Ballet shouldn't charge the same

[wholelottahistory]

Dd is on grade 2 and we've just had an email saying classes will go ahead as non-sylabus classes on instagram live.
There has been no reduction in fees - dd does 2 hours per week and it costs about £11.50 per lesson.
Our school fees have been cut by 25% for next term, and a musical theatre class she does has been cut by about 45% as it will be on zoom.
Conversely, her individual singing lesson with peripatetic teacher is still £20 for 30 mins on skype, but that is 1 to 1.
Wibu to email ballet school to mention I feel there could/should be a small reduction?
I think she will get governmental help although I know it is slow....

It depends on the running costs during this period. Activities where it is a self-employed/ small company still paying for costs such as rent and salaries still need some income to keep surviving.
However virtual classes are not the same quality of tutition as a live class so a discount is not unreasonable.

Fortunately my DCs do cheaper activities run by the voluntary sector (scouting) or held at council venues (swimming, private hire martial arts-not main salary). So at present payments are suspended. I know our Beaver venue is not charging rent to community groups. I don't know what the Scout group will do about their privately owned venues. They may need some donation of subs as they will still need to manage the upkeep of the Scout huts.

I’m paying our cleaner the same even though I’m doing the cleaning myself. I will continue with this whilst I’m still being paid in full. So to me it depends on your income.

Cubs have said we’re welcome to pause standing orders until it’s back up and running although they’d appreciate it if we didn’t. I’ve made the decision to pause it because I refuse to pay for something we’re not using
Isn’t cubs run very very cheaply by volunteers?
Did you ask for a refund for the session you probably missed at the end of term?
I hope they give your space to someone more appreciative.

I think we must be really lucky as none of my daughter's clubs are asking for any money now they're closed. If they offered online class I'd expect to pay (daughter's kickboxing teacher considered this but decided against it) and I'd pay the full amount too. I'm worried when this is over the classes,won't start again.

2 hours for £11.50 is a bit of a bargain for a decent ballet teacher. What are you hoping for? A discount of £3 a week? You are under no obligation to pay for any classes. You can withdraw your daughter any time you want, or you can support a small local independent trader who probably really needs the money right now. I’m gladly continuing to pay my kids’ gym fees of over £200 a month because I want there to be a club they can go back to at the end of this

Absolutely!

I really worry that my absolutely lovely, inclusive local dance studio won't be there when we emerge from current conditions.

And yes, just under £6 per hour for a highly skilled, trained & qualified professional is cheap. You pay more a lot more for less highly trained people, such as hairdressers etc.

When considering whether to continue with scouting subs, remember that their big fundraisers tend to happen in the summer (cat washes, fetes etc), and therefore may not be able to happen.

Cat washes
Car washes

As a society we have to make decisions.
We have chosen - whilst we remain on full pay - to continue paying for everything including the cleaner, swimming etc. If however our situation changes then we will have to make decisions and adjust accordingly.

To the original OP's post, you have a 25% reduction in your school fees which perhaps more than covers your £11.50 weekly ballet class? The ballet teacher might well welcome the money.

@LaureBerthaud
Precisely, it’s a chat forum. It’d be bloody boring if we all gave one word answers.
Have a nice day!

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