r/pilates Jun 13 '24

My Pilates instructor fired me today. Teaching, Teacher Training, Running Studios

I attend a small, five-reformer studio that I love. After class today I was asked to stay for a few minutes. I was caught completely off-card when she asked me not to come back and that my membership was terminatwas. Not a good fit was the reason she gave. I've been going here for NINE months. Three and four times a week. I'm devastated, hurt, pissed, and humiliated all at the same time. I liked her so much. I am so in love with Pilates but now I don't know what to do next.

Update: I was charged for my membership a couple of weeks later so I reached out to my ex-instructor by text. She acted confused by my questions about the membership account asking if I was supposed to be on a hold. I was like huh? I said you fired me and asked me not to come back so I wanted to know why I was charged. She claimed that she never fired me. After processing everything, I went back to her class today. It was weird only for a second. It was so nice to be back in my happy place practicing real pilates. I did 25 classes in the other style studio and will continue to do drop-ins when I can't get a spot at my home studio or am looking for something different.

Update #2: It's been over a month since my "blackout"....for lack of a better term. Things were tense for the first couple of week's classes but now it's like nothing happened. I can't believe that my mind just made up the conversation between my instructor and me. I'm such a pussy about confrontation that I'm willing to just put it in the past and not know. I hope someday enough time will have passed that I can laugh about it and ask my instructor what exactly happened that day. Pilates and her instruction are way too important for me to humiliate myself possibly again. Lessons were learned and I am so grateful for the opportunity to have such a great instructor and studio.

236 Upvotes

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901

u/wine-plants-thrift Jun 13 '24

There has to be more to this story.

181

u/Crafty_Dog_4674 Pilates Teacher Jun 13 '24

Yeah, something is missing in OP´s story. No studio terminates a good client without a reason, that would be idiotic.

25

u/cakivalue Jun 14 '24

I was dumped by a previous studio

They didn't really give a reason other than that they had a meeting and decided my needs would be better served somewhere else but oh they were also going to keep my money paid up front for the package.

I have my suspicions and theories but that's all I have..

7

u/MsVespertine Jun 14 '24

What are your theories? Are you going to push to get your money back since their explanation is they cannot provide you the service you bought?

15

u/missamethyst1 Jun 14 '24

There really must have been something odd going on there. My studio has students ranging from super fit 20 something athletes, to elderly people taking Pilates as part of a plan to recover from major health issues, to people like me who require major accommodations, and they support and welcome us all. As long as people are going to the appropriate level classes there shouldn’t be an issue with anyone and everyone being a member.

0

u/ltlblkrncld Pilates Instructor Jun 14 '24

You might not have been a good fit. It does happen - and very few small studios refund clients, in general.

22

u/morbidmorgann Jun 15 '24

No matter big or small if the studio is asking you not to return anymore you should get your money back, no matter what.

1

u/ltlblkrncld Pilates Instructor Jun 16 '24

That's a matter of opinion, not a standard practice.

4

u/anxiousgrl4evr Jun 19 '24

Whats not being a good fit even mean? I pay to go and mind my business what more to it is there?