Is My Young Dancer Being Strung Along?

My middle school-aged dancer is consistently praised for her technique and work ethic. Yet, in every show she’s cast in, she’s placed furthest upstage—typically in the fourth or fifth row. I didn’t dance as a child, but that placement seems reserved for the weakest dancers. At what point should I gently encourage her to scale back her training? She currently spends 17-20 hours a week in the studio, which is a financial strain on our family, but more than that, I worry she’s sacrificing her youth for something that may not be leading anywhere. I understand that kids progress at different rates, but I’m starting to feel like the studio is stringing her along.