Costume Fees & Volunteering

Our annual Story Ballet performance is typically first weekend in June 
Our students perform a full length story ballet each year and have the opportunity to learn variations and choreography from professional ballets.
 
The Nutcracker is performed every December
Our students now perform twice each year and enjoy this annual ballet tradition.
 
Costume Fee $60 per dancer /per class - Class assistants and Partnering classes may require an additional costume fee.
Once costumes are ordered, they are non refundable  (Due in October/November)    
Nutcracker costumes will all be rentals for $30 each. Dancers pre-ballet-ballet 5 will only have one costume rental. 
 
No Performance Fee - We do not have a performance fee for our performances
  
Volunteer Requirements - All families are required to volunteer 10 hours and this amount is easily met with the numerous ways to volunteer.  We couldn't produce such professional performances without our amazing ballet families! Options for volunteering in the months before the performances include steaming costumes, simple hand sewing, machine sewing, and alterations. We also need many volunteers to help at our Staging Rehearsal, Dress Rehearsal, and each Performance. (Class parents, check-in/check out, loading and unloading costumes & scenery at the school & studio, ushers, hall monitors, and Lobby Volunteers. With 4 performances, the need for volunteers is greater than ever before. Please watch for emails and information for volunteering. Thank you!
 
Volunteer waiver Fee - If your family is unable to volunteer, you have the option of paying $50 so we can pay someone else to help us. 
  
4 Performances - All classes perform in at least one of our performances. Pointe students and men typically perform in at least 4 of our 
performances. 
Performance Ticket Sales - Tickets will be available for purchase at the online or at the door prior to performances for $12.00 each.  
  
PRINCIPAL DANCERS & SOLOISTS FEES
Principal dancers are required to pay an additional $50 for Monthly Tuition once extra rehearsals begin in November as well as their principal class.  This covers their extra rehearsals no matter how many additional classes they attend to rehearse with other characters. Costumes will be $60 to purchase or $30 costume rentals may be an option for some characters.  They may also be responsible for purchasing or renting extra costumes as some characters have multiple costumes.

Solos and Duets who are not part of a class of soloists may also be required to pay an additional $50 for Monthly Tuition once their extra rehearsals begin, usually January or February.  They may also be responsible for purchasing an extra costume for $60.  Sometimes I may have a costume they can rent for $25.
 

Q & A

Questions & Answers about performance & costume fees

Why do we pay for costumes in September and October? I order costumes in October to take advantage of clearance sales to keep the costume prices as low as I can. We divide it into 3 payments to make it easier on families. Families are welcome to pay it in one payment if preferred.

Why do we pay June Tuition if we have no classes in June? All of our teachers work backstage for the entire dress rehearsal plus the full day of performances and they are paid for those hours. That number of hours adds up to more than a month's worth of class instruction for each student.  A performance is a learning experience for the students even if it does happen on a stage instead of in the studio. It is common practice for studios to charge for the performance month even with no class hours taught that month. Many studios collect June tuition up front when a dancer registers, much like collecting first and last month's rent. I choose not to do it that way since most families are also buying new dance attire, school clothes, school expenses and school fees at the same time. It would be easier on me if I did it this way, but I try to decrease the impact on families as much as I can. 

Why are we required 10 hours of volunteer time per family each year? A performance of this scale and professional level requires a significant amount of help backstage, in the dressing rooms, and in the lobby. We also need volunteers during all of the preparations for months before the performances.  Volunteers are able to help with steaming and altering costumes during their dancers' classes. We also need help with making props and building and painting scenery. We post volunteer sign ups to volunteer during the Staging Rehearsal, Dress Rehearsal and performances. With multiple performances, it is possible for parents to watch their dancer in one and volunteer during the another one. It is also an unforgettable experience to be backstage with your dancer as a class parent volunteer. Loading and unloading the truck at the performance venue and then back at the studio afterward is often a family volunteer effort and can quickly meet the volunteer hours and is very much needed. We simply could not do this without all of our amazing ballet families. We are so grateful for the many volunteers who help us every year.