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Budgeting For Competitive Dance with Dance Moms · Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast

• 0:07
  SPEAKER_01: Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the table at a dance competition?
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly what are the judges looking for anyway?
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_01: This is Making the Impact, a Dance Competition podcast.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_01: Each week we'll cover a different topic related to the world of competitive dance from the perspective of the judges behind the table.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_01: Leotard's heights, costumes, shoes, more twos, private lessons, competition fees, where does it end?
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_01: The dance competition world can be expensive, and no one knows how to budget better for all the expenses than a dance mom.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_01: We're joined today by two savvy ladies who'll share their tips and tricks for how to make dance a little more affordable.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: Hey everybody, welcome to this week's episode of Making the Impact, a Dance Competition Podcast.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Courtney Ortiz, and I am here with my co-host, Leslie Mueller.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_01: Hey Courtney, hey guys, happy almost Halloween.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh! Halloween.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: I I love Halloween, but I I didn't get to really celebrate last year because there was a global pandemic happening.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_01: Kind of kind of a bummer of a Halloween.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_01: Um you gonna do anything this year?
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: I think I might be going on vacation for Halloween.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: Like on Halloween, flying away.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: Fingers crossed everybody.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: It it's uh we're currently recording this a few weeks out, obviously, and the vacation hasn't been booked.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: So uh it's very gonna be a very last-minute vacation if it happens, and I will be celebrating Halloween on the beach, hopefully.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, I approve of that.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yay! What about you?
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: Are you are you getting dressed up this year with your crutches?
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_01: With my crutches.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, listeners, if you didn't know, I had surgery as of the release date a month ago.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it'll be a month on the 29th.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_01: So I am still on crutches and I will still be on crutches, and I'm thinking about wrapping them in orange and black washi tape.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: Cute.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: Just to be festive.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_01: But I will be home in Georgia and I'll get to see my nephews and niece dress up as Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my god, stop it.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: We you have to oh, but I'm trying to think of how can you go trick-or-treating with them.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_01: I will not.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_01: I will not be crutching around a neighborhood.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_01: That would be a good idea.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: That's why I'm saying you need a jazzy cart.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: You just need to get a jazzy cart and you need to scooch around and you could dress up Yoshi.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yoshi'd be a good idea.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, it could be Yoshi.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_01: That in a roly thing.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_01: That would be good.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, I'll think about it.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_01: I'll keep more creative.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: Listen, get a jazzy car and become Mario Kart car.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: Ooh.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: I am getting really creative right now.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: Um I love I love Mario and things.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: That's gonna be super cute.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: And yay, so we'll both be away.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it'll be fun.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_01: I like it.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_01: Hope you guys all have a great Halloween too.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, ex yeah, we definitely do.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: It's uh it's a Sunday, fun day Halloween this year, so everybody stay safe out there and have fun treating.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: Hopefully, you get to this season.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: And let's talk a little bit about what's happening today on the podcast.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: We have dance moms joining us today.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: And if you were listening last season in season two, we had a chat with dance moms in season two, and it was our first time bringing actual real life dance moms onto the podcast.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: And it was such a hit that we knew we needed to have more dance moms join us more often on making the impact.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm really excited to chat with them today.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: We're talking about budgeting for the competitive dancer, which everyone's like, How in the world do you even budget for this type of activity?
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: Because let's be real, y'all, it's an expensive activity to partake in for your children, but hello, they love it.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: And that's why every parent makes it possible if they love to dance.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: And I think a lot of parents just love being involved in this competitive dance world as well.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: So I can't wait to talk with these dance moms that are joining us today and hear about their experiences with because they they are very experienced dance moms.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: They've been they've been doing this for a while.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: So let's uh tell everybody a little bit about our sponsor for this episode, which is, of course, Level Up Dance Supplies.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: Level Up Dance Supplies was founded by a dance mom with the goal of being your one-stop shop for all of your dance gear and accessory needs.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: They really do have everything from backpacks, flooring, privacy tents, stretching and travel gear, plus all types of bags and rolling racks.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_00: They carry top name brands including glamour gear, rack and roll, and many more.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: And coming soon, they are launching their GS series dance bags and the new Flexi Pack for daily classes and travel.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: We're excited to offer all of you listeners a very special promo to receive ten dollars off your entire purchase.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: Use the code Impact21 all caps at checkout at levelupdanceupplies.com and you'll receive ten dollars off your purchase.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: Learn more and visit their website and don't forget to follow them at Level Up Dance Applies on Facebook.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, that's uh such a perfect uh sponsor for this podcast because every little bit counts, every little discount that you can get when you're budgeting for your dance life.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: So make sure you take advantage of that.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_01: And also if you have it in your budget, listeners, we would so appreciate it if you could buy us a coffee.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_01: We have a new uh donation-based opportunity for you.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_01: If you like what you hear here on the podcast and uh appreciate the information that you get every week from us, you have the option to click on the link in the show notes and donate any amount that you choose by buying us a coffee.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_01: That donation goes straight into producing the podcast and allows us to keep bringing you uh relevant information for the dance world.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_01: Check it out.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_01: We're at Kofi.com slash making the impact.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: And speaking of our Kofi account, we have been getting so many donations lately, and we want to give a shout out to a few of our donors that have bought us a coffee over there on Kofi.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_00: First up is Danette, and she said, I wish I could donate more.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: You have changed the way I teach and how to make these dancers shine even more.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: We thought judges just hated us, but we got to know so much more than we did before the competition world.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: And she is affiliated with Dubstep Studio Community Dance Outreach.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you so much, Danette, for your contribution and supporting us and being one of our number one fans on the podcast.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, we appreciate it.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_01: And we the judges do not hate you.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_01: So we're so glad that we could dispel that myth.
• 6:31
  unknown: Yes.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_01: We have another supporter, Kim.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_01: She says, as a dance mom of a tiny competition dancer, your show has been so beneficial in how to best support her.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_01: Love you guys.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_01: Well, Kim, we love you.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_01: We are so grateful for your support and so happy that we can help make an impact on you and your dancers' lives.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: All right, listeners, it's time to meet those spectacular dance moms that I was telling you all about earlier and learn a little bit more about them and get to know their dancers a little bit more, hear about their journey as a dance mom.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_00: And we have two special guests joining us today.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: First up is someone that I've known for many, many years.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: I used to actually choreograph one of her daughter's solos.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: I did six solos for her oldest daughter throughout her years at the studio.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: And it was such a joy and a pleasure working with her and watching her grow.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_00: And now she's in college, and I actually just had the chance to see her all the way on the West Coast when I was there for teaching.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: It's ugh, I love this dance world, and it's so, it's so nice that I get to stay connected with this dance mom and their family throughout the year.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: So I cannot wait to welcome Kelly Finney to the podcast.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome, Kelly.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much for having me.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_02: As you said, my name is Kelly.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_02: I have three daughters, three daughters that have danced.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_02: I've been a dance mom for going on 18 years.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_02: And I probably have another seven, with my youngest still only being 11.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_02: So it's been quite the journey.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_02: Courtney mentioned my oldest daughter that she choreographed her solos, Abigail.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_02: Abigail started when she was three.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_02: Pretty much all my daughters started when they were three.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_02: But Abigail started at three with the journey with Studio for the Living Arts Dance Complex.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_02: The owner and director, Susan Cludier.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_02: It just was an amazing experience from the very, very beginning.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_02: It's the studio continued to grow throughout the years, and it helped Abby grow as a dancer.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_02: And then when I had my second daughter, Annabelle, she just easily fell into that mix.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_02: And then when I had my other daughter four years later, Zoe, she fell into that same easy pattern at the studio.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_02: So we've been there for 18 years, and I wouldn't change a thing.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you read certain articles on the internet, you you see certain things circle around, and it's been the most amazing journey.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_02: My husband, Tim and I say very, very often, it's one of the best things we've ever decided as a parent.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_02: It's kept our kids, our girls focused, it's kept them in shape.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_02: They're surrounded, surrounded by the most caring, loving environment.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_02: And I can't even begin to give shout outs to the teachers because if I dare forget anyone, I would forget.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_02: Because every single one of them, they're just amazing and they represent something different.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_02: Like one is a little harder in discipline.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_02: One is this, you know, loving, caring, nurturing person.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_02: Another one is just about strength and focus.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_02: And it's just, it's been a really, really great journey, wouldn't change an entire thing.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_02: And when we get into talking about budgeting, you can only imagine what I've spent over the years.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_02: Because as Courtney knows very, very well, my daughters, I mean, they dance 15 hours a week in training.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_02: They the height when Abby was still at the studio, we probably had 60 plus numbers in the competition.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_02: Wow.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_02: But I wouldn't change a thing.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_02: I'd miss dinner with my husband before I would cut a solo.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_02: It's right.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's their thing to do.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, they're lovely to watch up on stage, just like every single dancer in our studio.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_02: Just has really, really been just a great thing for this family.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: That's so amazing.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_00: What how nice to hear.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: So lovely.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: Well, thank you so much, Kelly, for joining us.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: I can't wait to chat with you on the podcast tonight.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_00: All right, and I'm excited to welcome our next special guest, Dance Mom, joining us on this week's episode.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: And I have had the pleasure of watching her dancers in IDU's virtual competition last year.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: And she is also the owner of the Dancing Dance Mom blog on Facebook.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: And you can read some of her blog posts on her website at thedancingdanceom.com.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: I'm excited to welcome Danielle Artizone to the podcast.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_00: Hi, my name is Danielle Artizone.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_03: I'm from New Jersey.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_03: My dancers are 12-year-old identical twin girls.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_03: They dance at first class dance academy.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_03: They started their first dance class when they were two.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_03: They were invited to join company when they were five.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_03: So it's been, I think this is our eighth season.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_03: And I we've been sort of entrenched in dance before the girls were even born.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_03: I was a dancer in high school.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_03: Then I went on to coach a youth organization dance team and then high school dance team.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_03: And when I started having children, I actually knew which dance studio they were going to before I even had Baby A's name picked out in utero.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_03: So I like to tell them that they were sort of committed before they were even born.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_03: So it's been a big part of our lives and continues to be.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_03: And one of my joys is running the dance mom blog that I do.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_03: And it's such a source of, you know, just fun.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_03: And I love sharing the whole experience with everybody.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's it is super fun.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_00: I love following your dance mom blog Facebook page.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: And you always share really helpful things to go buy on Amazon that every dance mom needs for competition, for the kids' dance bag, and you're always finding really great deals as well.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_00: Like, here's a flash sale.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure you go buy it.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: Like every single thing that a dance mom needs in their life, you are posting about it on your blog and your Facebook page.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_00: So everybody that's listening, be sure to go give the Dancing Dance Mom blog a follow on Facebook.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: It's going to be linked in our show notes as well.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_00: And thanks for contributing to our dance world, Danielle.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you so much.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_03: It's really such a joy.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_03: And I feel like it's a need that needs to be filled.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_03: Totally.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_03: Exactly.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_00: That's why we created this podcast too, because we're sitting here like we have all this knowledge to give to the dance world.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: And there's no other dance competition podcast out, at least when we started ours.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_00: Let's do it, y'all.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_01: Let's jump into this episode.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you again, ladies, for being here with us.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_01: Especially because I'm sure some of your dancers are at dance right now, right?
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_01: You you probably just got back from driving somebody to dance class.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_01: So I want you guys to tell us, please, just a quick rundown of what your children's weekly dance schedule is like so we can get an idea of like what the picture of dance looks like for each of your families before we dive into what that means monetarily.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_01: What does it mean time-wise, I guess?
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_01: Kelly, you want to get us started?
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_02: Sure.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_02: My two girls right now, my, as I said earlier, my oldest is in college, majoring in dance.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_02: But the two that I have at the studio right now, they dance pretty much every day of the week.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_02: They might have a little time off here and there.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_02: They might only have maybe one class on a Friday, but typically their dance week, depending upon time of year, will be anywhere from 13 to 15 hours of training a week.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_02: The oldest at 16 training ballet five days a week.
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_02: The youngest training a little bit less than that.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_02: She's about five years younger.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_02: And this time of year, it's there's no break, right?
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_02: Even on Saturday, so we have Nutcracker and they had Nutcracker editions.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_02: So Nutcracker is every Saturday throughout the fall until the show happens.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_02: And then Sundays, Sundays are full with extra rehearsals.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_02: You know, they just have their first dance competition, and it takes a lot to get those numbers ready.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_02: So in a typical week, you know, they're looking at literally not a day off.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_02: Until maybe December happens, nutcracker happens, and then they might get a Saturday off.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_02: Pieces are a little bit cleaner, so they don't have to go in so many Sundays, and then we fall into competition season, which is a whole new crazy world for us.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, they are they're very committed, but you know, they're that's what they love to do.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_02: That's what they want to do, that's what makes them happy.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_01: And between the two girls this season, just for example, how many dance routines are they in, including solos, duos, trios, and groups?
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_01: Do you even know at this point?
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_02: I know, right?
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_02: The two girls I would estimate without actually counting them is 35 plus.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_02: And that's including there's a lot of group numbers, a lot of extra numbers.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_02: My oldest is in two solos, duo, trio.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_02: My youngest one is in a trio, and then group numbers.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and you I know I know your studio, and I've I've had the pleasure of judging your studio, obviously, also teaching, and it's a big studio, y'all.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_00: Like it is a big studio.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_00: They bring a hundred plus numbers to competition.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_00: That's how big.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_00: And I remember sitting in that judge's chair and seeing so many of the same dancers come out again and again and again and again.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like some of these kids had to have had over 15 possibly being 20 dances at competition.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you can add up how much those entry fees cost.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think probably at our highest, I think Abigail or Annabelle, they were close to 20 numbers.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_02: You know, and so then you kind of have to pick and choose.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_02: And, you know, we'll get into the budging aspect.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_02: Obviously, COVID has played a big part in things and what you can afford and what you can't afford.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, you're you're right on.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, the numbers are there quite quite a few numbers.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_01: All right.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_01: And Danielle, let us know how what your girls are up to every week.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_01: They actually have off on Tuesdays and Fridays and Sundays.
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_03: Wow, that's wonderful.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_03: That's time.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_03: It's it's great.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_03: I know their room should not look as messy as it is with them being home so much, but it is.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_03: Here we are.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_03: Uh they're at the studio for I think by the end of the week, it turns out to be about 18 hours plus.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_03: They do an assist on Mondays.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_03: They assist one of the younger classes.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_03: And then on Sundays, once rehearsals start in like mid-January, they're there all day.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_03: So it's like eight to 10 hours with very few breaks.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_03: But between the two of them, I would say they're in 18 competition numbers.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_03: They're in five of the compulsory group numbers, then they've been invited to a small group, they have a duo together, and then they each have their solos.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_00: Nice.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_00: And then I'm curious, how many competitions do both of your studios attend as far as required to be on the team, like group competitions?
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_00: And then do you both go to, are you allowed to go to additional competition opportunities independently, like of course, under your studio's name?
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_00: But you know, does is that an option at your studio?
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_00: What does that look like as far as competition schedule?
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_00: Whoever wants to go first.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_02: So I'll go first.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_02: So we as a studio for our pulse dance company, there are three mandatory competitions where it's 100% of all of our pieces.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_02: So that's all of our group numbers, all of the solos, duos, spawn groups, everything, three mandatory competitions.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_02: Then we decide, each individual dancer in their family decides that they want to do what is called Pulse Plus.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_02: So Pulse Plus is an opportunity where when you commit to certain pieces, then you're going to attend additional competitions, right?
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_02: So if you check that off, then there is one additional competition you're going to do.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_02: If you decide to do extra pieces, then there is an additional mandatory competition for all the extras.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_02: So that way, if if you're committing to an extra and you want to do that extra, you have the commitment from the entire dance routine that they're going to go to that.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_02: So potentially, depending upon the level that you're dancing at, there's five mandatory competitions that you're going to go to.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_02: Besides that, the studio will continue to research and provide all the information on optional competitions, right?
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_02: So whether that be jump or nuvo or 24-7 or Radix or whatever it is out there, the information is there when we fill out forms if we would like our dancers to attend.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_02: And that's in Revel, being one of them too, obviously, is a big one.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_02: And those really focus around the conventions because the kids just, the dancers learn so much in those convention classes and they just love them.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_02: So those are opportunities that are out there that everybody knows about, and we consistently want to learn more.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_02: New things that pop up.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_02: So, but there's five, there's three mandatory ones, five that could be mandatory, and then the other ones are optional.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_03: For us, we do three regionals, and we tend to stay under the Stardance Alliance umbrella.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_03: So we'll do like believe, star power, imagine, revolution, those.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_03: So we'll do three regionals.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_03: We do bring all of our routines to those, and nationals will also do.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_03: Last year we went to Ocean City, Maryland for Star Power.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_03: And this year we're sticking with Star Power again.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_03: And if we get golden tickets to the World Dance Championship, then we vote as a group on which numbers will go and majority rules.
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_03: The one piece that is mandatory is our company's signature piece, our production number.
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_03: If that gets a golden ticket, then we automatically go.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_03: And the studio owner keeps us on top of like, okay, there are these extra, you know, um opportunities.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_03: If you have a solo or duo trio and you want to take it, here you go.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_03: Let me know.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_03: And also the conventions this year we're doing are Nouveau and 24-7.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_03: We've been told that if we want to bring our solos to ours or duos or trios, then we can certainly, you know, sign up for those as well.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_03: But just as a group, it's the three regionals, the nationals, and then world dance championship.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_01: Nice.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I feel like across the board, I hear a lot of through like between three to five seems pretty, pretty standard around the competition world these days.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: And some people are choosing to put to you know their focus on regionals only and and like ex you know, eliminated nationals because a nationals is a hefty expense.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I know growing up for we did nationals every year, and one year we would go far away, and then the next year we'd keep it local.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_00: But we never skipped nationals, and that was like their, you know, I feel like my studio's way of making it a little bit more budget friendly for the parents.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_00: But no matter what, let's be real, nationals is the family vacation.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_00: Like it sure was.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_00: Like that that every parent has to take off a week of their life in the middle of the summer to go on nationals, and they don't get a lot of time off.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_00: So shout out to all the parents out there who are taking, you know, vacation time to take their kids to dance nationals.
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like, okay, let's hope it's a good spot so we can turn it into family vacation and hold on, gotta go go do small groups for at eight o'clock at night, real quick.
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_00: Like It's a lot to ask a family to be able to afford, you know, even uh with other siblings as well.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_00: They're just tagging along for the dance vacation.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_03: Exactly.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_03: My 16-year-old son came with us, and thankfully we went with another family, and he sort of hide like hijacked onto them.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm like, all right, you go have fun and do the stuff, and you're gonna tell me the stuff that you did because we can't do the stuff right here.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, dance comes first, and we're here for the dance.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_01: Always all right, so let's get into money.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_01: So if you are comfortable giving us a ballpark range of how much you spend just on classes a month, I know this is like touchy because it's definitely different by region and whatever, but like not counting costume fee, not counting recital fee, not counting, you know, anything else, but like classes, what's that number look like?
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_02: Sure.
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_02: So I can start.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_02: I feel comfortable in sharing that.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_02: I actually have always felt like our tuition as a studio is extremely reasonable.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_02: So I've been at the family max plan for quite a few years.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_02: And I don't see that going away for at least another year.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_02: And then I'll be at the dancer family, like the individual max plan.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_02: So when I break down the family max plan in training, just for the weekly classes, the regular schedule, right?
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_02: It's 270 a month, is what that is.
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_02: And when I take a look at the amount of hours that my girls are at the studio, I feel like that is so reasonable.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_02: I totally agree.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_02: Wow.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_02: But then, but then when I add in all the extra training, right?
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_02: So during the course of the week, you know, you've got, as Courtney knows, so we have all these fantastic guest teachers that come in and they choreograph our pieces, but they have to be cleaned, right?
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_02: And they have to continue to be cleaned by somebody at the studio.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_02: So that will be there'll be slots each week for let's say the contemporary extra, the lyrical extra, or the hip-hop extra.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_02: So when I add up all those extras plus any extra type training, so solo training, right?
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_02: A slot every other week, that's probably about the same.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_02: It's about 250 is what I pay on the extra during a given month.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_00: Is that per kid or for both kids?
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_02: It's for both.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_02: For both.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_02: So on just for training and classes, right?
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_02: Nothing, no customs, no recital, anything like that.
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_02: We're probably at about 520 per month.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_03: For us, it's 325 per child per month.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_03: And that's as long as you're, you know, that's the six plus classes per month.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_03: And then we do get a sibling discount.
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_03: So for me, I'm looking at around like 600 a month.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_00: And that includes so Kelly, your your total includes rehearsals for competition in that monthly total.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_00: Does that include the same for you, Danielle?
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_03: For mine, they actually add the rehearsal fees into the competition entry fees.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_03: So that's yeah, that's how they balance that out.
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_03: So the tuition is just is just the classes, but they, you know, in addition to all their competition routine classes, they have the modern and the hip hop and all tons of ballet and whatnot.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_03: So they are there way more than six hours.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_03: So I, you know, again, it's an investment and that's pretty competitive around here.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_00: Because I don't know if you both mentioned, but I know Danielle, you're in New Jersey.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_00: And Kelly, you're in Maine.
• 25:47
  SPEAKER_00: So just to give all of our listeners a perspective, you might have mentioned it in your intro, but we're we're over on the East Coast over here, our dance families.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm curious, I wish we had a West Coast dance um on this chat to hear what they're, you know, how that varies, and or somewhere in the middle of America and how it, you know, everywhere's gonna be obviously different as far as tuition and payment.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_02: So so I find that really interesting.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_02: So between the difference between Maine and New Jersey, so Danielle is pretty much paying almost, well, more than double.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_02: Like if we take out the extra training that she's paying for in her confies, right, paying almost double between the two different locations.
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_03: Where in New Jersey are you, Danielle?
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_03: We're at the Jersey shore.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_03: So we're not really close to the city.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yep.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_03: But so we're like middle.
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's definitely, I mean, fees and stuff like that are just so regional, and and that is that is super interesting that it is that different.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it is interesting, and obviously every studio is different as far as how they structure.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's really interesting to hear, Danielle, how the you know what you're paying for a dance.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_00: Like if your dancer's gonna be in this dance, you this includes the rehearsal time, this includes the entry fee.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_00: Obviously, it doesn't include costume, right?
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_00: It does not.
• 27:03
  SPEAKER_00: No, that's not.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_00: So costumes on top.
• 27:05
  SPEAKER_00: But then I feel like there's probably studios that do combine the costume into that fee and then they lump it all together.
• 27:10
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like, all right, so even before the season has started, you have a ballpark idea of if they're in six dances, this is roughly how much the six dances will cost.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_00: However, it's you know, spread over time and as far as payments, whether it's like a monthly installment or if it's a lump, here's the competition fees are due this day, whatever it is.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_00: Because I think, I don't know, even just talking about this and you guys are dance moms, like I could never be a studio owner and thinking about how to juggle all of these, every single child's schedule, just creating the schedule and rehearsal time, then divvying out payments and structuring payments and what like that sounds so hard.
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_03: I'm sure it's time consuming because when you post like the individual fees to we have an an account with studio director, I think is the platform.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_03: So when you paginate through and look at my financial history and you look at, okay, we had to put add this for the master class and this is the costume deposit.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_03: I can't imagine how many hours go into that.
• 28:10
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_00: The admin side of of the logistics of of mapping out, oh my gosh, right?
• 28:17
  SPEAKER_00: They they need to have five assistants or something.
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_01: What do you so that's just classes and training?
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_01: What do you feel like you spend the most money on?
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_01: Training or like competition fees and entry fees and costumes and stuff?
• 28:30
  SPEAKER_02: I hands down spend the most money on competition fees.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_02: When I had three dancers, easily it was 2,500 plus per comp just to get them up on that stage to dance.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_02: And the things and the things that added up, the group dances are what?
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_02: Anywhere from 55 to 65 per dancer.
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_02: So those are pretty real pretty realistic.
• 28:53
  SPEAKER_02: But when you have three kids and they all have solos, multiple solos.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 29:01
  SPEAKER_02: So you get both of those fees to you, right?
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_02: Like that's true.
• 29:07
  SPEAKER_02: They had a trio, which happy, happy, happy to pay that to see all my three girls on stage together.
• 29:14
  SPEAKER_02: But you're paying all three of those entry fees all at the same time, right?
• 29:18
  SPEAKER_02: So those competition fees for me, like if we had two competitions back to back, we were talking like a five, six thousand dollar whack at the same time.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 29:29
  SPEAKER_02: Just huge.
• 29:30
  SPEAKER_02: So you'd I just knew that you know, come February, March, April, that money had to be set aside.
• 29:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 29:38
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_03: For me, the competitions edge out the monthly tuition, and when you wrap it up for the year, just because same thing when you've got multiple kids, multiple dances, and then for nationals, there's usually a little bit more of an upcharge for nationals for the entry fees.
• 29:55
  SPEAKER_03: And then my girls go for, you know, title for their solos.
• 29:59
  SPEAKER_03: So that's another thing.
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_03: But for me, they're a little bit closer, the tuition versus the competition fees.
• 30:07
  SPEAKER_03: But the competition fees, and then when you lump in conventions, which are fantastic experiences, wouldn't trade them for the world, but they can be pretty hefty.
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_03: And like we're doing two conventions this year, you know, when we're when all is said and done, and when you've factored in the hotel and all that, it's pretty substantial.
• 30:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_00: And we we literally just had our dance convention episode released.
• 30:31
  SPEAKER_00: So if you haven't listened to it yet, listeners, go check that one out.
• 30:35
  SPEAKER_00: But I think a lot of studios want to go in the direction of I want my studio to go to more convention competitions.
• 30:45
  SPEAKER_00: And I think a lot of them are held back because it is more expensive.
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's it's a hefty difference in price because you're adding the training element to the weekend.
• 30:56
  SPEAKER_00: You're always going to be paying for the hotel, you're always going to be paying for the travel to get to these events.
• 31:00
  SPEAKER_00: That's always there, regardless if it's a comp or a convention.
• 31:03
  SPEAKER_00: But then the convention is like, you know, that extra$250 because you get to take class plus the competition fees.
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_00: So I can understand how it's while they are kind of taking over the industry in a way, like convention competitions, it's a lot to ask families.
• 31:22
  SPEAKER_00: Like a lot of studios that just do convention competitions.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's that's a lot.
• 31:26
  SPEAKER_00: It's an expense, it's an expensive sport.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_03: And the one year we did NYCDA nationals in the city, which was fantastic, great memories, but you're in the city and it spans an entire week.
• 31:41
  SPEAKER_03: So we were competing in addition to the convention part, which was compulsory if you wanted to compete.
• 31:47
  SPEAKER_03: So that was something the budget took a heavy hit on.
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_00: And it's gotta be hard for studios, I'm sure.
• 31:54
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm not a studio owner, so I can't speak for that.
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_00: But I can only imagine as far as studio owners trying to figure out what's best for their customers, you know, like a studio owner might want to do a nationals in New York City, but then will everybody be on board with that?
• 32:09
  SPEAKER_00: And I know a lot of studios do do like a poll.
• 32:13
  SPEAKER_00: Like, where are you comfortable going?
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_00: What what seems like the best?
• 32:17
  SPEAKER_00: Do we want to keep it local?
• 32:18
  SPEAKER_00: Do we want to go far away?
• 32:20
  SPEAKER_00: Orlando versus Las Vegas versus down the street New Jersey?
• 32:23
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you know, every budget's gonna be different.
• 32:26
  SPEAKER_00: And everybody in the team has to be on board with that.
• 32:30
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's probably a hard decision for studio owners to kind of as much as they might want to be like, I want to go to this competition, the talent's gonna be amazing, it's gonna be the best experience.
• 32:39
  SPEAKER_00: Is everyone cool with that?
• 32:41
  SPEAKER_00: Because it's gonna be a little bit more money this year than maybe a local one that we did last year.
• 32:46
  SPEAKER_02: That's why Susan at our studio, she gets to buy in ahead of time.
• 32:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 32:51
  SPEAKER_02: Like you have to check off those boxes when you you know fill out your audition form to see you know what level team that you're gonna qualify for, what you're on.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_02: So then that way, you know, if Susie definitely wants to go to this place for this individual piece that they're doing, and everybody checks it, they know that they're going.
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 33:13
  SPEAKER_02: Versus leaving it to closer to and you find out what's out there and then trying to get everybody's buy-in.
• 33:19
  SPEAKER_02: I think that's hard, right?
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_02: Like I think that the biggest the biggest thing is to know up front, yeah, where are you going?
• 33:25
  SPEAKER_02: How much is it gonna be?
• 33:27
  SPEAKER_02: And so you can put that money aside ahead of time.
• 33:30
  SPEAKER_02: Because the last thing that you want is for your dancer to be disappointed that they put all this effort in learning the dance.
• 33:37
  SPEAKER_02: You've paid for the extra, you've paid the money for you know, whether it be a studio teacher or whether it be a guest union, you pay the money and the the student puts all this work into learning it and perfecting it, and then can only perform it three times, that can be disappointing.
• 33:57
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• 34:02
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• 34:26
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• 34:33
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• 34:56
  SPEAKER_03: Our studio is very transparent.
• 34:58
  SPEAKER_03: In the beginning of our season, we have our meeting.
• 35:01
  SPEAKER_03: She gives us the list of where we're going.
• 35:03
  SPEAKER_03: Look, here's the towns.
• 35:05
  SPEAKER_03: You can look for hotels here.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_03: This is the cost.
• 35:08
  SPEAKER_03: And she makes it very clear there are no times when you can say, Oh, that doesn't work for me.
• 35:15
  SPEAKER_03: Like you're committing to that schedule.
• 35:17
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 35:17
  SPEAKER_03: Like you like, like Kelly said, it's only fair to the rest of the dancers and your own dancer that works so hard to be there.
• 35:23
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 35:24
  SPEAKER_01: And I think the reason, I mean, competitions and conventions and everything, and studios even, I think most of them offer a discount if you do things early.
• 35:32
  SPEAKER_01: And that's, you know, that's a way to save money.
• 35:33
  SPEAKER_01: If you can commit to it and you can say, Yeah, we're going to commit to this, those discounts will get passed on, hopefully, you know, down to the customer.
• 35:40
  SPEAKER_01: If a studio can say, Hey, here's X thousands of dollars up front from studio ABC to go to this convention, you know, hopefully that also gets passed on to you guys.
• 35:51
  SPEAKER_01: So it is important to just sort of, like you said, stick to it.
• 35:53
  SPEAKER_01: Because otherwise then you're taking advantage of somebody that it got a discount.
• 35:57
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 35:58
  SPEAKER_00: I have an a question, and it's in relation to like think way back when you joined this dance mom journey and you joined this competition team that you're currently at, and it was the first, you know, your dancer made the team, or I hope that maybe you had an idea of what the expense was going to be prior to them making the team.
• 36:21
  SPEAKER_00: Do you feel like that you knew what you were signing up for walking into it?
• 36:26
  SPEAKER_00: Or did you learn as you as the dancer, you know, throughout the years grew?
• 36:30
  SPEAKER_00: And because obviously if they I know uh Danielle, you said your dancers joined the team when they were five.
• 36:35
  SPEAKER_00: And like I'm thinking back for Abby, like how old was Abby when she started competing?
• 36:39
  SPEAKER_02: Like so yeah, so Abby didn't start competing.
• 36:42
  SPEAKER_02: So our team kind of was was a work in progress at that point.
• 36:47
  SPEAKER_02: So Abby didn't join Pulse until she was nine.
• 36:50
  SPEAKER_02: I think that was the first year that she joined Pulse.
• 36:53
  SPEAKER_02: But then every it's just evolved since then, right?
• 36:56
  SPEAKER_02: So Annabelle started Pulse when she was seven.
• 36:59
  SPEAKER_02: Zoe started Pulse when she was six, you know.
• 37:02
  SPEAKER_00: Right, it keeps changing.
• 37:03
  SPEAKER_00: So like communities change.
• 37:06
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, exactly.
• 37:07
  SPEAKER_00: And there's more opportunities now, and the uh demand is more and things like that.
• 37:12
  SPEAKER_00: So, like, was it a shock to you when you saw how much this was gonna cost?
• 37:19
  SPEAKER_00: And when did that happen?
• 37:21
  SPEAKER_00: Or did it ever happen?
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_02: It didn't really ever happen, so it kind of just evolved, right?
• 37:26
  SPEAKER_02: So when Abby started, she just was in one pulse number, right?
• 37:30
  SPEAKER_02: And then it just kind of moved on from there.
• 37:33
  SPEAKER_02: And we accepted it as we went along, right?
• 37:37
  SPEAKER_02: And so I would say within the last four years or so is really when things started to change where people had to have a hundred percent buy-in.
• 37:47
  SPEAKER_02: Like if you wanted to do this piece, like this is a pulse plus piece or whatever it was called back then, you had buy-in that you were going to do extras, right?
• 37:56
  SPEAKER_02: Not just the three mandatory pieces.
• 37:59
  SPEAKER_02: Back then it was a little different.
• 38:00
  SPEAKER_02: We were much, much smaller back then.
• 38:02
  SPEAKER_02: We weren't as large, but we grew very fast.
• 38:05
  SPEAKER_02: So it just kind of, I think it just evolved a little bit along the way into what it was.
• 38:11
  SPEAKER_02: And then, you know, once we were fully in it, we just had to make choices, right?
• 38:16
  SPEAKER_02: And fortunately, for my girls, we love watching them up on stage.
• 38:20
  SPEAKER_02: We love watching them pursue their dreams.
• 38:22
  SPEAKER_02: So we're willing to make sacrifices on other ends so they can have that.
• 38:27
  SPEAKER_02: And to your point, Courtney, when you talk about nationals being a family vacation, I will say some of our best family memories have been at dance conventions or competitions.
• 38:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 38:37
  SPEAKER_02: Nice.
• 38:38
  SPEAKER_02: I love that.
• 38:38
  SPEAKER_01: I want to get back to sacrifices in a moment, but Danielle, I want to hear if you had any any sticker shock early on.
• 38:44
  SPEAKER_01: Oh Lord, yes.
• 38:45
  SPEAKER_03: Uh I had coached a youth organization and to register, it was$55 for the child for the year.
• 38:54
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, we were all volunteers, but then when you qualified for nationals, you had to pay your own way, but there was no costumes because we had uniforms.
• 39:03
  SPEAKER_03: And, you know, there was no renting a space because we rehearsed in elementary school gyms.
• 39:09
  SPEAKER_03: So the costs were so low.
• 39:11
  SPEAKER_03: When they joined, it was like, okay, well, there's this one number and they're adorable.
• 39:17
  SPEAKER_03: And there's one costume.
• 39:18
  SPEAKER_03: And look, they don't have to do these master classes.
• 39:21
  SPEAKER_03: And look in the conventions, they only got to do this fun kitty program.
• 39:24
  SPEAKER_03: And it's like half the price.
• 39:26
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, we can do this.
• 39:27
  SPEAKER_03: And then as they're getting older and they're acquiring more group dances, and then they had a duo offered to them like when they were seven.
• 39:35
  SPEAKER_03: It's like, well, how can I, how can I say no?
• 39:37
  SPEAKER_03: I've got to, I've got to do this.
• 39:39
  SPEAKER_03: I've got to say yes.
• 39:40
  SPEAKER_03: It's an opportunity, it's growth.
• 39:41
  SPEAKER_03: How could I turn this down?
• 39:43
  SPEAKER_03: But then you keep getting opportunities thrown your way.
• 39:47
  SPEAKER_03: And you're like, all right, well, this is great and all, but we're gonna have to eat ramen for I don't know, the rest of your life.
• 39:55
  SPEAKER_03: So, but you know, again, it's just it did sort of sneak up in a way, but after the initial shock of like, oh gosh, it's not gonna be$55, is it?
• 40:06
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 40:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean, how much are solo entry fees going for these days?
• 40:12
  SPEAKER_00: Like one, like$1250, over$100,000, like$125.
• 40:18
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I mean, just that.
• 40:19
  SPEAKER_00: I'm thinking back to my my days as a comp kid, and we were doing solos for$60, and that was a lot, you know, and that was just the entry fee.
• 40:28
  SPEAKER_00: So when I see dancers come out on stage with four solos, I'm my mind is blown.
• 40:35
  SPEAKER_00: And then they have you know, 10 group dances too.
• 40:38
  SPEAKER_00: Like those comp fees add up, and yeah, it's it's a lot.
• 40:43
  SPEAKER_00: So, Leslie, you wanted you wanted to go back to the sacrifices.
• 40:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 40:48
  SPEAKER_01: Well, because I think, you know, so far it's it's been like we've talked about experiences and like all of this is great, but I think, you know, the dance moms out there are like, what are you, how do you afford this?
• 40:58
  SPEAKER_01: Like, that's the question they're asking.
• 41:00
  SPEAKER_01: And so I would love to know, you know, and not to be like, what's your you know, income tax, whatever, but what what sacrifices are your is your family making?
• 41:08
  SPEAKER_01: Like, are you sacrificing the other vacation you might want to take?
• 41:11
  SPEAKER_01: Are you, you know, saying, okay, well, we're not gonna go out to eat on Friday night as a family because you're gonna pack a peanut butter sandwich and go to dance?
• 41:18
  SPEAKER_01: Like, what are what are the actual nitty-gritty sacrifices you're making to make this money happen for your kids?
• 41:24
  SPEAKER_02: So I I would say if we were to talk pre-COVID.
• 41:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, please, and also disclaimer pre-COVID, probably because this year has been a mess.
• 41:32
  SPEAKER_02: Pre-COVID, I I would have to say that we managed it pretty well, right?
• 41:36
  SPEAKER_02: We live within our means.
• 41:38
  SPEAKER_02: So we really, you know, we could still go out to dinner once in a while.
• 41:42
  SPEAKER_02: You pick and choose, but during COVID, my world, I'm in hospitality meetings, meetings and events.
• 41:49
  SPEAKER_02: And so obviously we know that that's non-existent, right?
• 41:52
  SPEAKER_02: So sacrifices, when we talk about that, my husband works probably 80, 85 hours a week right now.
• 41:59
  SPEAKER_02: And oh my gosh, and he does it not because we can't afford to pay the mortgage, but because he doesn't want to change the girls' lives.
• 42:07
  SPEAKER_02: And if he didn't do that right now, okay, well, Annabelle wouldn't have her solos, she wouldn't have her trio, you know, we would have to severely cut back, we wouldn't be able to do any extra convention.
• 42:19
  SPEAKER_02: So when we talk about sacrifices, you know, that's we're not willing to go into debt for dance, but if we can do it and we can financially do it, then that's what we do.
• 42:28
  SPEAKER_02: And unfortunately, right now, that's the sacrifice that that he needs to make that we need to make.
• 42:33
  SPEAKER_02: So we just say Mr.
• 42:35
  SPEAKER_01: Finney, we're gonna give you a round of applause over here.
• 42:36
  SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
• 42:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, hopefully.
• 42:40
  SPEAKER_00: Please don't do that.
• 42:41
  SPEAKER_00: Dance dads, we love you.
• 42:44
  SPEAKER_03: For me, for our family, I'm paying for dance entirely on my own.
• 42:49
  SPEAKER_03: I fund it myself.
• 42:51
  SPEAKER_03: So we do cut the corners and they don't quite get as much as maybe some of the other girls on their team.
• 42:56
  SPEAKER_03: Like they don't get the extra privates and they know that.
• 43:00
  SPEAKER_03: And I built a makeshift dance studio for them down in the basement.
• 43:03
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm like, You have you, you have YouTube.
• 43:05
  SPEAKER_03: Here, here's a mirror and a dance floor.
• 43:08
  SPEAKER_03: You're gonna give yourself a private lesson.
• 43:10
  SPEAKER_03: Also, I'm the mom that's always packing the food.
• 43:14
  SPEAKER_03: We're not ordering food.
• 43:15
  SPEAKER_03: What are you talking about?
• 43:16
  SPEAKER_03: We have food in this house.
• 43:17
  SPEAKER_03: Why are you even thinking that we're gonna order food?
• 43:20
  SPEAKER_03: And they're like looking at their friends that just got Chipotle and they're like, okay, this is nice.
• 43:25
  SPEAKER_03: This is good.
• 43:26
  SPEAKER_03: We love you, mom.
• 43:27
  SPEAKER_03: We we generally don't go on extra vacations aside from what we're doing with dance.
• 43:33
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, I may do day trips here and there.
• 43:35
  SPEAKER_03: We'll get a season pass for great adventure.
• 43:38
  SPEAKER_03: That's like part of a present, and that's you know, we'll we'll go once in a while with that.
• 43:42
  SPEAKER_03: With the thing that started sneaking up on me was like the Starbucks runs.
• 43:48
  SPEAKER_00: Uh they love they dancers love a Starbucks run.
• 43:52
  SPEAKER_00: What happens?
• 43:53
  SPEAKER_00: I don't get it.
• 43:54
  SPEAKER_00: Like, why are you even drinking coffee at this age?
• 43:56
  SPEAKER_00: Which sometimes they're not, they're getting all the little like, what are those?
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_00: I don't drink those other ones.
• 44:01
  SPEAKER_00: The frappuccinos.
• 44:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, the frappuccinos and the mixed little like green teas and things.
• 44:07
  SPEAKER_03: And right.
• 44:08
  SPEAKER_03: So I started eliminating that.
• 44:09
  SPEAKER_03: And I said, listen, if you for your birthday want to ask for gift cards for those things for Starbucks or whatever, Chick-fil-A, go ahead and ask for those because you know, I'm packing the turkey sandwich.
• 44:22
  SPEAKER_03: You want something aside from turkey sandwich, you're paying for other than turkey sandwich.
• 44:26
  SPEAKER_03: And honestly, I've eliminated a lot of the birthday parties.
• 44:30
  SPEAKER_03: I used to do the big birthday party for the girls.
• 44:33
  SPEAKER_03: And I said, here's the thing.
• 44:35
  SPEAKER_03: You know, you can either have a solo or you can have a birthday party.
• 44:41
  SPEAKER_03: So tell me which one you want.
• 44:43
  SPEAKER_03: And no take back seats.
• 44:45
  SPEAKER_03: Like that's it.
• 44:46
  SPEAKER_03: You're, you know, full on committed.
• 44:48
  SPEAKER_03: And they pick the solo.
• 44:50
  SPEAKER_03: And they'll ask too for, you know, gift certificates for their dance school for Christmas.
• 44:57
  SPEAKER_03: And sometimes that will like the duo was part of their Christmas gift from me to them.
• 45:02
  SPEAKER_03: Nice.
• 45:03
  SPEAKER_03: So I'll print up a nice certificate.
• 45:05
  SPEAKER_03: And you know, here you go.
• 45:07
  SPEAKER_03: Also, we are big into hand-me-downs.
• 45:10
  SPEAKER_03: My girls are two of the youngest on the team and they're the smallest.
• 45:14
  SPEAKER_03: So the girls are complaining they're not growing, but I'm like, no, it's cool because you're getting all the good hand-me-downs.
• 45:20
  SPEAKER_03: So don't worry about it.
• 45:21
  SPEAKER_03: Especially convention wear.
• 45:23
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, they wear the outfit like two, three times.
• 45:26
  SPEAKER_03: And, you know, other families are like, hey, you want this?
• 45:28
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 45:29
  SPEAKER_03: Did you have to ask?
• 45:30
  SPEAKER_03: No, you didn't.
• 45:32
  SPEAKER_03: So, and like you said at the beginning, I'm always combing Amazon and different sites for sales.
• 45:39
  SPEAKER_03: I subscribe to the emails for, you know, a bunch of the major dance wear companies, and they give you the heads up when a sale's coming, discount codes, and I I do share those when I come across them.
• 45:50
  SPEAKER_03: So it's a balance.
• 45:52
  SPEAKER_03: We know we're making sacrifices.
• 45:54
  SPEAKER_03: I'm sacrificing time.
• 45:56
  SPEAKER_03: They're sacrificing, you know, Chick-fil-A, but and they're sacrificing birthday parties.
• 46:02
  SPEAKER_03: But at the end of the day, what do you want?
• 46:04
  SPEAKER_03: Tell me what you want because we will finish out our commitment for this year.
• 46:08
  SPEAKER_03: We'll think harder before re-upping next year if you want something new.
• 46:12
  SPEAKER_00: That's nice.
• 46:13
  unknown: Yeah.
• 46:14
  SPEAKER_00: I think it really teaches them that this is it, it just really shows them like what matters as far as how what to pick in life.
• 46:22
  SPEAKER_00: Do you want Starbucks or do you want a solo?
• 46:24
  SPEAKER_00: Do you want a birthday or do you want a solo?
• 46:26
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, and it it I think it just teaches them like good life lessons as far as even just learning that this isn't just a free thing that you're doing.
• 46:34
  SPEAKER_00: Like this is this is a lot of money.
• 46:36
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean, I my parents tell me all the time, I've said it on the podcast.
• 46:42
  SPEAKER_00: My mom always, I'm still paying for this and I'm still paying for that, you know, with with dance, because dance is expensive.
• 46:50
  SPEAKER_00: And honestly, I feel like looking back and reflecting back, I never knew how much it cost as a kid.
• 46:57
  SPEAKER_00: And not that the kids need to know, but I think that it is important for them to know that that sa sacrifices are happening in the family at times to allow you to do this.
• 47:08
  SPEAKER_00: And and hopefully the kids are grateful and hopefully the kids realize that this isn't just a free after school program.
• 47:16
  SPEAKER_00: It's not.
• 47:17
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 47:18
  SPEAKER_03: No, not at all.
• 47:19
  SPEAKER_03: But I I'm happy to say that my girls are pretty grateful and pretty well grounded when it comes to that.
• 47:24
  SPEAKER_03: I know that they wish we could do more, but they understand that's not realistic right now.
• 47:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's that's great.
• 47:31
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm sure it is hard for some dancers to see, well, Sally over here has five solos and went to every dance convention that rolls through town.
• 47:40
  SPEAKER_00: And I you won't let me go, mom, why?
• 47:43
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like, I hopefully, I mean, maybe there's dancers listening to this episode.
• 47:48
  SPEAKER_00: I think a lot of dance moms are going to be listening to this one, but maybe dancers are listening with the dance moms.
• 47:52
  SPEAKER_00: And hey, dancers, go thank your parents for putting you in dance and and working overtime for you to have your solo this year and go to that extra convention or take that extra masterclass because it is important to just go and say thank you sometimes to mom and dad.
• 48:09
  SPEAKER_00: They are doing their best and they are making these dreams happen for you all out there.
• 48:15
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm very I'm so grateful.
• 48:16
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks, mom and dad.
• 48:17
  SPEAKER_00: Love y'all.
• 48:18
  SPEAKER_00: I wouldn't be, I wouldn't even be sitting here on this podcast because I wouldn't have had a career if I didn't dance.
• 48:26
  SPEAKER_01: That is true.
• 48:27
  SPEAKER_01: Do either one of y'all's studios offer like any fundraising opportunities for the for the dance company to offset any of these costs?
• 48:35
  SPEAKER_02: So ours does.
• 48:36
  SPEAKER_02: We do a few fundraisers.
• 48:38
  SPEAKER_02: We do a calendar that everybody will get some sort of donation.
• 48:42
  SPEAKER_02: So whether it be a gift card to a company or a gift certificate, and then it's all rolled up into a calendar that takes off, I think, in December, and people can win prizes so they can buy tickets, right?
• 48:54
  SPEAKER_02: That's pretty successful.
• 48:56
  SPEAKER_02: We do another big fundraiser that we do for pulse, is we do a showcase.
• 49:00
  SPEAKER_02: So it's called Pulse Performs, and it's normally held in January, maybe first weekend in February.
• 49:08
  SPEAKER_02: So it's an opportunity for the dancers to get up on stage and perform their number and to practice before comp season.
• 49:15
  SPEAKER_02: And they run all of their pulse numbers.
• 49:17
  SPEAKER_02: So all their solos, duos, trios, group numbers that are part of the company.
• 49:21
  SPEAKER_02: And the studio owner, Susan, she rents um a performing arts center and people buy tickets.
• 49:28
  SPEAKER_02: And we sell concessions and we do, I think we call it a pot of gold, where we all donate gift cards and people buy raffles, and there's like two or three of those that we give out.
• 49:39
  SPEAKER_02: And so those that that one raises quite a bit of money right there, the showcase.
• 49:44
  SPEAKER_02: That's great.
• 49:45
  SPEAKER_02: Along with giving the dancers an opportunity to be on stage for the first time with all of their numbers.
• 49:51
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 49:51
  SPEAKER_01: And is that the funds raised for that?
• 49:54
  SPEAKER_01: Is that sort of divvied up across the board?
• 49:56
  SPEAKER_01: Or I mean, is it it's not individual, I wouldn't guess.
• 49:59
  SPEAKER_02: So the the calendars 100% goes back to each dancer.
• 50:04
  SPEAKER_02: So no matter how many so the calendars that way, but the pulse performs goes into the educational fund.
• 50:11
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 50:11
  SPEAKER_02: So that's how we could afford to have Courtney come to picture.
• 50:14
  SPEAKER_02: I love that.
• 50:16
  SPEAKER_02: And pays for travel expenses and master classes and you know, all of that.
• 50:20
  SPEAKER_02: And we've had the opportunity to have some amazing guest choreographers and master teachers.
• 50:27
  SPEAKER_02: And I mean, there's probably five, six, seven of them that come.
• 50:31
  SPEAKER_02: We had Teddy Florence come this summer, Scott Fowler.
• 50:35
  SPEAKER_02: Obviously, we want Courtney back.
• 50:39
  unknown: I'll be back.
• 50:40
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I could go on and on how many people we have had um that have come to the studio.
• 50:44
  SPEAKER_02: So that Pulse Performs Fund helps fund get them here, pays their fees to come here, pays their master classes.
• 50:52
  SPEAKER_02: And those master classes for the pulse dancers are complementary, like they're free.
• 50:58
  SPEAKER_02: So that pulse fund funds that, but it is also open to other studios.
• 51:03
  SPEAKER_02: So if another studio dancer wants to attend that masterclass, they can come, but they pay.
• 51:08
  SPEAKER_02: They pay the fee.
• 51:09
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 51:09
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's so small.
• 51:10
  SPEAKER_02: I want to say it's like$25,$30 for the masterclass, like very, very affordable.
• 51:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 51:15
  SPEAKER_00: Average masterclass cost.
• 51:17
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 51:17
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah.
• 51:18
  SPEAKER_03: For us, we do individual fundraisers.
• 51:20
  SPEAKER_03: There's about four throughout the year.
• 51:22
  SPEAKER_03: So in the fall, you've got your mums.
• 51:25
  SPEAKER_03: Right now we're doing Thanksgiving pies, and then it's wreaths and poinsettas for the holidays.
• 51:32
  SPEAKER_03: And then I think we take a little bit of a break, and then it's the Easter candy.
• 51:36
  SPEAKER_03: But whatever proceeds you make go directly into your individual account.
• 51:40
  SPEAKER_03: The year we did NYCDA nationals, we did as a team uh sort of do like a raffle for a basket.
• 51:49
  SPEAKER_03: And that that turned out pretty well, but that was split amongst all of us going then.
• 51:54
  SPEAKER_03: But we are always encouraged by our studio owner.
• 51:57
  SPEAKER_03: Hey, you've got another fundraiser, let me see it.
• 52:00
  SPEAKER_03: Let's let's go on board with it.
• 52:02
  SPEAKER_03: Just the thing around where I live, so many of the other sports teams do the same fundraisers at the same time.
• 52:09
  SPEAKER_03: So I've got like 18 offers for mums.
• 52:12
  SPEAKER_03: I'm like, listen, I have a very small property.
• 52:14
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, I don't have a farm, but thank you.
• 52:18
  SPEAKER_03: And then, you know, the pies, it's like, okay, I'm only having one Thanksgiving dinner.
• 52:22
  SPEAKER_03: So, you know, I can't buy from everybody.
• 52:25
  SPEAKER_03: But trying to compete with that, just trying to strategically say, okay, when are we gonna start our sale so that we can get the most?
• 52:31
  SPEAKER_03: But that but the individual fundraising helps us all a lot.
• 52:35
  SPEAKER_00: Awesome.
• 52:35
  SPEAKER_00: I like hearing that those masters.
• 52:37
  SPEAKER_00: I like how to hear how that uh your studio structures those masterclasses and uses that preview show essentially.
• 52:44
  SPEAKER_00: And I know of some other studios that do something similar like that, which is great for the dancers to get the kinks out first time on stage and not have it be at a competition.
• 52:53
  SPEAKER_00: Another thing I've heard of different studios doing is if a the studio wins cash at a a competition, then you know that cash goes back to the studio and to the dancers in some way, whether it is for let's host a in studio intensive or a masterclass or bring in this person or let's divvy it out, however.
• 53:13
  SPEAKER_00: I know like when I was growing up, if I won a solo, I got to keep that cash.
• 53:17
  SPEAKER_00: And my parent, my mom would always let me keep it, and I could go use that.
• 53:21
  SPEAKER_00: Was like, I didn't have a job, obviously I was like 12 or something.
• 53:24
  SPEAKER_00: So it was like my first taste of like actually making money.
• 53:28
  SPEAKER_00: And oh my god, I won fifty dollars at a competition, I'm gonna go buy myself a purse or something, you know, at limited two.
• 53:36
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you know, and I think that every studio is different as to how I think a lot of competitions now though do like the whole you you won credit to come back next year.
• 53:47
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 53:48
  SPEAKER_00: And everyone's like, okay, cool.
• 53:50
  SPEAKER_00: I'd rather it be cash and we can put it to whatever you you want to put it towards, you know.
• 53:54
  SPEAKER_00: The limited two.
• 53:55
  SPEAKER_00: Sorry, I'm just still laughing at dating yourself so perfectly.
• 54:04
  SPEAKER_00: Let's be real.
• 54:05
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, I went there every all the time, was my favorite.
• 54:08
  SPEAKER_00: I liked it too.
• 54:10
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, so speaking of like limited to and like cool places and so costumes.
• 54:14
  SPEAKER_01: Are you guys doing uh custom costumes that you're paying for like completely out of pocket?
• 54:20
  SPEAKER_01: Do you think it's necessary?
• 54:21
  SPEAKER_01: Did you do it once and think it was, you know, not necessary?
• 54:25
  SPEAKER_01: What's the deal with that?
• 54:26
  SPEAKER_02: Most of our customs for the group members, of course, they come from just the regular magazines, right?
• 54:33
  SPEAKER_02: Kelly, not really discount dance or you know, but the solos, duos, trios, they tend to be a little bit more, a little bit more thought process into those, right?
• 54:44
  SPEAKER_02: In the very, very beginning, I wasn't really a believer, like, okay, why am I spending Abigail$160 on that costume for your solo?
• 54:53
  SPEAKER_02: But then, you know, once I really saw her on stage and doing a solo or do or trio, I mean, you're really out there for all three of them, right?
• 55:02
  SPEAKER_02: You're really being seen.
• 55:04
  SPEAKER_02: And the even if a costume was a little bit more because we order it somewhere, that it was more expensive, the confidence level that that helped them get on the stage and feel the piece and feel the number, that I just started thinking, okay, you know, really what is the difference in$40?
• 55:21
  SPEAKER_02: If that's going to make a difference in how they feel on stage, right?
• 55:25
  SPEAKER_02: Of course, you have to balance that on what you can afford.
• 55:28
  SPEAKER_02: If you can't afford it, you can't afford it.
• 55:30
  SPEAKER_02: And I think there are, you know, ways that you can get around it.
• 55:33
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you can, there are numerous different sites that you can go on that sell used dance costumes.
• 55:39
  SPEAKER_02: I've reached out to some of my teachers, or they've also reached out to me in dancers that are looking for a solo costume.
• 55:47
  SPEAKER_02: I can't tell you how many costumes I have up in our dance room.
• 55:51
  SPEAKER_02: We have a full, you know, dance studio above our garage, and we have racks and racks of costumes.
• 55:58
  SPEAKER_02: And a lot of them, I even have double because Anna and Abby danced together in the same level for probably years, right?
• 56:06
  SPEAKER_02: So all the group dances, there's doubles.
• 56:08
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, so you know, if you're thinking of a solo or a duo and you don't have the money to for a costume, come shopping.
• 56:14
  SPEAKER_02: I don't want the money for it, just use it, just borrow it and return it.
• 56:17
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, so I think that there are creative ways, you know.
• 56:21
  SPEAKER_02: I think Danielle pointed it out, you know, handy downs.
• 56:23
  SPEAKER_02: I think that is huge, you know, and we can totally kind of you know pass things around and help each other out.
• 56:29
  SPEAKER_02: And we did that a lot at our studio.
• 56:31
  SPEAKER_02: Jump Zoe's trio, her custom is not in yet, right?
• 56:36
  SPEAKER_02: So we figured out one that worked well from last year.
• 56:39
  SPEAKER_02: And each of the moms, you know, they brought in customs to make sure that they all fit the girls, and that's four.
• 56:46
  SPEAKER_02: It worked out great, you know, for having to buy something in the interim that we could get in time.
• 56:52
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 56:52
  SPEAKER_02: Because the one that you might was more custom.
• 56:55
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 56:55
  SPEAKER_03: For our production number, the whole team gets a like a custom and it's usually showstoppingly beautiful.
• 57:03
  SPEAKER_03: For the other group numbers, we do the catalogs, but we add a lot of embellishments, like homegrown type of, you know, let's get this applique.
• 57:11
  SPEAKER_03: We're all gonna sew it on this way.
• 57:13
  SPEAKER_03: We go bonkers with rhinestones.
• 57:15
  SPEAKER_03: Like you can really, I guess you really can't have enough.
• 57:20
  SPEAKER_03: And we make our own headpieces.
• 57:22
  SPEAKER_03: Like we have a mom who does this.
• 57:25
  SPEAKER_03: I actually made my daughter's solo costume headpieces myself, which was shocking because I failed arts and crafts in high school.
• 57:33
  SPEAKER_03: Came out okay.
• 57:34
  SPEAKER_03: But we make the headpieces that sort of complement the costume with the rhinestones and with the appliquees, it looks really stunning on stage.
• 57:42
  SPEAKER_03: Plus, we have a couple of signature jewelry pieces too that we use for every single one, like the big rhinestone earrings and the chokers and the hair elastic, the the clip and whatnot.
• 57:54
  SPEAKER_03: So it brings enough sparkle because, like Kelly said, they have to feel confident taking that stage, regardless, because that's you can see it in their faces when they feel less than.
• 58:05
  SPEAKER_03: So is it worth it?
• 58:07
  SPEAKER_03: Probably, because you can't buy that feeling of like confidence.
• 58:13
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 58:13
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I mean I mean, that's no different than if we go out for a night out, right?
• 58:17
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 58:18
  SPEAKER_02: Like we we want that.
• 58:19
  SPEAKER_02: I'm sorry.
• 58:20
  SPEAKER_02: It's no different than if we oh, right.
• 58:22
  SPEAKER_02: You don't go out.
• 58:24
  SPEAKER_02: I guess we're talking about when we were like in our 20s.
• 58:28
  SPEAKER_03: It's a long time ago for me.
• 58:30
  SPEAKER_02: You know, but you know, if you're gonna go out into town for the night, you want to feel good in what you're wearing, you know?
• 58:35
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 58:36
  SPEAKER_02: And I I feel like it's the same thing when they get up on that stage.
• 58:39
  SPEAKER_02: And I've noticed a difference when they don't feel so confident in that costume or it doesn't fit right, right?
• 58:46
  SPEAKER_02: It just doesn't go the way that it should go.
• 58:49
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, we have worn our costumes for shows that have just never fit.
• 58:55
  SPEAKER_01: And nobody wanted to take the time to make a bra that might fit me.
• 58:58
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 58:59
  SPEAKER_01: And wear it where I remember the struggle.
• 59:01
  SPEAKER_01: Remember that struggle, the worst.
• 59:02
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, I remember.
• 59:03
  SPEAKER_01: In a like a 10-year-old costume that had been worn by like, I don't know, 15 other people.
• 59:08
  SPEAKER_01: And they were like, Well, we'll just just is does this work?
• 59:12
  SPEAKER_01: And I was like, No, it doesn't, no, and I have to wear this for five months.
• 59:17
  SPEAKER_01: It doesn't work.
• 59:20
  SPEAKER_00: I know one I I wore this god-awful, oh Lord, I can probably find a photo, god-awful dress for this review show I did in the early parts of my career, and it was this it was straight from the 80s, and it was like a pink dress with big froofy pink shoulder things, and it was bad.
• 59:40
  SPEAKER_00: And they had a trillion of them, but for some reason I was one of the shortest ones, and they just like passed me like a size large that should have been on a a dancer that was probably like five eight, and I'm five one, and this thing is swimming on me.
• 59:52
  SPEAKER_00: And there's a photo of all of us in our bevel in our heels with their hair done, and this it's all the way down past my knees, and everyone else is just hitting them like right at the the top of the thigh where it's supposed to.
• 1:00:04
  SPEAKER_00: And it's just like I just felt frumpy.
• 1:00:06
  SPEAKER_00: And I just, I mean, I went and I did my job.
• 1:00:08
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, this is I'm talking in the professional world right now, but like I think confidence is a huge thing.
• 1:00:13
  SPEAKER_00: It's no different than how we want to have unique choreography and we want to find song choice.
• 1:00:18
  SPEAKER_00: Hello, just had that episode as well.
• 1:00:20
  SPEAKER_00: We want to find a unique song that not every single dancer has.
• 1:00:24
  SPEAKER_00: Then when you go out in a costume and literally we just saw it three dances before, it's kind of like a little deflating for the dancer.
• 1:00:33
  SPEAKER_01: Like they have our costume.
• 1:00:34
  SPEAKER_01: Like I've we've definitely been there.
• 1:00:36
  SPEAKER_01: Everybody's been there.
• 1:00:37
  SPEAKER_00: Been there.
• 1:00:38
  SPEAKER_00: Everybody's been there.
• 1:00:38
  SPEAKER_00: And I I think that's such great advice, Kelly, that you said about the resale groups.
• 1:00:44
  SPEAKER_00: There are so I mean, how cool is that?
• 1:00:46
  SPEAKER_00: I wish that was around when we were when I was growing up.
• 1:00:49
  SPEAKER_00: It's so genius whoever started doing it.
• 1:00:51
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you to the Facebook groups out there that exist.
• 1:00:54
  SPEAKER_00: You can go into a Facebook group now.
• 1:00:56
  SPEAKER_00: There's a trillion of them that you can join.
• 1:00:58
  SPEAKER_00: So everybody listening, go if you're looking for a costume, you can find it.
• 1:01:01
  SPEAKER_00: Go join.
• 1:01:01
  SPEAKER_00: You can there's custom costume ones, but then there's also just group ones.
• 1:01:05
  SPEAKER_00: If a studio is looking for a whole group, I mean, obviously it makes it a little bit harder when you have to have different sizes that you need and really have to, you know, bring that together.
• 1:01:14
  SPEAKER_00: But especially for solos or duo trios, you can totally find a custom costume that might be exactly what you're looking for and fit your dancer perfectly, and you're gonna be slicing the cost hopefully down by a few hundred dollars.
• 1:01:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 1:01:26
  SPEAKER_00: And you could get something beautiful already done.
• 1:01:28
  SPEAKER_00: But I think that's the route to go.
• 1:01:30
  SPEAKER_00: If I was, if I had any recommendation or guidance or if I could just recommend something for teachers and dancers out there that might not want to spend$500 on a custom, go to those resale groups because you're still going to get that personalized, unique, one-of-a-kind costume that will build your confidence and make you feel fabulous on stage at half the price.
• 1:01:52
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 1:01:52
  SPEAKER_00: And I would recommend that over a magazine book costume if it's like a solo or a duo trio.
• 1:01:59
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:02:00
  SPEAKER_01: And I think there's no shame either, too.
• 1:02:01
  SPEAKER_01: If it fits next year and you're doing another lyrical solo, wear it again.
• 1:02:05
  SPEAKER_01: It was$500.
• 1:02:07
  SPEAKER_01: Like it just pains me to see like these gorgeous costumes that like you barely even sweat in it.
• 1:02:13
  SPEAKER_01: You danced in it for three minutes three times.
• 1:02:16
  SPEAKER_01: Like this cost, there's nothing wrong with this costume.
• 1:02:18
  SPEAKER_01: Like, wear it again.
• 1:02:20
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, my that my mother would have made me do that.
• 1:02:22
  SPEAKER_01: If custom costumes were a thing at my studio back in the day, and it still fit me, I'd be wearing it again.
• 1:02:28
  SPEAKER_01: And there's no shame in that.
• 1:02:29
  SPEAKER_02: Especially the um, especially the point variations that come from China.
• 1:02:35
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 1:02:37
  SPEAKER_02: Right?
• 1:02:38
  SPEAKER_02: That are ridiculously expensive.
• 1:02:40
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 1:02:41
  SPEAKER_00: Mm-hmm.
• 1:02:41
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm even I'm even thinking of like some of these costumes that I've seen hit the stage that are flawless.
• 1:02:48
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, some of the best bedazzling and rhinestoning and appliques and fringe I've ever seen.
• 1:02:56
  SPEAKER_00: I have never, as a professional dancer, my entire 10 plus years, have ever worn a costume that has looked like that in a professional dance world.
• 1:03:06
  SPEAKER_00: They're all 10 years old.
• 1:03:08
  SPEAKER_00: Every costume I've ever worn is old.
• 1:03:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's old, but like not even at I'm just saying, like, I think that a lot of people and studios and dancers and parents think that like if my dancers can afford to wear this now in competition, what will they wear when they become a professional?
• 1:03:24
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm gonna let you know that it's not that you're wearing old junk.
• 1:03:28
  SPEAKER_00: It's not that.
• 1:03:29
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I think the the closest I've gotten to a competition dance style costume that I've worn in a professional show was Radio City.
• 1:03:36
  SPEAKER_00: And that was the first time that I wore like actual rhinestones on like a beautiful bedazzle corset with like chiffon skirt, and it felt like I was in a lyrical costume.
• 1:03:45
  SPEAKER_00: But besides that, I've never.
• 1:03:48
  SPEAKER_00: So to me, I'm always like, when I see those costumes hit the stage, I'm like, oh my gosh, you spent so much money on this costume.
• 1:03:54
  SPEAKER_00: Put it in the training instead.
• 1:03:56
  SPEAKER_00: Put it into the training, go get a hand-me-down.
• 1:03:58
  SPEAKER_00: Like you can add some bedazzles 100% and make it yours.
• 1:04:02
  SPEAKER_00: But I don't necessarily I think having a unique costume is important, but I don't think that they need to be 500 plus because that's just getting a little outrageous, y'all.
• 1:04:10
  SPEAKER_03: No, I've never spent that.
• 1:04:11
  SPEAKER_00: No offense to anybody that's doing it, but and yeah, I agree.
• 1:04:15
  SPEAKER_02: I've never I've never spent that either.
• 1:04:17
  SPEAKER_00: No, no plans to.
• 1:04:19
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so glad to hear that.
• 1:04:20
  SPEAKER_00: I've even seen like the 500 plus on the resale groups, though.
• 1:04:23
  SPEAKER_00: Like you know what I mean?
• 1:04:25
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm just like, then how much did you pay for this?
• 1:04:27
  SPEAKER_00: That stresses me out.
• 1:04:29
  SPEAKER_03: Good lord.
• 1:04:30
  SPEAKER_01: Let's do a couple more things, Courtney, before we wrap up.
• 1:04:32
  SPEAKER_01: Let's talk about like a little bit about some of the things that you ladies have found.
• 1:04:37
  SPEAKER_01: Any any specific discount sites that you like or anywhere, any resources that you both like to use for finding discounted things.
• 1:04:44
  SPEAKER_01: And then we'll do just sort of a leadout of like tips and tricks and any any helpful things that you can think of that might help.
• 1:04:50
  SPEAKER_02: Love it.
• 1:04:50
  SPEAKER_02: So I don't have any real sites that I go to.
• 1:04:54
  SPEAKER_02: I know that like I'll go on Amazon Prime and buy hair dots in bulk.
• 1:04:59
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 1:05:00
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, I like that versus blue Walgreens, and you get three for five dollars, you can get a hundred for ten bucks.
• 1:05:07
  SPEAKER_02: Nice, right?
• 1:05:08
  SPEAKER_02: Way, way better.
• 1:05:09
  SPEAKER_02: So, and then also as crazy as this sounds, the Dollar Tree is my friend.
• 1:05:15
  SPEAKER_02: Whether it's food supplies or whether it's combs, whether it's a mirror, whether it's hair ties, whatever it is, like that stuff is.
• 1:05:25
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know, Danielle.
• 1:05:26
  SPEAKER_02: How many, how many bobby pins do you pick up in your book?
• 1:05:30
  SPEAKER_03: How many is more than a billion?
• 1:05:32
  SPEAKER_03: Like, what's the next billion?
• 1:05:34
  SPEAKER_02: You know, yeah, I always try and keep in the back of my mind one of my favorite dancers is about to graduate and she was hurt, I don't know, probably six, seven years ago.
• 1:05:44
  SPEAKER_02: And I remember her mom posting how much she hated picking up those bobby pins, but then missed it, right?
• 1:05:52
  SPEAKER_02: And I really try and keep that in the back of my mind.
• 1:05:55
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, the money I waste in bobby pins and hair ties.
• 1:06:00
  SPEAKER_02: And hairnets is like ridiculous.
• 1:06:02
  SPEAKER_02: And so I don't know.
• 1:06:03
  SPEAKER_02: I I use like the Dollar Tree a lot.
• 1:06:06
  SPEAKER_02: And I buy those things that I know that just aren't gonna last.
• 1:06:09
  SPEAKER_02: And they're not last because they go bad, but because they get thrown away or they get lost or they get thrown around their dream duffel or whatever it is.
• 1:06:17
  SPEAKER_02: But I wish, I wish that there was a great discount site for lipstick.
• 1:06:24
  SPEAKER_00: Right?
• 1:06:25
  SPEAKER_00: But everybody wears different lipsticks, I feel like.
• 1:06:27
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I mean, we've got like so many different colors, and it seems like I buy so many every single year.
• 1:06:34
  SPEAKER_02: And at the end of the season, where do they go?
• 1:06:36
  SPEAKER_02: I know I know they I know they haven't used it all, right?
• 1:06:39
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 1:06:39
  SPEAKER_02: But where are they?
• 1:06:40
  SPEAKER_02: And then all of a sudden you're buying five or six of them at eight bucks a pop, right?
• 1:06:44
  SPEAKER_02: Revlock lipstick, and that's a lot of money, right?
• 1:06:47
  SPEAKER_02: So I don't know.
• 1:06:49
  SPEAKER_02: I I I look for just easy, cheap ways to save money.
• 1:06:53
  SPEAKER_01: Well, and I I love that you use the Dollar Tree for things like bobby pens, and because I want to sort of give a a like a big shout out to that.
• 1:07:00
  SPEAKER_01: You don't need a dance brand of bobby pin, ladies and gentlemen.
• 1:07:03
  SPEAKER_01: You do not need the bunheads hairnet, although I do because I have red hair and they're the only company that makes a red.
• 1:07:09
  SPEAKER_01: So I need them.
• 1:07:10
  SPEAKER_01: But everybody else with brown and blonde hair, y'all can get a hairnet from Goody or from the Dollar Store or whatever.
• 1:07:16
  SPEAKER_01: And like it's gonna be significantly cheaper because it's a run-of-the-mill brand.
• 1:07:19
  SPEAKER_01: The dance brands of things are just upping the price because it says dance on it.
• 1:07:23
  SPEAKER_01: So don't think you need to do anything but the dollar tree for those things.
• 1:07:26
  unknown: Yep.
• 1:07:27
  SPEAKER_00: And the bulk is such a good idea.
• 1:07:28
  SPEAKER_00: The bulk buying is great.
• 1:07:31
  SPEAKER_03: I actually just did a blog post and it dropped this morning about dollar store fines for dancers.
• 1:07:37
  SPEAKER_03: I love it.
• 1:07:38
  SPEAKER_03: And it's literally like all the things that Kelly mentioned, and you just other little things.
• 1:07:43
  SPEAKER_03: You wouldn't think of spray bottles for you know, the water when you're doing your hair, scrunchies galore, because that's how my girls do their buns with the scrunchies.
• 1:07:52
  SPEAKER_03: So there's a whole lot you can get there aside from you know the obvious stuff.
• 1:07:56
  SPEAKER_03: The little spray deodorants they keep in their bag because you know they're going to use them anyway and pass them around like a party favorite class.
• 1:08:02
  SPEAKER_03: I don't got toodorant.
• 1:08:04
  SPEAKER_03: So, you know, I just bought you that deodorant.
• 1:08:06
  SPEAKER_03: And it was like, you know, eight dollars.
• 1:08:07
  SPEAKER_03: Here's dollar store toiletries.
• 1:08:10
  SPEAKER_03: So that's one of the my favorite things to do is sort of call them the dollar store for that.
• 1:08:15
  SPEAKER_03: Also, I'm always on the clearance sections of like dancewear solutions.
• 1:08:20
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm even on the clearance of discount dance, I was like, yeah, this is I could score some briefs for like three dollars.
• 1:08:26
  SPEAKER_03: I don't care that you haven't seen this color since 1987.
• 1:08:30
  SPEAKER_03: You know what?
• 1:08:31
  SPEAKER_03: It's fine for class, you're fine.
• 1:08:33
  SPEAKER_03: So I do that quite a bit as I I comb those sites.
• 1:08:37
  SPEAKER_03: And like I said, I have all the email subscriptions to the different sites that you could get the discount codes and share.
• 1:08:44
  SPEAKER_03: And right before the holidays on the Facebook page, I actually ask everyone to share.
• 1:08:48
  SPEAKER_03: Hey, give me your Labor Day discount codes.
• 1:08:50
  SPEAKER_03: Let's share.
• 1:08:51
  SPEAKER_00: Love that.
• 1:08:51
  SPEAKER_00: That's smart.
• 1:08:52
  SPEAKER_00: Everybody coming together, getting the deals.
• 1:08:55
  SPEAKER_00: Trying.
• 1:08:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 1:08:56
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's that's really great.
• 1:08:57
  SPEAKER_00: I think, like you said, a lot of the a lot of those the smaller dance brands usually or should, if they don't, but should have a some type of sale, usually over on Black Friday, Thanksgiving time, stock up for the holidays, grab, get that 25% off, whatever it is.
• 1:09:13
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's the hand-me-downs I think is is the best is the best advice if anybody at the studio has hand-me-downs, but even just all those things you were just talking about, those are all just like competition essentials that you are just gonna roll through over and over and over and over again.
• 1:09:27
  SPEAKER_00: Every competition weekend, it's almost like you have to replenish the dance bag and the dream duffel every time you go to a new competition.
• 1:09:34
  SPEAKER_00: Safety pins are another one that like you always just need, and someone has to have it.
• 1:09:39
  SPEAKER_00: Who has a safety pin?
• 1:09:40
  SPEAKER_00: My strap broke before I go on stage, needle and thread, like just tight.
• 1:09:45
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you you name it, you need it in your dance bag.
• 1:09:47
  SPEAKER_00: You never know.
• 1:09:48
  SPEAKER_02: The other thing I will say too, so families that have multiple dancers.
• 1:09:53
  SPEAKER_02: So we started when Zoe really started heavily competing, right?
• 1:09:58
  SPEAKER_02: So had to have full-on makeup and versus I would recommend for families, don't stress yourself out and having three or two, however many dancers you had.
• 1:10:08
  SPEAKER_02: So for me it was three, having three sets of makeup, right?
• 1:10:11
  SPEAKER_02: Makeup as expensive, especially if there's a certain protocol for the studio.
• 1:10:15
  SPEAKER_02: A lot of our stuff is with naked cosmetics or Sephora stuff, and it can add up to really a lot or a Mac or whatever it is.
• 1:10:25
  SPEAKER_02: And so at one point we really consolidated it where there was one bag of makeup, right?
• 1:10:31
  SPEAKER_02: In a family, that should be okay because you're not cross-contaminating, right?
• 1:10:35
  SPEAKER_02: So that that was a huge savings because makeup doesn't last forever, right?
• 1:10:41
  SPEAKER_02: So if they each had their own bag, then a couple of years down the line, they're still gonna have that stuff, but it's no good anymore.
• 1:10:47
  SPEAKER_02: But if they all share the same bag, same makeup, and just even some of the, you know, one bag of hair stuff.
• 1:10:53
  SPEAKER_02: They're all in the same household.
• 1:10:54
  SPEAKER_02: You know, they might need to have a little baggie, you know, at the studio in case they need to do a hair change for a certain class.
• 1:11:00
  SPEAKER_02: But you can really siblings can share, so you don't have to feel like you need each their own individual set.
• 1:11:07
  SPEAKER_03: My girls share everything, they don't we don't have separate kits for them.
• 1:11:12
  SPEAKER_03: I have the extra eyeshadow applicators, the little spongy things.
• 1:11:17
  SPEAKER_03: So they they have their own with like some of that stuff, but I am not gonna buy two different makeup kits, and it's a good thing.
• 1:11:24
  SPEAKER_03: This year we're changing our makeup.
• 1:11:26
  SPEAKER_03: And last year I bought a new kit.
• 1:11:28
  SPEAKER_03: So okay, great.
• 1:11:29
  SPEAKER_03: But like you said, makeup does not last forever.
• 1:11:32
  SPEAKER_03: And if you're within the same family, as long as you're not passing it around your team, it should be fine.
• 1:11:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, right.
• 1:11:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, just get your own screen.
• 1:11:43
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 1:11:44
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 1:11:44
  SPEAKER_00: That's great advice.
• 1:11:45
  SPEAKER_00: I never had that problem because I was an early child, so I didn't have to share with anybody.
• 1:11:51
  SPEAKER_00: I got my one set, but I do remember it while you were talking about the makeup, it brought up who said it in the last episode about like, I'm not a hairdresser.
• 1:12:00
  SPEAKER_00: I think it was Marlowe on the on the last dance mom's episode.
• 1:12:03
  SPEAKER_00: She's like, I'm not a hairdresser, I'm just a dance mom, or make just swap kids and do someone else's kids' makeup at competition because I know I was I never my mom never did my makeup right, she never did my hair right.
• 1:12:17
  SPEAKER_00: And I would just throw a little temper tantrum in the dressing room until one of the older dance girls came over, do my makeup for me.
• 1:12:23
  SPEAKER_00: And I sat there quietly and you know, as good as can be for her to do it.
• 1:12:27
  SPEAKER_00: So that's probably I mean, I don't know if your siblings help I'm I I'm sure they probably help each other get ready, do each other's hair, help each other with their makeup.
• 1:12:37
  SPEAKER_00: Like that's a definitely a perk when having uh siblings and dance together, I'm sure.
• 1:12:42
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, it's a huge perk.
• 1:12:43
  SPEAKER_02: Abby did Zoeys and Anna's for many years, and now Anna does Zoeys.
• 1:12:48
  SPEAKER_02: I haven't do makeup probably in five years.
• 1:12:51
  SPEAKER_02: And I haven't in probably five years.
• 1:12:54
  SPEAKER_02: Wow.
• 1:12:54
  SPEAKER_02: And I did pay my dues with Abby.
• 1:12:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, yeah, exactly.
• 1:12:58
  SPEAKER_00: That's the thing.
• 1:12:58
  SPEAKER_00: It's like the first, the oldest.
• 1:13:00
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean, how have you how have you had to juggle doing two dancers' hair at the same time?
• 1:13:05
  SPEAKER_03: I mean I've gotten up at like three in the morning for competitions, get myself together, and then I know to wake Jaden's gonna kill me if she hears this.
• 1:13:14
  SPEAKER_03: I know to wake Jocelyn first because Jaden is like angry morning bear.
• 1:13:18
  SPEAKER_03: So I'll I'll wake Jocelyn up first to do the hair, and then it's like, all right, go poke your sister.
• 1:13:22
  SPEAKER_03: It's time to get up.
• 1:13:23
  SPEAKER_03: But we it's an early start to the day.
• 1:13:26
  SPEAKER_03: Thankfully, right now they're doing their own like face powder eyeliner because I become an at them all shaky and they're like, oh, don't touch me.
• 1:13:34
  SPEAKER_03: So that kind of works out.
• 1:13:35
  SPEAKER_03: But the bigger dance sisters, too, they've sort of been taking them under their wing and like, oh, let me do your makeup.
• 1:13:41
  SPEAKER_03: That's awesome.
• 1:13:41
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 1:13:42
  SPEAKER_03: Have at it.
• 1:13:44
  SPEAKER_02: A lot a lot of times, Annabelle, because of course, in a competition, the younger kids normally go first and we're there all day because we've always had the run of the ages.
• 1:13:53
  SPEAKER_02: And Annabelle will come with us in the morning with Zoe, and she'll help with the other dancers, you know, the mom that just don't want to do the makeup, and it's you can see the relief on their face.
• 1:14:05
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 1:14:05
  SPEAKER_02: They have the help, right?
• 1:14:06
  SPEAKER_02: And like the quick changes.
• 1:14:08
  SPEAKER_02: And to your point, Courtney, like they want their friends and older dancers helping them.
• 1:14:13
  SPEAKER_02: They don't they don't want mom.
• 1:14:16
  SPEAKER_02: They don't, and you know, once the moms realize that and they know that they're in good hands, it is like the biggest relief ever.
• 1:14:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 1:14:23
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I think this was such a great chat, and we took we covered everything and we learned all about your dancers and your dance journey as dance parent, but we also definitely talked about the budgeting aspect of it in so many ways, and I totally think there are so many dance parents listening to this episode that can really relate and learn something new as well.
• 1:14:43
  SPEAKER_00: New ways to approach the season, the competition season that's coming up.
• 1:14:46
  SPEAKER_00: Go to the Dollar Tree, stock up on all your goodies for the season, everybody.
• 1:14:51
  SPEAKER_00: Go check out the Dancing Dance Mom blogs.
• 1:14:53
  SPEAKER_00: You can get those sale deals during Black Friday, which is coming up soon, for the shopping and and holiday shopping sprees.
• 1:15:01
  SPEAKER_00: And uh hand me downs are our friends.
• 1:15:03
  SPEAKER_00: We love we love a hand-me-down.
• 1:15:05
  SPEAKER_00: Let's budget it out.
• 1:15:07
  SPEAKER_00: Fundraise like crazy at your studio.
• 1:15:10
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, I I thought this was such a fun discussion, and I'm so happy that you both joined us for this chat tonight.
• 1:15:15
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for being here on the pod.
• 1:15:18
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you so much for having us.
• 1:15:20
  SPEAKER_00: Of course.
• 1:15:21
  SPEAKER_00: How we normally lead out our episodes is our guests leave one final tip or word of encouragement, advice, feedback, thoughts on budgeting for the competitive dancer.
• 1:15:37
  SPEAKER_02: I would have to say, you know, just do what you can afford, balance it and communicate with your with your dancer on what is the most important thing for them to do.
• 1:15:48
  SPEAKER_02: And they have to pick and choose what their choices are.
• 1:15:51
  SPEAKER_03: I would say when the when it starts feeling overwhelming and you're bogged down, number one, don't be afraid to say no.
• 1:15:58
  SPEAKER_03: It won't be the first nor the last time your child hears it.
• 1:16:02
  SPEAKER_03: And what you do decide to spend, think of it as an investment because it is an enriching piece that they're not going to get anywhere else except in the dance studio.
• 1:16:12
  SPEAKER_03: They're going to learn lessons in that studio that they just really cannot get elsewhere.
• 1:16:17
  SPEAKER_03: So you're paying not just for a costume, not just for a competition, but for the experience, for the growth opportunity, and for that piece of them that they get to develop and call their own as they grow into adulthood.
• 1:16:33
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for tuning in to episode 75 on Making the Impact.
• 1:16:38
  SPEAKER_00: Shout out to our special guest dance mods for joining us on this episode.
• 1:16:42
  SPEAKER_00: Be sure to follow them and stay connected with their dancers on social media.
• 1:16:46
  SPEAKER_00: You can find Danielle at the Dancing Dance Mod and Kelly at Kelly.fini.
• 1:16:53
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• 1:17:02
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• 1:17:11
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• 1:17:20
  SPEAKER_00: Be sure to check out IDA affiliated competition Spirit of Dance Awards.
• 1:17:25
  SPEAKER_00: Spirit of Dance Awards has competition events throughout New England and the Tri-State area.
• 1:17:30
  SPEAKER_00: They are committed to providing a fun, fair, and exciting venue for dancers of all levels to showcase their talent and passion in a positive environment.
• 1:17:38
  SPEAKER_00: They are thrilled to offer their Spirit class for dancers with special considerations and are especially proud of their Trophies for a Cause program, in which studios have the opportunity to donate the funds that would have been spent on trophies to a charity of their choice.
• 1:17:52
  SPEAKER_00: At STA, you will find their judges to be highly qualified and knowledgeable dance professionals exclusively from the roster of judges at Impact Dance Adjudicators.
• 1:18:02
  SPEAKER_00: At each event, they provide designated studio dressing areas, director and teacher VIP perks, scholarships, choreography awards, cash prizes, and so much more.
• 1:18:11
  SPEAKER_00: Also be sure to check out the STA class experience held during the fall each season.
• 1:18:16
  SPEAKER_00: Their guest faculty is compromised of some of today's top professional dancers and choreographers, from television, stage, screen, Broadway, and even So You Think You Can Dance.
• 1:18:26
  SPEAKER_00: For more information about Spirit of Dance Awards and to check out their 2022 tour dates, head to their website now at spiritofdanceawards.com.
• 1:18:34
  SPEAKER_00: We hope to see you at one of their upcoming events.
• 1:18:37
  SPEAKER_01: We've got some great episodes coming your way on Making the Impact.
• 1:18:40
  SPEAKER_01: Stay tuned for our next studio spotlight episode featuring dance makers of Atlanta, the Open Category, and Mini Mania.
• 1:18:48
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks so much for tuning in to this week's episode on Making the Impact.
• 1:18:52
  SPEAKER_00: We'll see you next week.
• 1:18:53
  SPEAKER_00: Until then, keep dancing.