Dance recital question - Does this sound right?

[mouso]

My DD (3 years) is in a ballet/tap class. It is very informal and a lot of fun and running around. Just what a 3 year old likes!

We signed up to do the recital and I know it has fees, and am OK with that, although some of the fees are causing other parents to complain.
$50 costume + $40 space + tickets (possibly 5-$15 each)- do these sound reasonable? I thought so, more or less.

Anyway, the teacher sent out the latest info on the recital and it said there was no still photography OR video taking during the recital.
BUT she is recording it so let her know in advance if we want to BUY A DVD from her after the recital.
OK, now I'm annoyed.
Really? Is it normal to not be allowed to even take a video or PHOTO of your child at their recital?
This ain't Swan Lake, this is a bunch of 3 y.o. kids dancing to a Kermit the Frog song.
Thanks!

[annethcz]

Yes, this sounds completely typical to me. I find some of these practices annoying, but it's been the case for all of my DDs' dance classes, with the exception of a community ed program.

[Tigerchild]

Aside from the "space" fee (not sure what that is?) that sounds typical to me. My DD has been in dance for almost 5 years now. The old venue for the performances had pretty draconian rules, they've switched to one that will allow NON flash photos, but no video. They sell DVDs as well, though they're cheaper than $40.

At first I was kind of happy that the photo restrictions were limited--until there were a million glowing screens from cell phones and digital cameras going all night. So now I see why that the other more professional theater had those restrictions.

People can be really rude while videotaping (I've noticed at school events). They act like no one but themselves is in the theater, which can be problematic if they're waving their camera in someone's face and having that screen glowing the entire time and there are many of them.

If you have a camera with an actual viewfinder and you suppress the flash, though, you can probaby sneak in lots of pictures without being rude though. I wish I had thought of that when my DD was little bitty. OTOH, the photographer who takes the official slots gives away candids of the kids during the performance for free to whoever buys the official group pics, and her photos would be better than mine!

ETA: The DVDs and photos were basically fundraisers that helped along with ticket sales to pay for the venue. Though I don't really mind that the school gets the extra money, their prices are some of the best in the area, and the director and teachers kick butt (very gentle, non-competative, supportive environment, which is...a bit of a rarity outside parks and rec I've heard), and my favorite teacher just bought the school so I want to make sure she makes $$ so that it will be in operation for a long time.

[Ornery]

This is how it is at my dd's recitals, and it has been this way since she started at 3ish.

Very annoying.

[LynnS6]

Totally par for the course and totally annoying. It's one of the reasons dd didn't do ballet this year.

[Wild Lupine]

The prices seem high to me, but maybe that's a geographical thing. DD's dance studio doesn't allow video taping or pictures during performances ever since someone posted a bunch on the internet (and sold them) without the other parents permission.

[verde]

Same where I am.

[anj_rn]

Pretty on par, it is very distracting for kids to have cameras and videos going during a recital. We usually had several stationary cameras and a handheld during the recital, and then someone edited it and sold it, with any money going to the school.

[One_Girl]

We take lessons through our community center so the recital cost is only $15 and the costume cost is $5 (or it may be the other way around). If you are taking lessons through a private place for a high amount of money then I think that the higher prices sound normal. I thought that $20 was extreme until I read your post though.

[Peony]

Sounds right for dance as well.

[CarrieMF]

sounds about right here except we don't pay a space fee & the 3/4yo classes don't go to recital. There is NO video or pictures during recital, however at the rehersal the weekend before you can take photos. The only difference between the recital & rehersal is they are not wearing makeup(they're in costume & hair though).

[crowcaw]

Yup -- almost exactly our costs. (x2 with twins)

[daytripper75]

Once you see how papparazzi some of the parents get at these things, you'll probably be happy with the no photography rule. My daughters school does a Christmas pageant each year and there are always a bunch of parents who think it is okay to set up a tripod in the first row and stand behind it. None of the rest of us wanted to see the pageant anyway...right? /sarcasm
This is a great opportunity to just sit back and enjoy your child without worrying about anything else.

[hermionesmum]

Your fees do sound high!
We get the chance to observe classes at the end of every term for no additional cost and are free to take pictures at those. Every other year they do a show, hire the costume for between £5-10 and tickets last time were £5 concessions £8 for adults. No photos allowed but the DVD is available for around £12.

Maybe you could approach the teacher about observing classes periodically, do you get to bring the costume home to get a good picture after the performance?

[mtiger]

Those do sound about right - might be a bit less or a bit more elsewhere, depending on the region, dance studio vs rec program, etc. Most performance-based stuff prohibits photos during the actual performance, although many groups allow photography during dress rehearsals. It does get very aggravating (not to mention distracting for all) when you have people jockeying for photo positions while you're trying to see your kid.

[mamatoablessing]

Originally Posted by annethcz

Yes, this sounds completely typical to me. I find some of these practices annoying, but it's been the case for all of my DDs' dance classes, with the exception of a community ed program.

ITA. We're going on year 3 of dance with DD#1 (she's 5.5 now) and every recital has been this way. Fees, costumes, tickets, no cameras, etc.

But we always sneak in our Flip Video Camera. It's small and most people don't even see us recording.

ETA: they always let us video and take pictures during the dress rehearsals.

[emma00]

My dd's former dance school built all the recital fees into quarterly tuition payments - but if you broke it down, it was probably about the same. I don't really remember if there was a rule about video - but personally I prefer to watch the performance without trying to video / take pictures as I find that when I do try and film something that I end up not really "seeing" the performance.

[dachshundqueen]

I pay $70 or so for the costume, $50 for the site rental. They neither have nor charge for tickets, that would really irritate me and it would be something I'd take up with the studio. If the studio isn't charging high enough tuition rates through the year to cover ticket costs, then they have a business plan failure. It's a big fundraising opportunity for them it sounds like. Boo. I don't like backdoor fundraisers.

Liz

[mommajb]

The tickets plus location fee seem redundant to me. What is the ticket money supposed to cover?

[Llyra]

I'm going on DD1's two years in dance, plus my own 19-year dance class career. I've never heard of a space fee, but the rest sounds typical for me. Our costume this year was 50, plus 20 each for the 10 tickets we purchased. And yeah, no video or photos is typical. It's not only distracting to the audience-- it's also terribly distracting, and dangerous, for the performers. Standing under stage lights, facing a darkened theater, a performer looking in the wrong place at the wrong time can be pretty close to blinded, momentarily at least, by a flash going off.

We get buy with pics at the rehearsal, plus pics before and after. Our school also requires that students pose for the class photo. You're not required to buy the photos, but they want every student in the class photo.