Heartless, Unprofessional, and Deeply Disappointing Experience…read more
My children, who are still grieving the loss of their father, were cast in The Nutcracker with Avant Chamber Ballet, to be performed at the Moody Performance Hall in Dallas. All four of my children had been rehearsing diligently since September 2024. They were fully committed, excited, and never missed a single rehearsal--except for the final one, which they missed due to a medical appointment, supported by a valid doctor's note.
Despite this, less than 24 hours before the performance (12/6/24), Artistic Director Katie Puder expelled my children from the production via email. No phone call. No discussion. No compassion. Just a cold, dismissive message stating they were removed and would "have to pay the price for [my] mistake."
Avant later stated it is their "policy" that dancers who miss a stage rehearsal are not permitted to perform. While I understand that policies exist for a reason, any reputable organization--especially one working with children--should also understand the importance of compassion, flexibility, and context. A documented medical appointment with a doctor's note should have warranted at least a conversation. Instead, Avant enforced this policy with zero humanity, despite the fact that my children were grieving, fully committed, and had not missed a single rehearsal prior. A "policy" is not an excuse for cruelty. They were removed without any meaningful dialogue or opportunity to remedy the situation. Rigid policies should never be a shield for callous behavior.
As a widowed mother trying to help my children heal from a devastating loss, this performance was meant to be a bright spot--a joyful, healing experience. Instead, it became another source of heartbreak--and one that was entirely avoidable.
Worse yet, this wasn't the first instance of unprofessional conduct. At costume fittings, Ms. Puder was openly rude to parents, to the point where I had to ask her directly to stop speaking to me in such a condescending and inappropriate tone. She appeared to ignore my request. Her lack of empathy and professionalism was consistent from the beginning.
When I reached out to discuss the situation, she refused to speak with me directly and would only respond via email. She also refused to refund any of the audition fees, participation costs, or ticket purchases (including additional tickets you're required to buy if some of your children are only in Act I and plan to watch Act II). I was left with no choice but to file credit card disputes to recover what I could. Payment for participation was demanded through Venmo, which offers no buyer protection in situations like this--so I have not been reimbursed for services that were never delivered. Ms. Puder continues to ignore all requests for reimbursement.
To make matters worse, just days after being removed from The Nutcracker, my children were also expelled from Artistry in Motion, the studio owned by Jillian Cox-Teague where they trained--and which actively partners with Avant Chamber Ballet. There was no proper explanation, no behavioral issue, and no written concerns prior--just abrupt and immediate demands on my time as a solo parent to four children, culminating in yet another cold dismissal. It felt retaliatory and targeted, clearly intended to show loyalty to Katie Puder. My children were punished again for an adult conflict they had no part in--by adults who run children's dance studios and children's productions.
Even worse, Artistry in Motion had previously threatened to "use" my children against me--and ultimately followed through. When I was unable to immediately carve out extra time outside of our already 5-6 day-per-week studio commitment to meet their demand, they expelled my children from the studio entirely. They paid the price again, for no wrongdoing of their own.
The box office at the Moody later confirmed that Katie had misrepresented our rehearsal attendance. I was able to provide photographic proof that my children had, in fact, attended rehearsal at the theater just days before the performance. We did absolutely nothing to deserve this treatment. To lie about our participation and use that as justification to punish grieving children is not only unprofessional--it's cruel. I will not stand for it.
To their credit, the Moody's box office staff was far more compassionate. They expressed disapproval of Avant's treatment of us and offered to help figure out ticket reimbursement for my family, even though Avant had told us "no."
This experience wasn't just disappointing--it was deeply traumatizing. No child, especially one dealing with profound grief, should ever be treated this way.
I strongly urge other parents to think twice before enrolling their children in Avant Chamber Ballet or its partner studio, Artistry in Motion. A children's program should embody kindness, professionalism, and compassion. These organizations failed on every level.
