Okay - I'm sitting here all worked up. Kiira has ballet at Roco Dance on Fridays. Her teacher is wonderful. Kind, engaging, and most of all - talented. The kids are learning real ballet. They do a few things at the bar as well as playful excercises. Kiira seems to really like it. She's been taking here since she was about 3 yrs old.
Why am I all worked up you ask? The owner, Annie, is a royal bitch. Yes, I do not throw that term around lightly but if I could bring myself to call her something stronger, I would. I really, really would. Can I just say - there is always something. Ok, some history....Starting two recitals ago, she brought us parents into the lobby during the tech rehearsal. Mind you she had made it a BIG deal that we couldn't take photos during the performance so tech was the only time to do this. And yet, when does she choose to inform us that 1. Our children could not come sit with us after their performance (we had all already purchased $20 tickets for them to do so) and 2. This would be the last performance for this age group b/c it just "stressed the kids out too much" (her projecting, clearly)? Right when OUR CHILDREN ARE ON STAGE PRACTICING naturally. Yes, the only time we have been given to take photos/videos of them. More than just a few of us were pissed off by EVERYTHING she had to say. And not just what but HOW. She just exudes stress. Take a chill pill lady.
So what happened this week you ask. Well, the passive aggressive you know what just continues to treat us like we don't matter. Today we noticed that the benches we sit on to wait for the kids (it's a 45 min class) were gone. Hmm...I joke with the teacher, "is someone trying to tell us something?" She shrugs and smiles, clearly not wanting to be the one to get into the politics of something a-brewing. Five minutes later, the owner comes by and shuts the curtain in front of the one door we parents have to see our kids. Doesn't say a word, just shuts it. Okay then, we parents give each other looks.....five minutes later she comes up and says that we need to keep our voices down when the door is open, "it's very distracting for the kids." Fair enough. I ask, is there somewhere we can watch them? Mind you the entire studio is glass windows which she has put curtains on. Perhaps even one of them could be pulled back a little? No she replies, there is not. "Can the little kids switch studios to the one with the waiting room" I ask. No, she replies. Mind you, most of us waiting have younger siblings that have to wait with us. Come rainy season I'm wondering how everyone is going to love waiting in the rain? Again she replies, they are just not set up with a waiting area. So, I reply with a cold look in my eye - "I guess that's something for us to consider next time we go to sign up."
I'm a pretty laid back person but god this woman gets under my skin. She just does NOT seem to want our business. We have 45 min to wait for our kids. Not really long enough to go anywhere but she doesn't seem to want us there.
This is Kiira's last session at this studio. Although she loves it, I really in good conscience will not give this woman our business. I've talked to my friend Nancy whose daughter takes ballet/tap at Happy Feet. She said she's heard many of the moms talking there about the fact that they couldn't deal with Annie at Roco anymore and that's why they switched. Roco is probably keeping Happy Feet in business. Kiira will be sad not to do the big performance on stage but I'm hoping I can replace the disappointment by some excitement for tap dancing. Keep your fingers crossed. It's a shame the innocent little ones suffer in the end for this woman's bitchiness. Yeah, there's that word again but...if the ballet slipper fits.....
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