I am writing this report to detail events that occurred on Thursday July 23, 2009 at the TULA WEST Yoga Studio on 951 Bloor St. W. On this day my girlfriend and I chose to attend a 6 pm Yoga Fusion class at this location. I myself am a relative newcomer to the yoga however I have attended multiple classes at this location's affiliate TULA CENTRAL where I have had a rather pleasant introduction to the yoga scene. It was this pleasant experience that made the events of the 23rd of July all the more shocking and appalling.
Upon entering the studio I approached the front desk where I paid for the class we were to attend. The person handling the money at the front appeared to be in a daze and gave me the incorrect change. It took both myself and then my girlfriend to point this out before the person realized her mistake and gave me proper change.
Upon entering the class the instructor - The very same girl at the front desk - abruptly and with a rude tone told us to shut the door behind us. I obliged and proceeded to unfurl my mat and prepared myself for what I thought would be a relaxing and invigorating yoga class. I could not be more wrong.
The first 5 or so minutes went as one would expect a typical yoga class to go, with some breathing exercises and stretches. Soon enough however this relaxing session of yoga therapy devolved into what can only be described as military boot camp. The atmosphere rapidly shifted from one of calm and serenity and replaced by the hellish staccato of the shrill voice of Sergeant Yoga instructor as she directed us through what she called the core section of the class. Throughout this section I found myself in a difficult position as I could not complete the majority of the exercises and no alternatives were provided for me or any of the other less advanced participants. Within the first five minutes of this section, another participant got up and left the class.
Near the end of the class my girlfriend stepped out feeling sick. Afterwards the instructor approached her asking if anything was wrong multiple times to which she responded that she could give feedback regarding the class if the instructor so desired. It was at this point that the instructor exploded and told my girlfriend that her feedback was not welcome, that she had not asked for it and that we were not welcome back to this studio ever again. We discovered much to my amazement that this woman was the owner of the studio. I found it very difficult to fathom that a person as unprofessional and uncouth as she could manage a business and retain clients treating them in such a manner.
The outrage did not end there as this person now joined by the receptionist continued to accost us in the atrium of the studio where other customers were just coming in to attend the next class. We were continually told to leave as we were attempting to gather our things and no one attempted to resolve the situation despite it now having spilled over into the main area of the studio surrounded with other prospective clients. To add insult to injury the receptionist then proceeded to personally attack my girlfriend unprovoked and called her names. The demands for us to leave followed us into the hallway and down the stairs as we left bewildered. The reactionary response was disturbing and completely unprovoked. I have never experienced business practices as aggressive as this. I felt completely unappreciated as a client and left the studio feeling sad, angry, confused, and stressed - contrary to what you would expect to feel following a Yoga class.
This behaviour was completely unwarranted and unprofessional. I advise against attending this studio, as the atmosphere is one of complacency and disregard for the goodwill of the clientele.
Ram
thornhill, Ontario
Canada
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