Susan Hayward teaches dance—and makes tutus—in Montara

The County Times tells the story behind the hand-made tutus that Susan Hayward creates for her students in her Montara dance school.

Hayward has made hundreds of tutus in her 40 years of teaching. Each costume, covered in colorful sequins and lively patterns, can take her anywhere from 25 to 100 hours to make, depending on the level of embellishment.

Before she starts she must first understand whom she is creating the tutu for and what music they will dance to. Once she understands the ballet repertoire, she takes measurements and orders
the base of the tutu.
...
Most schools require their students to buy the costumes, which can cost from $500 to $1,000, not including labor. As the students usually have more than one dance number, the process can become extremely costly.

I had no idea.