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Reexamining The Cost of Being a Ballroom Dancer
I had the pleasure of meeting a fellow ballroom dancer for the first time in person this past week. She is one of several Maine dancers who proved me wrong when I thought I was moving to a place where I didn’t know anyone. I also learned that she has been following the blog from the beginning!
We had a lovely chat on a picnic table over tea, which of course primarily focused on our ballroom journeys. She voiced her appreciation for my willingness to openly discuss the financial aspect of ballroom. It can have a great impact on someone’s dance journey, but so often, the cost of being a ballroom dancer is swept under the rug or hidden in the shadows behind the bright lights and sparkling rhinestones. Don’t look over there, look here on the dance floor where everything is shiny and colorful and everyone is smiling.
Finding a way
I’ve never hidden the fact that financing my ballroom journey has always been a struggle. There are plenty of articles on this site going back to the blog’s inception where I share the trials and tribulations of being a dancer on a budget. I tracked every penny in order to pay for private lessons and competitions. I prioritized ballroom dance over everything that wasn’t rent or food. I sold old trinkets on eBay. I freelanced on the side of my day job. I ultimately turned my blog…
