The cost of dance - and why it’s worth it
Recently we had a customer bring his beautiful daughter into one of our boutiques. She was enrolled in one of her local studios and was very excited to be starting ballet. Unfortunately, all her dad could see was the dollars going down the drain. He talked about how the studio was just taking money, that the expense of class was over the top and the costumes and extra essentials (shoes, tights, leotard etc.) were just a money grab from the studio owner/ the dance store/ the costume company etc.
My heart broke for the little girl, but unfortunately this is not an isolated incident, it’s one we encounter fairly often in a dance store. I want to take a moment to defend both our industry and the many wonderful studios that provide the most magical experience for their students. But also to remind parents that when we reduce a child’s chosen hobby to just the expense of it (and how we think it is too expensive, or not worth it) we are telling our children that they are not worth it. In this particular situation, the little girl was around 5 years old – she was definitely old enough to understand the things her dad was saying about dance.
Dance teachers are a special bunch of people. They love their students like their own. They are invested in their growth and development and form special bonds with their students over the years of teaching them. Dance teaching is a career that is often discounted by those not in the industry, but in fact, on top of the many years of learning dance – most teachers also spend a few years learning the art of teaching, much in the same way that a school teacher learns about child development and lesson planning – dance teachers are also required to learn these things, along with a plethora of other essential skills required in the classroom like anatomy, safe dance practice, step progression and behaviour management.
For the short time a dance teacher gets to spend with your child each lesson, they have to pack a wide range of skills into their job, which usually extends beyond the studio for lesson preparation, choreography, costume design and music selection. Remember, like any professional skill – you’re not paying for the teacher’s time, but their expertise, their years of experience, and how they make your child feel every time they put on their dance shoes and their eyes light up. Much like when you pay $5 for a coffee – it’s not just the coffee you’re paying for. In dance, you’re paying for the safe and comfortable studio space that you child gets to view as a home away from home, you’re paying for the hours of lesson plans preparations your teacher has done in the lead up to the term and the professional development they undertake to remain relevant and qualified in this ever changing industry, and you’re paying for the special bond that your child and their teacher will form throughout the years of dance. As parents, we want our children to be happy, dance teachers also want this – it is at the heart of everything they do!
By now you have probably heard of the many additional benefits that learning dance can bring to a student. It helps them socially and emotionally, it helps to teach time management skills and problem solving skills, it utilities their memory in remarkable ways. Dance gives them a beautiful appreciation of music and movement and will be beneficial in any career they choose later in life (not all children who dance, want to become dancers – and that is perfectly acceptable, but they will all benefit from their time in the studio).
For now, I won’t compare the cost of dance to other hobbies your child might choose – such as soccer, horse riding or swimming – you’re parents, and you know the costs of these things, you already know that having children adds additional expenses into your family budget. But I do want to touch on the importance of the language we use in front of our children.
Imagine you’re 5 years old you’ve been asking to do ballet lessons ever since you saw Emma Wiggle dancing around and you’re finally allowed to begin. Imagine you’ve been taken to the studio and met your wonderful teacher and your mum or dad as been instructed to take you to the dance store to get your shoes. You’re so excited that you finally get to start! Now imagine that you’re in the dance store (or the studio, or the sports store, or the horse riding equipment store, or any number of places you might be to get your required items) and you can hear your mum or dad saying “that’s too expensive” or “it’s not worth it” or “the studio is just money grabbing” or “dance is too expensive” – or any of the number of things we think as parents. Imagine how that translates to a child of 5. What you’d be hearing is “I am not worth it”, “I am costing my mum and dad too much money”, “my lovely teacher who was so beautiful to me in class is just taking money” When we say these things when our children can hear, they are learning how we value their hobbies, their dreams and their goals.
It’s fine to think dance is expensive, or that soccer boots cost too much, or that your child’s hobby takes up more of your life than you’d like – but it’s not fine for us to put that weight onto our children.
Next time you get your invoice for your term of dance fees, or your registration fee for 6 months of soccer, or your child grows out of their tennis shoes remember what it is you’re actually paying for. You’re paying for their childhood, for the magical memories they’ll create, for the skills they will learn and take through later life and for the connections they will form. That’s why the cost of dance is worth it.
Happy Dancing,
Alisa
