Uniform costs

[rowan]

Encouraged, what on earth do students have to buy that ends up costing £500 for uniform? Sorry, don't mean to lead the thread astray!

[Anna C]

I was wondering that! Even with leotards and maybe 2 or 3 practice tutus that still sounds like a lot.

[Friends]

Are you ready?

Leotard minimum 3 x £19 = £57

Unitard minimum 2 x £30 = £60

Pink tights minimum 6 x £8 = £48

Tracksuit £40

Classical tutu = £170

Romantic tutu skirt = £40

Above all must be ordered through the school ( Total = £415 )

plus

1 pair canvas split sole shoes = £9.95

2 pairs pointe shoes for start of term = £0 but once advice on correct fitting 10 (ten) pairs recommended approx £400

1 Bloch short wrap round skirt = £13.95

So it is actually more than £500.

Hopefully it will all last the 2-3 years! I knew there were going to be other costs but you don't think about it until the bill arrives on your doorstep.

There should be transparency so parents know exactly what costs are involved before committing to this adventure.

There are scholarships available for those on low income.

[Ecarte]

Crikey, blimey!

 

It sounds a lot when it's written down like that. However I suppose when I add up what we spend in one year it easily eclipses that!

 

Maybe Justballet should try to get a contract to supply them so she could provide the whole kit at a small discount for us forum users??

[rowan]

Well, that's enlightening, Encouraged. I've never had to buy a tutu, practice or otherwise, so I don't know about the prices of those, but the other prices don't seem unreasonable. How it mounts up! I'd be impressed if your daughter can manage three years on six pairs of tights and one pair of canvas shoes, too! I wonder if some of those things (perhaps the tracksuit) you find that students don't actually wear - a bit like the "compulsory" bits of uniform, PE kit or bag that you buy for secondary school that never get used!

[Lottie]

Also at Central the girls Leotards are a different colour blue between Yr 1 and Yr 2. The boys leggings are the same colour for both years.

 

DS has 6 leotards (& 6 leggings) so he doesn't have to do a wash mid-week and I buy new each year due to greyness and perspriration. Also has 3 Unitards as 3 Contemporary lessons a week which have lasted Yr 2 so far.

 

The black unitards for Contemporary are from Capezio which can be bought from the shop in Endell St, near Covent Garden. Central have given us a discount card for Capezio which we've used.

 

DS has 2 pairs of split sole canvas shoes on the go where 1 pair will get worn and washed each week and then the other pair worn the following week.

 

We did buy the Central tracksuit for Yr 1 but DS also bought tracksuits from highstreet shops to wear. It's something to wear to keep warm between classes.

 

Also Bloch warmup boots are useful.

 

Yes, it soon adds up.

[Tulip]

My daughter doesn't wear her track suit at all and she only wears three of the small leotards, we bough two medium but they are a little bit big. The leotards change colour next year and you buy your point shoes as and when you need them.

[Pups_mum]

It does sound a lot, but presumably everyone is spending on leotards, shoes etc anyway? I reckon i spend several hundred pounds a year on shoes and my DD just dances with her local school. I don't dispute that going to vocational school is hugely expensive but it's not all "additional" expense. When you consider the cost of local lessons, equipment, travel, additional activities like associate classes, eyb etc it can add up to quite a substantial amount. Maybe if you calculate what you are currently spending and subtract it from the new costs it might seem a bit less painful?

[Anna C]

Probably a silly question, but why do you have to buy tights via school?

[spooky]

Spanner - they need tights from school for any performances so that they are all the same however these can be brought as and when needed. Most girls seem to adopt the dull grey colour after a few weeks of doing their own washing/wearing under dark jeans so doesn't really matter for day-to-day!

 

Encouraged - have sent you a pm

[hfbrew]

Probably a silly question, but why do you have to buy tights via school?

Could it be to ensure the same shade? They do vary. I had a student wearing a new pair last week that were very pink indeed...

[Anna C]

Oh, yes, makes sense. Some are a lot peachier or pinker than others! :-)

[Friends]

I can see the logic.

[All4dancers]

Dd's always seem to end up a pale shade of grey eventually!

[Lildancer96]

To be honest that sounds pretty similar to Trings list - we also had to buy school uniform for them to wear on formal occasions ....so far worn on first day for school photo and once for carol service at Christmas!

[Spax]

If you go to Dancia Drury Lane they have both colours, one matches Central and you get student discount.

By the way Ballet West Leotards are £45 each and dd needs 5 as they have course ballet then Ad 2 nearly every day. Colour changes each year!

Edited May 11, 2013 by Spax

[Spax]

Going to find out saturday how much ds uniform is going to cost at White Lodge saturday, just brought all new uniform for YDA last sept.

[porthesia]

Spax, we only bought 3 leotards for Ballet West and dd has managed ok.  Apparently a bit faded from all the hand washing but I think they are all like that. 

[porthesia]

Spax, but having 5 would make all the washing and drying easier, considering how busy they all are!

[Jan McNulty]

The above posts have been moved to this new thread to keep original thread in line with its title.

 

This is the thread these posts have been moved from:

 

http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/3765-6th-form-offers-waiting-lists-and-funding/

Edited May 12, 2013 by Janet McNulty
Edited to add URL for the thread from which the posts have been moved

[Dancingfeet]

Second hand is an option and very excepted lots of them pass uniform on as it s very expensive Anyone wanting a Hammond yr 7 uniform ive got everything for sale dance formal coat scarf ect only worn one year amaculate condition my daughters moving to elmhurst so I'm hoping to find a second hand formal uniform for there

[Regattah]

I have really good condition Tring uniform (including obligatory but barely worn expensive blazer) in a small size. Let me know if you're interested.

[Stirrups36]

MDS awards at Elmhurst include about £600 per year for dance uniform, which includes ballet, tap and jazz shoes. We easily use this up for our son usually with a few tens of pounds left at the end of the year.

 

It has to be purchased through one shop.

 

It doesn't include academic uniform, which he wears about 4-5 times a year. We have just had to buy a new Blazer at £95, so if any starters at Elmhurst want a good small blazer, let me know.

[Lottie]

MDS awards at Elmhurst include about £600 per year for dance uniform, which includes ballet, tap and jazz shoes. We easily use this up for our son usually with a few tens of pounds left at the end of the year.

 

It has to be purchased through one shop.

 

It doesn't include academic uniform, which he wears about 4-5 times a year. We have just had to buy a new Blazer at £95, so if any starters at Elmhurst want a good small blazer, let me know.

 

Wasn't there another thread a few months ago on a different topic about buying uniform for those on an MDS awards?

 

Some people from some schools were able to buy their DC's uniform from dance shops where it was cheaper to buy from, other than the 'school shop' and then take the receipts to the school for reimbursement. (As long as it was the correct uniform of course)

 

From what I can remember from this previous thread I didn't think that you had to be tied to the school shop to buy everything although the schools would like that and might not tell you that you can buy elsewhere.

[JulieW]

Lottie - you're quite right (and I think stirrups probably knows that) but quite a lot of the dance wear had to be bought through the shop because it's specially made uniform. We bought things like jazz shoes etc elsewhere because they were much cheaper.

[Regattah]

At Hammond you can buy dance wear anywhere and then send in the receipts to the school.

 

However, Stardust has just taken over the contract and Becky has mentioned that she gives a discount to Hammond customers. Still worth checking prices obviously but I think she'll be doing her best to make this work.

[Spax]

 

Spax, but having 5 would make all the washing and drying easier, considering how busy they all are!

[Spax]

She brought 2 off girls when she started last sept. might just get 4 for next sept and see if she buy a couple off 2nd years.

Is your dd there as well?

[rowan]

Now, I think £45 for a regulation leotard really is a lot! And why do leotards have to be a different colour when the student moves up a year group?  I don't see any need for that. Is it cheaper for a school to have leotards specially made for them, too? What's wrong with an off-the-shelf make and style for a uniform? My child spent several years in an outreach scheme where everything was free, including the uniform. The uniform was provided new - a very basic off-the-shelf leotard for girls (the cheapest one available, I later found out) and T-shirt and shorts for boys,  socks and leather full-sole shoes, and it stayed the same for all year groups.The organisation paid for it all and they clearly would not want to increase costs to themselves unnecessarily. I can only assume that it's somehow worth the schools' while to insist on different leotards and have them so expensive - a bit like football supporters' shirts.

 

 

Edited for typo

Edited May 13, 2013 by rowan

[Anna C]

Even Central Associates have a different colour leotard for each group, but to be honest as that's only £25 for one (gorgeous) leotard I really don't mind. It makes the different classes easy to differentiate between and I think the girls view their different leos as a mark of their achievement in progressing on the scheme. The style is the same throughout (and very flattering it is too) but I believe the fabric is specially made for the school. It's very common to change leotard colour as you progress through most - if not all - schools.

 

£25 seems reasonable for a comfortable, well cut leotard. £45 is steep though; that's heading towards Grishko leotard prices!

[rowan]

Yes, I do understand how different leotards differentiate year groups, and the sense of achievement, etc, and all that makes sense. But this is at upper school, sixth form level. After all, a lot of secondary schools drop uniform requirements at that level, too.  However, I'm not suggesting dance schools don't have a uniform at all. My child's dance school doesn't have a  uniform,  and then you can get problems associated with that - not wanting to have the same leotard as someone else or wanting a new one in the latest fashion. I am, however, querying the cost of compulsory uniforms. A lot of these young people will have other cost commitments, especially those living on their own in London, for example. 

[porthesia]

Hi Spax, yes dd at Ballet West have pm'd you

[Stirrups36]

Well, thanks JulieW,

 

they do say you learn something new everyday.

 

A bunch of parents at Elmhurst have just got very pleased! Mainly the boys parents as we don't have as much expense of buying pointe shoes every month.