Here is a story about a showcase planned by an Arthur Murray in NJ.

They had sign ups for a showcase where students could perform with their instructor for almost $1K.

Not many students were interested so they revamped it "selecting" students based on their abilities for group performances. They would not have to pay a fee to be in the show, but would be required to purchase 4 tickets at $70.

Halfway into "rehearsals" some students heard a rumor that the regular practices were being recorded as private lessons, at the rate of $140/lesson. Most felt terribly, but were already into it, and a few students dropped out not wanted to spend over $2000 rehearsing for a show in addition to tickets, costume, etc.

Right before the showcase the owner told the students in the showcase they could only give their tickets to people outside Arthur Murray, when one dancer was going to give his ticket to a friend at the studio.

It is unbelievable how Arthur Murray will stop at nothing to get a few extra dollars from students.

My teacher is planning a showcase - and I would like to participate, but the details are still vague. Is there anything I should know about keeping it reasonable? to be careful of? I am interested as a "mini" step towards competitions, but I don't want to be foolish.

Make sure you get a price in advance. You're buying the 'showcase experience,' so be an informed consumer and understand what you are getting and how much it will cost. Are lessons included? Rehearsals? Choreography sessions? Guest tickets? Hair and makeup services? A video? How many performances will you be dancing? And so on. "Showcase" can mean different things at different studios.

The last showcase I was in cost about $1500. This included 10 private lessons, 2 sessions with a choreographer, 2 full-cast dress rehearsals, professional hair and makeup services, a DVD of the entire performance, two guest tickets, and a cast party. The showcase was held on stage at a local 500-seat theater with professional sound and lighting. We danced two performances (Friday night and Saturday night), and both nights the theater was full. It was all very professional and very well-done. The show had a theme, an actual director, and so on. I would like to do it again some day but I'm competing now and so have other things I'm focussing on.

Our studio also does smaller "in studio" showcases that cost less. It's been so long since I've been in one of these that I can't recall how much it cost, but it was also a big deal with lighting, sound, multiple performances, hair and makeup, etc.

Other studios in our area have very simple showcases where students just basically dance their competitive routines with their teachers at an afternoon or evening party. These range in cost from $5-$25 per dance (plus a per-dance fee to your teacher, if you are dancing together, for his or her time). These showcases don't include lessons or anything else special like that.

I am suprised that you thought you were going to get to practice with your AM instructor for a Showcase performance for free. I danced in a showcase performance that took 15 lessons to learn. Those lessons are at the regular AM price. You have to have alot of disposable income to dance a spotlight or full routine at an AM Showcase.
We also had a night out with the instructors the night before the '05 Fall Showcase. Included were dinner at a very nice restaraunt, one night stay at the Hilton downtown, and dance with drinks at a cool dance venue downtown. The cost was $600, which was actually a great deal since the cost also paid for my instructor's meal, drinks, and hilton stay. The studio actually misjudged the cost and lost a little money on the night out. Must have been a first for an AM studio! lol