I believe Mel is correct, and printscess as well.
As the parent of a young dancer I believe that the cost of training a dancer has increased fairly significantly in the last few years. Despite the fact that my young dancer has been the fortunate recipient of a school scholarship, we are spending approximately $900 per month for related expenses such as transportation, pointe shoes, insurance etc. This is an exorbitant cost for many families. With the added cost of Summer Intensives (at $4,000 give or take airfare), which are no longer considered extraneous experiences, but rather essential components of training and exposure for a young dancer, the bank has been broken!
Based on what I've been told by my dancer's classmates, many of them are paying even more for training and related costs. Out of state/out of country students are spending that $900 in rent alone.
Many of the dancers my child grew up with have been discouraged from pursuing dance specifically for economic reasons. Families can't justify the sacrifices made which affect their entire family (other children included) to see their young dancer struggle to find work, all the while living in near poverty.
