Loosely H&FR: How much would you pay for kids dance lessons?

[Brit]

(Sorry for the lame question, you are my 'home' board)

Brought to you by getting my first bill for DD's ballet classes.

Back story: DD came home from daycare last month saying that all of the girls (and her Russian boyfriend) go to ballet during the day and she is left with the boys. I asked if she wanted to go also, she said 'yes, I'm a girl too'. --> Heart melted --> I asked for DD to go to ballet too

Possibly important facts:
High COL area
It is super convenient because the teacher comes to the daycare
I danced until I left for college
DD is a girl too

The class is 2x per week. How much would you be willing to pay per month?

[cinco]

We paid 70/month for the girls for 1/week. For 2x, I guess I would expect it to be a little less than double that. When we only had one child our answer to what we would pay is a little different than it is now. This may be why DD1 is the most entitled of our kids

[runblondie26]

Aww, how cute

Our situation is the same. The teacher comes to the school, gets them into their leotards, and then teaches the class. It's a great set-up. We pay $50/month (four 1-hr classes), $45/month if we pre-pay for the semester.

[CallingAllAngels]

I have no desire for my DD to do dance, but I would probably pay whatever because of the convenience and to keep her from feeling left out.

[Brit]

cinco - That sounds like an amazing deal. I think I will have to stop ours after one month. She will be so bummed. I should have asked how outrageous it was, but I didn't even dream that it would be as bad as it is. This is the daycare where the other kids get picked up in Ferraris, Masaratis, and Bentleys. I'm the pauper with the Jeep. I should have known better. Bad mom.

[CallingAllAngels]

May 12, 2014 13:33:08 GMT -5 Brit said:

cinco - That sounds like an amazing deal. I think I will have to stop ours after one month. She will be so bummed. I should have asked how outrageous it was, but I didn't even dream that it would be as bad as it is. This is the daycare where the other kids get picked up in Ferraris, Masaratis, and Bentleys. I'm the pauper with the Jeep. I should have known better. Bad mom.

Oh crap.  That really sucks - I didn't imagine it would be that much.  I have a complex about my kids feeling left out because there were several things I couldn't do because of money as a kid (we weren't poor, my dad was just cheap), but you really have to do what is best for your family. 

[runblondie26]

Yeah, I could imagine what the cost of classes would be in Dubai. I know we get away cheaply compared to our friends in the NY mero area. They pay at least double, and their recital/costume fees seem more excessive too.

[kams]

I pay $59/month for DDs ballet, 1x/wk at a studio (45min).

I teach yoga enrichment at preschools and charter schools (so, like the ballet teacher, I go in to the classroom/school), and they pay $12/class (30 mins). I know yoga =/= ballet, but it's a similar set up to what you have. MCOL.

[Brit]

I just read the bill more closely. I have to ask if it is for the term (two months) or just for this month. If it is for two months I might be able to stomach it.

--> I'm such a moron. Ugh.

[gt7301b]

When I took group skating classes I paid ~ 30 a class, so I'd probably be willing to pay the same for dance for my kid.

[Brit]

May 12, 2014 13:45:13 GMT -5 gt7301b said:

When I took group skating classes I paid ~ 30 a class, so I'd probably be willing to pay the same for dance for my kid.

When I was a teenager, I remember that my private dance lessons were $20/half hour, but I was much older than her, and had a really good instructor, and was a good dancer.

[ebeth]

maybe like $100?

it depends on what other activities she was up to and how much money they cost and how cute and/or pathetic she was when relaying the story about everyone going to ballet.

I have no earthly idea what is reasonable for this type of thing though.

I'd also consider paying more than I thought was technically reasonable if I was saving a bunch of money on childcare

I really want to know how much this ballet costs now.

[gt7301b]

May 12, 2014 13:50:22 GMT -5 Brit said:

May 12, 2014 13:45:13 GMT -5 gt7301b said:

When I took group skating classes I paid ~ 30 a class, so I'd probably be willing to pay the same for dance for my kid.

When I was a teenager, I remember that my private dance lessons were $20/half hour, but I was much older than her, and had a really good instructor, and was a good dancer.

Privates "only" cost me $36 half/hr + ice time, so I stopped taking the group class.

[Brit]

ebeth - I'm embarrassed to say how much it costs.



ETA: I was naive enough to expect that worst case it would be like $150-$175/month. We transact in AED (UAE Dirhams) here, so I was kind of expecting a round number like 500 AED/month ~ $135.

[ebeth]

yeah, I'd do that if it's for the term. it's kind of a lot but I"d probably feel too bad about it to stop the ballet at this point.

but I agree it would be v. hard to justify that expense for one month. that is a lot of money.

[skwcm80]

DD just wrapped up a semester( mid Jan thru this past weekend) of ballet/tap. We paid $300 for classes, $60 for her to participate in her performer, and $100 for her gear.

Eta: her class met once a week for 50 minutes.

[Brit]

ebeth - Yeah, for real. I think I have to let it run it's course for this term. Gah. At least summer break starts at the end of the term. H said that he asked about the price before we started, but we never talked about it except that he said 'meh, it's kind of a lot, but she asked...' I didn't dream of it being THAT much.

@vtcupcake - Too bad you missed out on this career opportunity by being a muddy girl.

[sassystace]

We pay $50 per month, once per month for a 45 min class, LCOL area.

Sorry!