I'm a seasoned pole dancer who regularly trains at another studio in the SFV, but I decided to try out Rock n Pole since it's close to work and I wanted to get more pole time in. Before even attending, I had messaged directly with Cleo and made it clear that I wasn't a beginner -- I even asked about taking "high intermediate" in case the "pole tricks" class was full, and she said she could place me in that class. So my level was known ahead of time.
I signed up and took an intermediate class ("Heavy Metal Hoes" with Cleo). It was more choreo-heavy than I'm used to, but I showed up and gave it my best. During class, Cleo called me out and suggested I take an 8-week course because the other students had been in that specific class for years. I brushed it off at the time -- I understand instructors wanting consistency.
After class, I approached her to cancel my membership (purely for financial reasons), and that's when things got uncomfortable. Instead of simply helping me cancel, she grew defensive and began justifying the studio's pricing by pointing out her lighting and pole options -- even though I had never complained about any of that.
She then stated that just because I'm intermediate at my studio doesn't mean I'm intermediate at hers, and wrapped things up by telling me her therapist had explained the difference between sympathy and empathy, and that she was "trying to sympathize" with me. The comment felt unnecessary and condescending.
What really stood out to me, though, was that when I later spoke with one of her employees, she suggested I could just avoid taking classes when Cleo was there rather than canceling. That alone told me my experience wasn't an isolated one -- clearly, others have had similar issues if staff are already prepared with that kind of workaround.
To give credit where it's due: the studio is gorgeous, the students seem supportive of one another, and the community energy is strong. But my personal interaction with Cleo left a bad taste. Canceling a membership shouldn't turn into an uncomfortable lecture or a psychological evaluation. I hope this was just a one-off, but based on what I've seen and heard, it may be a recurring issue.
Edit to respond to Cleo's edit that she just left 10/14:
Hi Cleo, I mentioned the therapist comment because it felt out of place in the situation and came across as condescending. All I was trying to do was cancel my membership, but the way our conversation unfolded made me feel pressured to stay, which added to the negative experience. Also, I'd prefer that details about the other studio I attend not be shared publicly, as that's private to me. read more