ADMISSION FEE CHANGE:  For the September 2026 dance and going forward, StarDusters’ admission fee will increase to $20 per person.

 

After 17 years of charging a $15/person admission fee, StarDusters will begin charging $20 at our September 2026 dance.   This 33% increase is significant and you deserve an explanation.   The short explanation is that our costs have gone up in an amount for which we can no longer compensate by cutting costs without sacrificing the quality of the dance experience that we want to provide to you.

 StarDusters is registered with the IRS as a 501c7 entity.   That means we’re a non-profit governed by registered by-laws and managed exclusively by volunteers who derive no compensation in any way. We do it for the love and joy of ballroom dance.   The money that we receive as admission fees, aside from donations for special events such as the Triangle Open competition, is used to pay for the expenses of each dance, the occasional purchase of equipment or software and to provide a small savings to provide us with continuity in the event of unseen events, such as pandemics or venue shutdowns from HVAC malfunctions or inclement weather.

Over the last 17 years we have done a number of things to keep our expenses as low as possible to avoid an increase in the admission fee. For example, we have changed our location several times to reduce our rent or to find a more suitable venue for ballroom dancing.   We buy and play the music ourselves to reduce the cost of a DJ.   We have reduced the number of special events that we host.   We have automated the check-in process to require fewer people at the front desk so more volunteers are available to set up and pack up.    We have streamlined our snack buying so that we can take advantage of more store sales.

 Each of these efforts may seem small but together they have allowed us to keep the admission fee steady for 17 years. 

Our goals are:

  1. The admission fee includes everything.  There are no extra fees for the lesson, for the food and drink and no extra fees for paying with a credit card or any other non-cash method.   

  2. We want everyone who attends our dances to experience ballroom dancing at its finest in the Triangle.   We want the best floor, the best venue, the best teachers, the best music, the most interesting and attractive monthly notices and the most convenient check in process.   In all these areas there have been many cost increases and it is the combination of all these increases that has led to this decision to raise the admission fee.

The good news is that with this $20 admission fee, we can continue to provide the best ballroom experience in the Triangle and you should not see another increase for a very long time.   That is our commitment to you.

As an interesting note, we are developing an annual pass which, if you are a frequent attendee at our dances, will offer a dramatically reduced price per dance.   We should have the specifics of how this will work ready by early September so that you can benefit from it beginning with the September dance.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support. We hope to see you on the dance floor!