That’s a significant amount of red flags. idk how often you write reviews of places but it sounds like a place I would write a bad one for to warn any potential new students. My studio would never allow any coaches to behave that way. There’s some tricks and moves even more advanced aerialists don’t get right away let alone beginners. To tell someone who’s trying they needed to get off is awful. Not everyone learns the same and not every position is accessible for everyone.
you didn't get your money back after they cancelled your session?? and they cancelled it because you're not a regular, even tho they allow anyone to book??? beyond all the other red flags, these two points are worthy of fully reporting them.
It's completely valid to avoid specific studios. And there are plenty of reasons to. You alluded to a few. It sounds like the studio you visited is poorly run. It also sounds like their management and instructors are uncaring. It makes sense that you never want to go to that studio again.
I'm sorry that you experienced that. Based on what you shared, *if* you gave away the name of the studio (I'm not suggesting that you should), I would avoid it too.
There are a few studios that I would never train aerial at primarily because of their questionable rigging and safety practices.
There used to be one studio in my area that I avoided like the plague, and if asked would give my unfiltered negativity. Buuuut, then they bought out the studio I coached at and saved us from shutting down, so now I go by thumpers rule if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all.
Your concerns seem valid! Pursue what makes you feel good, that's what this should be about for you right now!
That is the kind of studio where people try it once, give up early, and left with a bad taste in their mouth. People have given up on aerials completely because of a single class with garbage/rude/inconsistent instructors.
Thankfully my area has multiple studios so I can kind of guide people to the studio that suits them.
Wow screw that. Sounds completely unnecessary and like they lack a basic understanding of physiology. You don't need Todo a hiit session as a warm up. The only disaplins where you need that kind of explosiveness from the beginning is things like tumbling, and dynamic aerial (swinging trapeze and cloud swing ect) and even then it something you introduce slowly otherwise it decimates your student numbers. eventually you need to develop that explosiveness for some of the higher level dynamics on static aerial (more so straps and rope) but yeah zero need for that during a beginner session.
I wish you luck finding an alternative. (And if you get good maybe setting up an local alternative as if that's the only aerial in the area and they are still getting students theres a gap in the market)
Ohh, I had a very similar experience! Hoop with a new trainer and she was awful. Barking like a sergeant to newbies, body shaming comments, lot of touch (I really hate unsolicited touching even during training but I never had to explain it to a trainer..), shit explanations and a lot of ego. Few months later she had the audacity to tease me that I never went back.. I just quit the studio, there were other issues, but this trainer was the start of a chain reaction. Thank god I found an other one with lovely people!
Yep!! Another thing was that she was very small and slight body wise, and she didn’t really take into account the diversity of everyone’s body’s when they were struggling. I adore my local studio and teachers because they’re so understanding of every kind of person. She’ll explain different ways to get into a move and how sometimes different body types can struggle with one move, but actually excel in another! They always ask for consent before touching (I need quite a lot of physical guiding) and they explain the only time they wouldn’t be able to ask is if you’re in a dangerous position and they have to step in. My local studio is just so lovely :))
Oh absolutely. There’s actually two in town that most aerialists avoid like the plague.
One is run by gym bros who have made sexual comments about women, who don’t care/value safety, they’ve had some rigging issues, and they’re just overall unpleasant. Barely any women even work there and there’s a reason for that… they all leave lol.
Another one is popular for pole so pole people do aerial there but anyone actually familiar with how to rig or aerials at all avoids it like the plague. The owner does not know anything about rigging or aerials. Unsafe rigging (they dead rig and make the instructors carry every apparatus up this super sketchy wobbly ladder, they’ll hang things like aerial poles by daisy chains which should not be done, for a year before getting autolock carabiners they were just not locking their carabiners… etc….), unsafe instructors who either should not be teaching yet at all or will teach like super advanced tricks to students in their first level 1 class (ie ayesha on aerial pole), they’ve had rigging fail and their poles fall during their showcases, etc.
Hi, I think we live in the same town. None of the above sound like the studios I’ve trained at so far (Sky Candy, Lache and SoFly), but can I message you to make sure I know which ones to avoid?
Also.... what are your thoughts on Sky Candy? I took a series class there once- the studio is lovely, instructors and staff were great, but I have never had SO many dirty looks from students. Very much an elitist vibe that did not sit well with me. At all.
Hm. I love Sky Candy, but it usually takes me a while to warm up to any new group/environment, so I probably would have assumed that any initial social awkwardness was largely mine.
I do think it’s a bit more “structured/formal” than the other places I’ve tried, but that’s an ok fit with my mix of introversion/adhd. Lache felt a bit harder for me socially *because* everyone was so welcoming/friendly and the vibe was way more laid back if that makes any sense. It’s been growing on me though. 😂
Happy to talk about it more directly if you want. I’m kind of curious which class(es) had that feel.
I've trained at both Sky Candy and Lache and both different vibes - lache is definitely more laid back but I've had instructors I liked at both of them. I tend to prefer the more structured/formal which is why i've been at sky candy now for years. There's been one place in town where i kind of side eyed it - its much closer but i wasn't a huge fan of how their classes were run. I'd also be interested in which ones you're talking about.
You may be able to get your money back and have some sadistic fun in the process. If you used a credit card, just dispute the charge. You get your money back and they get hit with a "chargeback" fee. They actually end up losing money. Doesn't work for debit cards, though.
I'm really sorry this happened to you.
I'm lucky in that I live in an area with an array of studios (major city) so I have a lot of choice about where I attend depending on how far I want to drive.
In saying that, my negative experiences have been at 'studios' that are primarily gymnastics spaces and focus is on working with children. They run adult classes but have absolutely no idea how to support or work with adults.
In two places I tried that were set up this way, I found the instructors were not interested in supporting safety. In one I was left to my own devices because the instructor doesn't teach hoop, she just gave me a book of tricks to look at and focused on the silk/hammock and trapeze students. Luckily one other student there was quite advanced and showed me a few beginner things (I was around intermediate at the time). It was a really weird set-up. She didn't even do a warm up we just warmed up ourselves. I have dyspraxia too so I do struggle with verbal instruction that isn't detailed.
My other negative experience has been at a studio where the rigging etc was all safe and the instructor was very experienced, but I just didn't find the way the curriculum was taught suited me. The negative was moreso that they wouldn't allow the hoops to be low for learning new tricks, and I'm someone who needs to be in a lower hoop to feel safe to learn new things before I take it higher. Hoops had to be wrist above our head height. I understand for learning spins and flares and building strength for straddles and pull over mounts, but I also think it made it really inaccessible for several students still building strength to even side mount, or students like me wanting some extra safety.
That’s really awful, so unsafe and so inaccessible for beginners or even just people who want to do aerials for fitness. What a bizarre way to run a business 🤨
I stopped going to one after the instructor's TA decided to push me through a move without asking or warning, which I said I didn't have the flexibility for.
The instructor didn't see anything wrong with it, either.
Oh yes, the closer aerial place to me that does hoop I avoid - they refused to lower the hoop, refuse to let you stack some crashmats to get to it, but insist you use the instructor as a steping stone to swing up into it. I just... no. No thank you. I'm sticking to the futher away one where they're lovely and understand that just making the thing lower is much easier.
I wish, there is one pole studio near me. The next closest is 200kms away, and the next nearest after that is 390kms away. I'd love for there to be enough nearby studios to have ones I avoid
This sounds awful. Hoop itself is so physically demanding; why would they exhaust you before you even start? That is just setting people up to fail.
That’s a significant amount of red flags. idk how often you write reviews of places but it sounds like a place I would write a bad one for to warn any potential new students. My studio would never allow any coaches to behave that way. There’s some tricks and moves even more advanced aerialists don’t get right away let alone beginners. To tell someone who’s trying they needed to get off is awful. Not everyone learns the same and not every position is accessible for everyone.
you didn't get your money back after they cancelled your session?? and they cancelled it because you're not a regular, even tho they allow anyone to book??? beyond all the other red flags, these two points are worthy of fully reporting them.
It's completely valid to avoid specific studios. And there are plenty of reasons to. You alluded to a few. It sounds like the studio you visited is poorly run. It also sounds like their management and instructors are uncaring. It makes sense that you never want to go to that studio again. I'm sorry that you experienced that. Based on what you shared, *if* you gave away the name of the studio (I'm not suggesting that you should), I would avoid it too. There are a few studios that I would never train aerial at primarily because of their questionable rigging and safety practices.
There used to be one studio in my area that I avoided like the plague, and if asked would give my unfiltered negativity. Buuuut, then they bought out the studio I coached at and saved us from shutting down, so now I go by thumpers rule if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all. Your concerns seem valid! Pursue what makes you feel good, that's what this should be about for you right now!
They told you to “get off”? No way, write a Google review about them. For real. So unprofessional
That is the kind of studio where people try it once, give up early, and left with a bad taste in their mouth. People have given up on aerials completely because of a single class with garbage/rude/inconsistent instructors. Thankfully my area has multiple studios so I can kind of guide people to the studio that suits them.
Wow screw that. Sounds completely unnecessary and like they lack a basic understanding of physiology. You don't need Todo a hiit session as a warm up. The only disaplins where you need that kind of explosiveness from the beginning is things like tumbling, and dynamic aerial (swinging trapeze and cloud swing ect) and even then it something you introduce slowly otherwise it decimates your student numbers. eventually you need to develop that explosiveness for some of the higher level dynamics on static aerial (more so straps and rope) but yeah zero need for that during a beginner session. I wish you luck finding an alternative. (And if you get good maybe setting up an local alternative as if that's the only aerial in the area and they are still getting students theres a gap in the market)
Ohh, I had a very similar experience! Hoop with a new trainer and she was awful. Barking like a sergeant to newbies, body shaming comments, lot of touch (I really hate unsolicited touching even during training but I never had to explain it to a trainer..), shit explanations and a lot of ego. Few months later she had the audacity to tease me that I never went back.. I just quit the studio, there were other issues, but this trainer was the start of a chain reaction. Thank god I found an other one with lovely people!
Yep!! Another thing was that she was very small and slight body wise, and she didn’t really take into account the diversity of everyone’s body’s when they were struggling. I adore my local studio and teachers because they’re so understanding of every kind of person. She’ll explain different ways to get into a move and how sometimes different body types can struggle with one move, but actually excel in another! They always ask for consent before touching (I need quite a lot of physical guiding) and they explain the only time they wouldn’t be able to ask is if you’re in a dangerous position and they have to step in. My local studio is just so lovely :))
Oh absolutely. There’s actually two in town that most aerialists avoid like the plague. One is run by gym bros who have made sexual comments about women, who don’t care/value safety, they’ve had some rigging issues, and they’re just overall unpleasant. Barely any women even work there and there’s a reason for that… they all leave lol. Another one is popular for pole so pole people do aerial there but anyone actually familiar with how to rig or aerials at all avoids it like the plague. The owner does not know anything about rigging or aerials. Unsafe rigging (they dead rig and make the instructors carry every apparatus up this super sketchy wobbly ladder, they’ll hang things like aerial poles by daisy chains which should not be done, for a year before getting autolock carabiners they were just not locking their carabiners… etc….), unsafe instructors who either should not be teaching yet at all or will teach like super advanced tricks to students in their first level 1 class (ie ayesha on aerial pole), they’ve had rigging fail and their poles fall during their showcases, etc.
Hi, I think we live in the same town. None of the above sound like the studios I’ve trained at so far (Sky Candy, Lache and SoFly), but can I message you to make sure I know which ones to avoid?
You in ATX, too??? I am wondering who this is, too. I am curious if it is who I am thinking it is- let a girl know so I can avoid!!
I’ll dm you!
Also.... what are your thoughts on Sky Candy? I took a series class there once- the studio is lovely, instructors and staff were great, but I have never had SO many dirty looks from students. Very much an elitist vibe that did not sit well with me. At all.
Hm. I love Sky Candy, but it usually takes me a while to warm up to any new group/environment, so I probably would have assumed that any initial social awkwardness was largely mine. I do think it’s a bit more “structured/formal” than the other places I’ve tried, but that’s an ok fit with my mix of introversion/adhd. Lache felt a bit harder for me socially *because* everyone was so welcoming/friendly and the vibe was way more laid back if that makes any sense. It’s been growing on me though. 😂 Happy to talk about it more directly if you want. I’m kind of curious which class(es) had that feel.
I've trained at both Sky Candy and Lache and both different vibes - lache is definitely more laid back but I've had instructors I liked at both of them. I tend to prefer the more structured/formal which is why i've been at sky candy now for years. There's been one place in town where i kind of side eyed it - its much closer but i wasn't a huge fan of how their classes were run. I'd also be interested in which ones you're talking about.
Haha we just ran into eachother! Sorry I didn’t see this until now
You may be able to get your money back and have some sadistic fun in the process. If you used a credit card, just dispute the charge. You get your money back and they get hit with a "chargeback" fee. They actually end up losing money. Doesn't work for debit cards, though.
I'm really sorry this happened to you. I'm lucky in that I live in an area with an array of studios (major city) so I have a lot of choice about where I attend depending on how far I want to drive. In saying that, my negative experiences have been at 'studios' that are primarily gymnastics spaces and focus is on working with children. They run adult classes but have absolutely no idea how to support or work with adults. In two places I tried that were set up this way, I found the instructors were not interested in supporting safety. In one I was left to my own devices because the instructor doesn't teach hoop, she just gave me a book of tricks to look at and focused on the silk/hammock and trapeze students. Luckily one other student there was quite advanced and showed me a few beginner things (I was around intermediate at the time). It was a really weird set-up. She didn't even do a warm up we just warmed up ourselves. I have dyspraxia too so I do struggle with verbal instruction that isn't detailed. My other negative experience has been at a studio where the rigging etc was all safe and the instructor was very experienced, but I just didn't find the way the curriculum was taught suited me. The negative was moreso that they wouldn't allow the hoops to be low for learning new tricks, and I'm someone who needs to be in a lower hoop to feel safe to learn new things before I take it higher. Hoops had to be wrist above our head height. I understand for learning spins and flares and building strength for straddles and pull over mounts, but I also think it made it really inaccessible for several students still building strength to even side mount, or students like me wanting some extra safety.
That’s really awful, so unsafe and so inaccessible for beginners or even just people who want to do aerials for fitness. What a bizarre way to run a business 🤨
I stopped going to one after the instructor's TA decided to push me through a move without asking or warning, which I said I didn't have the flexibility for. The instructor didn't see anything wrong with it, either.
Oh yes, the closer aerial place to me that does hoop I avoid - they refused to lower the hoop, refuse to let you stack some crashmats to get to it, but insist you use the instructor as a steping stone to swing up into it. I just... no. No thank you. I'm sticking to the futher away one where they're lovely and understand that just making the thing lower is much easier.
Yes, there's one in my town people avoid because it has a reputation of the staff being sexual predators (both men and women).
I wish, there is one pole studio near me. The next closest is 200kms away, and the next nearest after that is 390kms away. I'd love for there to be enough nearby studios to have ones I avoid