As much as I love dancing and competing it is expensive! Private lessons, costumes, hair and makeup appts, dvds and photos, and general competition fees all can add up to several thousand spent a year on dancing and competing. I'd like to know how others manage to dance and compete without over spending.
How to conserve finances when competing
- Thread starter debmc
- Start date
Chris Stratton
New Member
Well am/am competition is a lot less expensive both directly and until the highest levels with the incidentals, but I get the sense its probably not the answer you were looking for.
suburbaknght
Well-Known Member
I have several posts about this in my blog (check the signature), but in short:
1) Keep it local. Hotel and travel fees can more than double the cost of a competition. Try to find one or two local competitions each year and force yourself to stick to them. Sure it would be nice to compete more, but think how much improvement there will be from comp to comp!
2) Dance amateur. I do believe pro-am is a worthwhile endeavor, if one can afford it, but it doubles the cost of your entries and you have to pay for your practice time.
3) Consider collegiate competitions. $50 for unlimited entries? Anyone else see the advantage?
4) Limit photos and DVDs to once per year. Sure it's nice to have a record of every comp, but are you really changing that much from a comp in April to one in July? Run heats in your studio instead and video those.
5) No solos. They're expensive, run at a bad time of day, expensive, the audience doesn't appreciate them, expensive, don't always translate to other areas of dancing, and they're expensive.
6) Look at same sex comps. If there's one local, check it out. Not only are they the most fun comps out there, they're usually about 2/3 the cost of NDCA events.
7) Restrict yourself to one field, such as smooth or Latin, rather than dancing everything you know. It's less in comp fees, fewer costumes, and your private lessons become that much more focused.
8) Learn to make your own costumes.
1) Keep it local. Hotel and travel fees can more than double the cost of a competition. Try to find one or two local competitions each year and force yourself to stick to them. Sure it would be nice to compete more, but think how much improvement there will be from comp to comp!
2) Dance amateur. I do believe pro-am is a worthwhile endeavor, if one can afford it, but it doubles the cost of your entries and you have to pay for your practice time.
3) Consider collegiate competitions. $50 for unlimited entries? Anyone else see the advantage?
4) Limit photos and DVDs to once per year. Sure it's nice to have a record of every comp, but are you really changing that much from a comp in April to one in July? Run heats in your studio instead and video those.
5) No solos. They're expensive, run at a bad time of day, expensive, the audience doesn't appreciate them, expensive, don't always translate to other areas of dancing, and they're expensive.
6) Look at same sex comps. If there's one local, check it out. Not only are they the most fun comps out there, they're usually about 2/3 the cost of NDCA events.
7) Restrict yourself to one field, such as smooth or Latin, rather than dancing everything you know. It's less in comp fees, fewer costumes, and your private lessons become that much more focused.
8) Learn to make your own costumes.
Compete in only one style.
Compare costs to see whether registering for a package or a la carte is cheaper (depending on how much you dance).
Go to local comps (if there are any) to save on transportation.
Go only when your pro has other students competing, so his/her costs can be shared.
Check to see if you can find a cheaper rate for the hotel than the comp rate and book it separately.
Have only a sample of your dances videoed, not every heat.
Don't buy photos, or limit to one or two best ones.
Rent costumes rather than buying (unless you compete often enough to make buying cheaper).
Buy unstoned costumes and stone them yourself.
Learn to do your own hair and/or make-up.
Share a hotel room with another student.
Bring your own snacks and non-perishable food.
Compare costs to see whether registering for a package or a la carte is cheaper (depending on how much you dance).
Go to local comps (if there are any) to save on transportation.
Go only when your pro has other students competing, so his/her costs can be shared.
Check to see if you can find a cheaper rate for the hotel than the comp rate and book it separately.
Have only a sample of your dances videoed, not every heat.
Don't buy photos, or limit to one or two best ones.
Rent costumes rather than buying (unless you compete often enough to make buying cheaper).
Buy unstoned costumes and stone them yourself.
Learn to do your own hair and/or make-up.
Share a hotel room with another student.
Bring your own snacks and non-perishable food.
tanya_the_dancer
Well-Known Member
All good points, although depending on your personal measurements renting costumes may not work for you (it doesn't for me). If you patiently keep an eye on resale websites, such as artrhythms for example, you may get a really good deal there.
danceronice
Forum Master
How often do you buy costumes? I've slowly acquired four--that's about a rate of one a year (two Rhythm/Latin, one Smooth, one Smooth/Standard.) Did try selling one, but it didn't move so I've got it back again. I don't plan on buying anything else any time soon--I've got plenty of variety.
Just take one lesson a week. That's all I do right now, and in Boston I took one per pro (two.)
Do you own hair and makeup. It's not hard, and it saves a ton of money.
I skip photos and I only have video done of a few rounds--if you have semis or quarters, tell them to only video one or two rounds.
Don't stay at the venue hotel if there's a cheaper option. For Michigan Dance Challenge I stayed at a hotel a five-minute drive around the mall parking lot from the Hyatt that was less than half their room rate.
And of course the answer no one wants to hear, don't spend on other things. I didn't have a horse in Boston (though in fairness I couldn't have afforded that even if I didn't do any other activities.) I drive an older car. I don't buy new equipment for the horse here if used will do (leather goods last a long time and ebay's our friend). Generic's as good as brand-name on most groceries and dry goods. In MA, I moved closer to the studio to cut down on driving time and shave $230/month off my rent.
Just take one lesson a week. That's all I do right now, and in Boston I took one per pro (two.)
Do you own hair and makeup. It's not hard, and it saves a ton of money.
I skip photos and I only have video done of a few rounds--if you have semis or quarters, tell them to only video one or two rounds.
Don't stay at the venue hotel if there's a cheaper option. For Michigan Dance Challenge I stayed at a hotel a five-minute drive around the mall parking lot from the Hyatt that was less than half their room rate.
And of course the answer no one wants to hear, don't spend on other things. I didn't have a horse in Boston (though in fairness I couldn't have afforded that even if I didn't do any other activities.) I drive an older car. I don't buy new equipment for the horse here if used will do (leather goods last a long time and ebay's our friend). Generic's as good as brand-name on most groceries and dry goods. In MA, I moved closer to the studio to cut down on driving time and shave $230/month off my rent.
kckc
Well-Known Member
Pretty much the same as everyone else.
1. Stay as local as possible
2. The studio showcase events can be your friend. I dance 3/year, plus a comp (though I did do an extra comp this year, one I was able to easily drive to). I don't know about the chain studios, but generally there is only an admission fee for the ones I do (usually big parties w/dinner at Christmas, more casual in the spring). At least this way I get a unique routine, everyone loves to watch partner and I dance (and I'm not stuck dancing on a freaking Thursday afternoon, like the Rhythm people get stuck with at comps), and I don't feel like I am throwing money down the drain on lessons I'll never use.
3. For this amount of dancing, I rent costumes, though it can be difficult for the non-size-2 crowd to which I belong.
4. Stone your own! I've made some passable showcase costumes for quite reasonable amounts from things I've bought off the rack or ordered from dance stores. Ask around if anyone has something you can borrow.
5. Dance am-am if you can, but in my neck of the woods, amateur men don't grow on trees. And I don't think I could give up Mr. Pro at this point!
6. Sacrifice elsewhere. I haven't bought lunch in ages, and rarely eat dinner out (though some of that has to do with numerous food allergies). I live in a dump for now. I keep my windows open as much as humanly possible to save on energy. You will have to pry my Starbucks soy latte out of my cold dead hands though.
7. Stick to one style if you can stand to. I'd love to get started on smooth but until I win the lottery or find my sugar daddy, I'll stick with Rhythm since I only can afford one lesson/week (or every other week).
8. Something I haven't seen yet- a female instructor I know held 2 short (1 hour I think) workshops on hair and makeup for the gals (15 or so signed up so she split it). She charged $20, had everyone bring their makeup, accessories etc., and we had a big ol' girl party learning how to properly do makeup, good colors for our skin and costumes, and the harsh lighting and such. She had small gift bags with a few things we might need for future use (clear lip gloss, eyelash glue, etc). Perhaps a suggestion to put forth if you know someone who might do something like that.
1. Stay as local as possible
2. The studio showcase events can be your friend. I dance 3/year, plus a comp (though I did do an extra comp this year, one I was able to easily drive to). I don't know about the chain studios, but generally there is only an admission fee for the ones I do (usually big parties w/dinner at Christmas, more casual in the spring). At least this way I get a unique routine, everyone loves to watch partner and I dance (and I'm not stuck dancing on a freaking Thursday afternoon, like the Rhythm people get stuck with at comps), and I don't feel like I am throwing money down the drain on lessons I'll never use.
3. For this amount of dancing, I rent costumes, though it can be difficult for the non-size-2 crowd to which I belong.
4. Stone your own! I've made some passable showcase costumes for quite reasonable amounts from things I've bought off the rack or ordered from dance stores. Ask around if anyone has something you can borrow.
5. Dance am-am if you can, but in my neck of the woods, amateur men don't grow on trees. And I don't think I could give up Mr. Pro at this point!
6. Sacrifice elsewhere. I haven't bought lunch in ages, and rarely eat dinner out (though some of that has to do with numerous food allergies). I live in a dump for now. I keep my windows open as much as humanly possible to save on energy. You will have to pry my Starbucks soy latte out of my cold dead hands though.
7. Stick to one style if you can stand to. I'd love to get started on smooth but until I win the lottery or find my sugar daddy, I'll stick with Rhythm since I only can afford one lesson/week (or every other week).
8. Something I haven't seen yet- a female instructor I know held 2 short (1 hour I think) workshops on hair and makeup for the gals (15 or so signed up so she split it). She charged $20, had everyone bring their makeup, accessories etc., and we had a big ol' girl party learning how to properly do makeup, good colors for our skin and costumes, and the harsh lighting and such. She had small gift bags with a few things we might need for future use (clear lip gloss, eyelash glue, etc). Perhaps a suggestion to put forth if you know someone who might do something like that.
Yep, agreed with just about everything above. Especially the local college/universities who host competitions. There are several in So. Calif about 2-3 months apart from each other so it can give a person time to re-adjust, work, fix, improve, whatever happened or did not happen. And the timing of the comps is great - meaning you don't have to be on the floor at oh God thirty in the morning. Several also offer "partner" sign ups for those partner-less and room-mates and car-pool partners wanted. A significant advantage for those with no spare change to throw around. Several also ask for volunteers and this gives a discount or free pass to the volunteer.
tanya_the_dancer
Well-Known Member
We had a competition makeup workshop at our studio once. It was very useful. Also, a few times I went to a makeup counter, and got some free with purchase advice there. On one of these occasions I lucked out and the salesperson had background in stage makeup, so she was able to give me quite a few useful tips.
ash_sk8s
Member
As an extremely broke college student, I can offer some good perspective! Luckily for me the comps around here don't charge entry fees per event, so you just have to buy admission. You can easily dance lots of events for cheap this way. 
- I do my own make-up and have a friend do my hair. Since tanning is something I literally cannot even attempt to justify right now, I try to spend as much time outside as possible and just call it good enough.
- If floor time at your studio is spendy, get trial memberships at gyms. Most gyms offer 7-day trials, sometimes they even offer more!
- If you are going out of town, try to carpool and stay with someone else to cut down at costs.
- I do my own make-up and have a friend do my hair. Since tanning is something I literally cannot even attempt to justify right now, I try to spend as much time outside as possible and just call it good enough.
- If floor time at your studio is spendy, get trial memberships at gyms. Most gyms offer 7-day trials, sometimes they even offer more!
- If you are going out of town, try to carpool and stay with someone else to cut down at costs.