DanceLife Magazine
2025
across the country, which means shipping costs can be astronomical. Out of those ten, only one company we deal with offers fall sell-offs or has a “sale” section. Even then, it’s difficult to piece together a class’s worth of costumes in the right size range. We do have a few seamstresses who sew costumes, but they’re hard to find—and expensive. Many U.S. costume companies offer discount inventory or last season’s sell- offs, but only one Canadian company (that I’m aware of) does the same. Otherwise, the average list price for a costume in a Canadian catalogue is around $80—before any markups or shipping fees. When we order from U.S. companies, the base price might be lower, but we have to factor in freight, customs, and the exchange rate. I know some U.S. studio owners who can drive to pick up their costume orders—saving a ton of money! For us, that's not feasible. We sometimes order an extra costume for each group, just so we have spare fabric for possible alterations. Returning or exchanging costumes with a U.S. company is too expensive and rarely worth it. As a result, we often end up stuck with items we can’t use. Some get cut up for parts; the rest,
unfortunately, are thrown out. Sometimes leftover costumes get thrown out, but we try not to add to landfill—we do try to sell or donate whenever possible. Of course, this all refers to bulk- manufactured costumes, which we typically use for our recreational or once- or twice-a-week classes. We’ve tried (unsuccessfully) to hold costume sales or post items on social media, but it’s often more effort than it's worth financially.
Our custom competitive costumes are another story. These are designed collaboratively by the choreographer
and our costume director, who choose the fabric, style, and embellishments. We receive an
estimate from the costume director and adjust as needed—sometimes removing elements or selecting more budget-friendly materials to keep costs manageable for parents.
Our competitive costumes typically range from $150 to $200. I know some
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