Kids dance and cheer clubs?

[OILCHECKER]

My grand daughters cheer fees were like $350 or more per month. Plus each year at the beginning of the season they had to purchase new outfits. They also had to ware official club tshirts and shorts for practices, which they had to buy. Of course, they also had competition fees for each event. And had to pay for the music they used during their routines. And there were private lessions they would be forced to go to which were additional fees. And the season always ended with an expensive trip to Orlando for Summit Nationals.

And we had two girls doing this so multiply this all by two.

We probably had 7-8 weekend competitions throughout the season. Usually went to Des Moines 2-3 times, kansas city almost every year, occasionally Chicago, Minneapolis, St. louis, Indianapolis. Leave home on friday after work and drive, get home at like midnight on Sunday and get up early Monday to go to work. Thats a lot of the gas, hotels, eating out, ridiculous admission fees. And keep in mind that their routines lasted about 2.5 minutes and they only performed at most twice in a day, sometimes once over the course of being at the arena for 10 hrs. And of course, this all takes place during the college football and nfl season so i am trying to watch games on my phone with no sound.

All this being said, the girls loved it, therefore I loved it and never missed an event. But God, i am glad they graduated and have moved on (although one of them is now a coach).

 

[Dorrman]

Sports are pretty expensive these days but I think the dance/cheer takes the cake

 

[BioHawk]

My niece does dance and it just doesn’t f—ing stop. There are lessons 3-4 days per week. They are traveling nearly every weekend to some ridiculous competition or another. After their “season” was over, the next one started two weeks later.
My sister and her husband are well into five figures out of pocket every year for this. For the money they’ve spent, they could have taken a three week vacation to Italy every year.
Plane tickets, gas, hotels, outfits, shoes, lesson, it just keeps piling up.

edit: i forgot to mention all the freaking photos. JFC, you wouldn’t believe the number of “professional” pictures they are taking of these kids in the outfits they make them wear. And what they’re charging the parents for copies. I refuse to allow them on my phone.

This sounds like a highly competitive Dance school. Think of it as an elite AAU athletic team. Dance schools are expensive, for sure, but so are travel/club sports teams. My neighbor's daughter is likely going to get college paid for through Dance so there's that.

My daughter has been doing very well but she does have a good instructor. Just like with club sports, your mileage will vary depending on the people in charge of the program. If you have good coaches it can be worth it. If you have people there just to make the money then I can definitely see why people would be complaining.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

$200 a month for lessons is well worth it. Lifelong earning potential.