Pole Studio needs to leave me alone.

tara g

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After getting called back into work today when I was setting up my beach chair, I got an email from the pole studio owner. Random, I haven't been to pole class in 5 months except for one make up class in April when I decided to never return!!

She was contacting me saying she heard many rumors about me talking bad about the studio, saying I was unwelcome there, etc. The last time I went, the girl said "to what do we owe to you being here?" and it came out kind of snide. If any of their "preferred" girls (the ones who kiss their butts and latch onto anything they say) is out for even one class, they call them. I was out for 2 months without a peep. Then the next 2 months without a peep before the owner sent me a message on FB saying "just checking on my girl." Probably after she saw me say to another girl that I hadn't heard a word from them in those 4 months.

I have told people I felt unwelcome. Why? Because they made it that way. Isn't there a point in giving feedback about somewhere? Why would I refer my friends to some place where they pretty much take your money from you while telling you over and over you're part of a great group of friends. I know that the people "reporting" to the owner are people in the studio who follow any comment I make on FB. They even talked bad about a friend and I when we didn't attend one of the parties, saying a bunch of lies. Put a huge group of girls together and you end up with drama.

So, after seeing a lot of red, I took a breath and responded to her with my reasonings on why I left, that I am not the only dissatisfied person (they've already had a complaint on the BBB website too), I did not agree with the changes because they severely interfered with the other things I had to do, and that I do go to school (she told me she found my 'excuse' of going to school full time hard to believe, after she once told me that it wasn't a smart decision to go back!). I told her I am using the $145+ every 6 weeks (price is raised since I left) on my car payment for the new car I bought. I admitted that I have told people I felt unwelcome and wasn't a big loss because I never was contacted or cared about. I left quietly and didn't cause a scene and only told the people who asked me how I felt. I decided to just never come back. They are mature, they can make their own decisions on what they want to do. I told her some general topics that others have emailed ME about, negative feelings they had (without names).

What gets me is why is she even contacting me after 5 months? About rumors she is hearing? Get over it, I don't want your 'service' anymore, I have taught myself more than I learned spending $1600 there. Isn't it MY choice whether or not I want to attend?

She is going to wish she left well enough alone if she starts freaking out on me like she's done in the past. It looks very unprofessional. I have no problem giving negative feedback, as that is the reason for feedback - you state your experience for others. She never wanted to listen to feedback I tried to give about things, she would always send my friend and I long emails chewing us out for even suggesting things, when SHE asked us. Rob says she doesn't know how to run a real business, just knows how to sweet talk the right clients and take them for all she can. Ugh. Why does drama insist on following me?!
 
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tara g

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She may be getting desperate now, because a group of about 4 girls recently stopped going and maybe blames me. At at least $150/person every 6 weeks she's taken a small hit. Very small hit, as there are 3 other studios and many new girls waiting to start classes all the time.

I don't know why the sudden change of heart. Before I didn't hear a thing and suddenly she's sending me messages about rumors she hears.
Rob says she just hates that I've taught myself so much, things that they've practiced daily and it's taken longer, things that the girls doing it for 3+ years haven't learned yet, etc.

I say what evaaaaaa!
 

3catsn1dog

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Id say whatever to her too. If shes going to act like that and be a booger about it flip her then, shes just being an immature person and if she has her 'pack' reporting back to her off stuff being said off FB than thats just even more immature. I think your def better off without the class and better off saving your money.
 

darkmavis

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Yes, it does sound like high school.

Just try your best to ignore it. Take the high road, so to speak. If it really gets to the point of harassment, then call the police.
 
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tara g

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So far today she hasn't responded to the message. Probably the only smart thing she's done so far! I can't believe how a group of upper 20 - mid 30s aged women can be so immature and dramatic. Who cares if I don't go to your classes anymore? If I really wanted to, I could go give negative reviews on every website that has them listed (whitepages, yellowpages, etc). But its a waste of my time. Apparently she hadn't cared about whether or not I came up until she heard people talk of my dissatisfaction.
She's always getting on people's cases about any word uttered about the craptastic way she runs a business ... er scuse me, steals peoples money.

I have every message she ever sent me, including ones where she was totally obnoxiously mean and then tried to turn it around and be nice at the end. One time they took $25 of my money for a pole competition, and then changed the date to a school night. I asked for my money back, they said no. So I told them either I got my money back, or I quit, because I refuse to do business somewhere where they keep money of people after changing around scheduled events out of the blue. She went nuts on me saying that I made the other instructor (her good friend) uncomfortable and was appalled I said I'd quit in front of other clients. Where did she want me to say it? The only time they were available was either through FB or during classes! She ended up changing the date to a non-school night, then lied to us about whether or not my friend and I were competing with other girls or just putting on a show, since our "competition" would have been girls who'd been doing it much longer. She said "just putting on a show for the beginners" .... then they announced the girls who'd been in classes longer (and kiss her butt) as winners and awarded them medals
My competition partner emailed her and she went nuts on both of us basically calling us stupid if we thought we were just putting on a show - after they assured us its what we were doing!

Oy so much drama, I don't have time for it in my life with everything else. I think it bugs her because lately I've been going to the beach after work, and last semester I had classes AT the college after work. For the summer I took it easy and only did part time classes, both online. So now I go to the beach as much as possible, maybe why she was questioning school taking up my time. But if I tell you its my reason before, there is no need for you to even ask me. I did laugh today, because my old instructor is still on my FB, and she sent comments to a bunch of girls who missed a class last night, saying how much she missed them. Give me a break.
She is so full of it. Probably just hoping they aren't contemplating quitting either. (and the one girl is, after paying $150/hr for private instruction and getting ignored for half of it while the instructor taught a class at the same time!)
 
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tara g

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So she could not leave well enough alone and sent me a very long email trying to justify her actions, making up her own reasons why I quit, telling me I was doing things that I never did, and that if I really want to be challenged they hope to see me back.

Apparently because I didn't immediately delete every person I met during pole, I must have been just fine with their stupid business practices. She pointed out I applied to work for them ... yeah A LONG TIME AGO. And I told them the following day to throw out my application because I had different things I wanted to with life.

I am trying so hard to be nice replying to her, but I also told myself I was done keeping the smile on in my responses. Just today my friend said they were to start an aerial hoop class, she even delayed her vacation an extra week. They told her Friday "oh sorry schedule conflict" and my friend pointed out all the changes she made to her life to make it and the owner just said "bummer." and left it at that.
 

natalie_ca

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Too high schoolish!

My advice?

Drop the people your FB that are associated with her in any way. This will prevent any information about you from getting back to her.

Let her know that you appreciated her efforts when you were attending her classes and thank her for having taught you so much. But tell her that your priorities in life right now are to finish school and to pay off your car. Let her know that you do not have the time or financial resources to attend any further classes (no need to give an explanation beyond that) and wish her well in her future endeavours.
 
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tara g

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Originally Posted by zohdee

May I ask a dumb question? What is a pole studio?
Exactly what Natalie posted. They have regional and national competitions now-a-days. USPDF and IPDF are some big ones. Its a great way to exercise. Most of the exotic dancers can't do it (at least the clubs I've gone to/heard about) the way the ones who've learned it for fitness can. Takes a lot of core and body strength, and burns a good ~400 cal an hour.

I have yet to respond to the owner's latest crock of crud. Part of me (and some family members) is telling me to just let it go, but at the same time some are telling me to respond because if I don't, she'll think everything she said is correct (why I quit, what I'm doing with life, that there is no drama, etc) when it isn't. Maybe I just need to rant it out in the closed blog I have and worry about it later
 
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