real infrastructure to bridge the gap, local businesses charge what they need to to support humans that happen to be your neighbor. Yes, we are more expensive than Chinese products you buy at DollarTree. Because we believe a living wage is important. And we are not large enough to offer anything for FREE. Because we know you are going to take and never return.”

“How to find more people who understand this? Please don't ever ask if you can take a class for free. There are real expenses including paying people for their time and worth so that they can at least cover the basics (like food and housing). Thank you for your understanding.”