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:

1. 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.
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2. 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.
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3. 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 →