Ballet Class on the Cheap

Leotards, tights and slippers…oh my!

As every “dance mom” knows, the costs associated with keeping our baby ballerinas clothed and stage-ready add up fast. Although many dance studios sell staple items such as leos and tights as a convenience to their students, the mark-up can be as high as 30-40%. Even the relatively cheap items like hair spray, pins and hair nets have to be replaced constantly. {What’s that? Your daughter grew out of her month-old slippers already?! Yikes!}

Why, just thinking about it all is enough to make your head spin around faster than 32 Swan Lake fouettés! {Which is pretty darn fast!}

But have no fear! 🙂 I’m going to share some tried ‘n true tips that’ll keep you, your budget and your little dancer “on pointe” now through recital!

Shop Online – If your child’s studio doesn’t have a strict dress code {meaning, you can choose whatever leotard or tights you want provided they’re the “regulation” colors}, check out Discount Dancewear Supply and/or Dancewear Solutions. Both offer incredible savings on name brands such as Capezio, Bloch and Leo at a fraction of the retail price!

$5 Used Clothing Swap Box – Ask your child’s studio director about placing a bin in the lobby for student’s outgrown dancewear. {Items should be neat, clean and in good repair–no holes or runs!} The studio can then charge a flat $5 per item with proceeds going toward operating costs, scholarship funds, etc. This idea has worked really well for various studios over the years and is a life-saver during those “Ooops! I forgot my slippers at home!” moments! 😉

Hang/Drip Dry – Nothing zaps the life out of dancewear faster than a dryer! Hang your child’s clothing to dry and eliminate both shrinkage and those weird little “fuzz balls” that cling to tights!

Payless Shoe Source – Did you know that Payless carries their own brand ballet slippers? It’s true! They’re endorsed by American Ballet Theatre (ABT) and cost about $18/pair. Go in during one of their many Buy 1/Get 1 50% off sales and stock up! {Another plus to these slippers–the elastics come pre-sewn, which isn’t the case with other brands as your child’s feet grow.}

Register and +UP Rewards – Use those handy slips of paper toward your next purchase of hair pins, nets and hair spray! At around $3 each, you can greatly reduce or flat-out eliminate your hair care costs with a little strategic planning. 😉 Best brand for your buck: Scünci! Their pins and hair nets hold up much better than the likes of “Goody” for some reason, saving you $$ in replacement costs!

AquaNet Hair Spray – Sure it might give you a few crazy 80’s hair flashbacks, but boy-oh-boy does it work! Ranked as “one step below cement”, this hair spray comes super-cheap and is the surefire way to get professional looking buns and Nutcracker “party girl” curls in a flash!

Do you have a baby ballerina in your family? How do YOU save money in this area?