Ballet Lessons

Ballet lessons? Or Business lessons? I got spoiled in Bozeman. The little dance studio where H took two years of lessons was a low key business with the slogan "A new approach to dance." I didn't know exactly what the slogan met. I do now and I so desire "A new approach to dance." H has abandoned dance for other pursuits, but K was anxious to start. Not wanting to do soccer and dance (she is only 4), I waited until October to sign her up and then my choices were limited. Most places were full. I found a "studio" less than a mile from my house and the fees seemed reasonable. Accept that she didn't tell me everything.

In Bozeman we paid, $40 a month for lessons and $32 for a recital costume. The recital was low key, free, and we could bring as many people as we wanted. The costumes were cute, but always something that could be worn to class next year. The classes were in a lovely second floor studio with old wood floors, walls of windows and mirrors. I've seen better studios, but this one was nice. The recital was fun with a break after the little kids performed so they could join their families to watch the older girls.

Here we pay $30 a month for the same length of class, $72 for a costume that will have to go in the dress up bin, $11 per ticket for the recital, and we have to hire a babysitter for backstage during the performance because she doesn't get to watch the older girls. I was shocked. Shouldn't all this be part of the up-front information? The owner says, but this isn't a recital is it a show, "The students need to know the performance aspect of dance." Please. K is four. She needs to learn vocabulary, to control her body, to use her body to express emotions, to have fun and to give a little RECITAL at the end of the year to show off what she has learned. Save the SHOW for the older kids who are sold on dance, who do need to learn about performance. And did I mention this studio is a cement floor in a basement with cheap Walmart door mirrors on the floor? There are only four little girls which is nice. I've called around and the expensive costumes, paying for the recital tickets even if you are the parents, seems to be the norm around here. I wish I was a dancer. I would start my own studio. Part of me wants to demand a refund and let K go do gymnastics with her sister. I don't appreciate hidden costs.

Is all this normal?