$40 for a pair of TIGHTS????

When I dropped Leilani off at dance class, I got around to chatting with the director of the dance studio, which happens to be also Leilani's instructor. She asked me if Leilani's was trying out for the company next summer. "Well, I really wasn't planning on letting her try out till I start working, which should be in 2-3 years." Oh wow, she said. And then went on to explain how she wouldn't be in the same group with her friends since her friends will be more advanced by then....all that jazz. She told me what the expenses would be..$200 company fee, $45 per competition entrance fee (they do 3 a year), and the warm up suit ($175). She then explained that alot of the girls get this as gifts for Christmas.

I went home feeling bad that Leilani would be at a different level when we are ready for her to dance competitively and started thinking of ways we can probably swing it. Sure I can ask her Godparents and Grandparents for cash in leiu of gifts for her birthday and Christmas. But then I got around to thinking. This can't be ALL the expenses for the members of the company. So I decided to call my friend who's daughter just joined the team. "Oh yeah, they never tell you exactly what is involved until you and your daughter are wrapped up in it." Here are the other items that were not mentioned:

Additional Costume for Competitions: $100
tshirt and shorts-$45
Duffle bag- $65
Caboodles Box- $30
Makeup and hair accessories for Caboodles box- $30
Tan colored jazz shoes- $65
Rhinestone Tights- $40

And she added, that the very first time her daughter wore these $40 tights, she got a whole at the toes of it! No way! That means she has to go buy another pair of rhinestone tights at the tune of $40 a pair. Wow, and I thought that $12 for Leilani's tights for dance class were expensive! This doesn't include tights that they need for dance class, plus the ones that they will need for recital too.

This didn't include the cost for the day that you are at competitions, and add to that if you have to stay overnight.

Wow, what a wake up call! Leilani may just very well have to wait till I have been working at least a year or two instead of immediately once I get back to work. Who knows, maybe once she is doing the 3 classes a week next year, she will decide that she is happy with that and that would be good enough for her and she won't push joining the team.