the most all-consuming activity a kid could pick, as far as I could see from my kids (and kids in my scout troops' experiences) is dance!
Can be, but doesn't need to be. We're at a really laid-back studio - they don't split off ballet from the combo classes until 4th grade or so, and don't require 2 days a week for another couple of years. And there's no competitive team. Some of the studios here go to twice-weekly lessons for ballet at age 7, and have competitive teams starting at 3s-4s.
It does creep up on you, though. DD7 is adding hip-hop this fall, and if she liked ballet (she tolerates the ballet portions of the ballet / jazz combo class she's in), we'd probably be looking for a studio with more of a ballet focus.
We've done the Nutcracker (through the local non-profit children's ballet) the last couple years, and that eats most of your weekends for 3 months.
