I joined this studio in 2021 to support a Black woman-owned business, but I can no longer attend due to severe safety, hygiene, and management issues. I waited until my membership ended to post this due to a documented pattern of retaliation by the owner.
Safety & Environment:
* Crime: Multiple cars have been stolen or broken into in the lot. The owner did not warn members and was dismissive when another member and I were personally threatened by a man on-site.
* Privacy Violations: Members were filmed without consent for the owner's adult subscription site. It took multiple requests to remove the footage, and one member was temporarily banned for complaining.
* Harassment: A member used racial slurs and made death threats toward others. The owner did not cancel their membership until that individual was caught stealing from the studio.
Facility Maintenance:
* Hygiene: Roaches have been observed on site and the owner failed to notify the community.
* Equipment: Poles are poorly maintained--some sway, creak, or have cracks. Chrome-allergy risks are ignored as poles are moved without labels. The bathroom is often inoperable (clogged toilet/shower used for storage).
Poor Management:
* Communication: Benefits (like unlimited open sessions) were stripped mid-contract without notice, and members were penalized for using them. Different members are provided with different resolutions for the same issue. Many are provided with no resolution at all. She has switched the app used to provide studio updates 3 times within the past year and is adamant about her being the one to disseminate information through it, but not receptive to members trying to communicate with her through it. Despite switching the app 3 times she expects people to inconvenience themselves by downloading the app du jour each time and as an incentive offers benefits to members that use the most recent app, even though we all have the same membership contracts and pricing tiers.
* Volatility: The owner frequently engages in disrespectful conflicts with students, staff, prospective staff, and guests. She has threatened to call the police on a member for simply raising a system issue.
Supporting Black-owned businesses is important to me, but I cannot ignore the poor treatment Black women specifically have faced here. Many polers around the DMV started their journeys at this studio, because it's one of the oldest in the area. Many in the DMV pole community have left for the reasons I shared and more. Please do your research and ask around before signing a contract.
I wish I had this information before starting a membership. I never would've signed up if I had known. The studio owner has publicly claimed that she's always seen as the villain and the only members that complain are those that don't get their way. But I think if she took the time to sit and reflect, listen to the community, and not approach every conversation defensively it would be a valuable experience. read more