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Dancing: How much does it cost?
In some of my posts I’ve mentioned as an aside, that competitive dancing is not cheap. Because of that, a couple of the readers of this blog have emailed me to ask “Just how much does it cost?” To which I must answer, dearest readers, without qualification, and without my usual drama:
“A lot!”
I. Am. Not. Exaggerating. This wonderful exciting, fulfilling, passion is very expensive.
But it doesn’t have to be expensive, at least not at first:
- I am a competitive dancer and I’m working hard to progress to a point where I can “Turn Pro” meaning that my costs are on the high end of a cost spectrum which actually begins at almost zero.
.. - For someone just starting, who is curious and just checking out “this whole dance thing” it is possible to start with little or no cost.
.. - And most importantly, the money I’ve spent on dance has been worth every single penny. I would do it all over again, absolutely, without hesitation.
A while back I heard on NPR (National Public Radio) an interview with Karl Pillemer, the author of a new book: Thirty Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans.
I recall from the interview, that the number one piece of advice which Older Americans would like to pass on to younger generations is
“You shouldn’t wait to do something
which you really want to do.“
Do it now. And dancing, dear readers, all four of you who are actually reading this blog, is definitely one of those things which should not wait until “Someday“. Do. It. Now. You have been given a royal decree by my inner domestic diva. If you don’t go and do some dancing she may throw her bon-bons at you!
But I digress… Back to to the topic at hand. 🙂
If you are one of those folks who demand “instant gratification” then scroll all the way to the bottom of this post for the “quick and dirty answer”. But if you want a more developed explanation of the costs then keep reading: Read the rest of this entry
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UPDATE: Headed to the Oklahoma Dance Rush!
UPDATE 9:39 pm :
I posted the following to my Facebook page and after I did that I read it, thought it was mildly amusing so I decided to post it here to my blog as well:
I am very thankful for (1) being on the line staff so my 3 day pass is comp’d (2) a very good best friend who is “floating me a loan” and paying for my half of the hotel and my half of gas for the trip up and back this weekend (3) that I had already pre-paid my dance entry fees *before* I lost my job.
——
I’m excited to see old friends again this weekend and to be dancing with my awesome partner and with my Temp-Pro, Melissa Jefferies who is doing a Two-step with me so I can get a qualifying event while my Pro is down (temporarily) for the count and becoming rounder every day.
——
Yes, I’m thankful and excited for all these things. But is it too much to ask that once, just once, I have *everything* ready and packed for the trip say around 5pm the night before so that I can just relax and enjoy a nice DVD movie instead of frantically searching for where the heck all the stuff went since the *last* contest? Hmmm? Just once? Maybe? One day? *sigh*
I’ll be in Norman Oklahoma this weekend, home of Oklahoma Sooners! Boomer Sooner!
UPDATE: Last weekend I bought a ball cap at the ballpark but when I got it home I realized I had gotten the wrong kind, but of course I had taken all the tags off it and toss them at the hotel. So, I called up the University Bookstore phone number off the receipt I had and spoke with a really nice guy named Jason who is one of the managers, told him my tale of woe, and he said that I could exchange it without the tags. Yay!
The occasion will the this year’s Oklahoma Dance Rush. It should be a fun event with lots of dancing, competition, vendors and workshops. Here’s the details:
Apr 6-8, 2012 — Oklahoma Dance Rush
Norman / Oklahoma City, OK
Event Director: Beth Emerson & Mike Shoemake
WEBSITE: www.oklahomadancerush.com
— I’m ON STAFF: Teaching Line Dance
..
— I’ll be competing in Intermediate Couples
..
— I’ll be competing in Intermediate ProAm, but doing only a single dance to get in a “qualifying event” toward meeting the qualification requirements to attend the World Championships.
..
— Unfortunately I will have to scratch my one line dance that I had planned on competing. It just isn’t ready for prime time yet. 😦
See ya on the dance floor in Oklahoma!
Related articles
- The Texas Hoedown – Scrapbook Scribblings (txcowboydancer.com)
- Sometimes you just know…you’re getting better… (txcowboydancer.com)
Share with folks on the Interwebz :-)
Headed to the Oklahoma Dance Rush!
I’ll be in Norman Oklahoma this weekend, home of Oklahoma Sooners! Boomer Sooner!
The occasion will the this year’s Oklahoma Dance Rush. It should be a fun event with lots of dancing, competition, vendors and workshops. Here’s the details:
Apr 6-8, 2012 — Oklahoma Dance Rush
Norman / Oklahoma City, OK
Event Director: Beth Emerson & Mike Shoemake
WEBSITE: www.oklahomadancerush.com
— I’m ON STAFF: Teaching Line Dance
..
— I’ll be competing in Intermediate Couples
..
— I’ll be competing in Intermediate ProAm, but doing only a single dance to get in a “qualifying event” toward meeting the qualification requirements to attend the World Championships.
..
— Unfortunately I will have to scratch my one line dance that I had planned on competing. It just isn’t ready for prime time yet. 😦
See ya on the dance floor in Oklahoma!
Related articles
- The Texas Hoedown – Scrapbook Scribblings (txcowboydancer.com)
- Sometimes you just know…you’re getting better… (txcowboydancer.com)
Share with folks on the Interwebz :-)
The Texas Hoedown — Scrapbook Scribblings
Welcome to my “Scrapbook Scribbles” for the Texas Hoedown (March 23-25). You’ll find jottings and photos which, in no particular order, describe all the fun from last weekend at the Texas Hoedown, first stop on the ACDA circuit.
- I love the Texas Hoedown because it is so very laid back and friendly. Virginia and Jerry, the event owners are awesome folks and they work overtime to make everyone feel welcome. And I love being with other folks who love dancing as much as I do; the Hoedown is a “must attend event” for people in the Southwest. It is the first big event of the year and is something of a family reunion where you get to see friends you haven’t seen since the end of last year’s dance season. The Hoedown is an awesome experience and lots of fun.
.. 
I was on the Line Dance Staff and have a cool name badge that says “Instructor” as a souvenir. Hey, it’s cool to me! 🙂
..- OMG! I almost forgot to mention…! PANT <taking deep breaths> ! Read the rest of this entry
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♬♫♪♩ O.K.L.A.H.O.M.A! ♩♪♫♬
Just be glad that you can’t actually hear me singing! I’m a dancer, not a singer. 😉 Actually I can sing, but I don’t have a “pretty” singing voice. I have in the acting trade what is known as a “character voice” meaning I can hit the notes but it isn’t a “singer’s voice.”
In other words, I can’t entertain solely on the sound of my voice. Instead, there has to be some other factor involved like a humorous song selection or I have to be playing a character in a musical. But I digress… Hmmm has there ever been a post on this blog where I have not digressed? *grin*
Back to the whole dancing thing. My next event will be in Oklahoma. Here is the details.
Apr 6-8, 2012 — Oklahoma Dance Rush
— ON STAFF: Teaching Line Dance Workshops
— Competing in Intermediate Couples
— Competing in Intermediate ProAm
— Competing in Advanced Line Dance
Oklahoma City, OK
Event Director: Beth Emerson & Mike Shoemake
WEBSITE: www.oklahomadancerush.com
See ya on the dance floor!
5-6-7-8 Dancing My Way to a Healthy Me! 