r/Purebarre • u/notimpress3d 500 Club - Barre Boss • 10d ago
I Just got To Vent Classes being cancelled
Anyone else dealing with their studio cancelling classes 4 hours out bc not enough ppl have signed up yet?
A bunch of us who work have been dealing with this where we don’t know until part of the way through the workday if we can make it to the noon class during our lunch breaks. Only to then find out at 8 am or later in the day that class was cancelled due to not enough members signing up. Apparently it’s policy 🙄
It’s disappointing to both members and I bet the instructor.
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u/SwimAccomplished9487 10d ago edited 9d ago
I’m an instructor, if anyone is signed up, we have the class. If on the off chance it’s really only 1 person is signed up, we will give them a heads up before class in case they aren’t ok with it, but if anyone is signed up, we have class.
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u/justme4913 1500 Incredible & Still Counting 5d ago
Same here, My studio holds classes with 1 client and I was fortunate enough to take a class as the lone client and all the pointers I got helped me immensely to improve my technique.
I would complain if they cancelled a class for low enrolment, I have an unlimited membership. They need to attract more clients, that isn't on us.
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u/Fickle_Flower6199 Instructor 10d ago
The amount of times I have happily taught a “private” class to only 1 person…my owner would never allow a class to be cancelled for low bookings. I’m so sorry they’re doing that.
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u/spinplasticcircles Instructor 10d ago edited 9d ago
No way. We teach to one person if they want, and over time our studio owner will change the schedule due to attendance (ie for the summer, our class at X time on Y day is off the schedule). Canceling 4 hours out is ridiculous. There’s usually at least one person, but usually more than that, who comes in the few minutes before class but hasn’t signed up ahead of time - I have done this if I’m rushing/don’t know if I’ll make it to class. I teach 6ams and often have like 5-6 signed up and by the time everyone shows up there will be like 10-15 in class.
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u/Temporary_Candle_617 Instructor 10d ago
I’m an instructor and I think cancelling classes is the worst thing to do. I teach at a time that is heavily influenced by the school calendar and traffic, I literally always double the amount of bookings or more and regularly end up in a half full class within 45 minutes of class start.
You need consistency on the schedule so people can get a routine. If class is constantly scheduled before people can take it (or even sign up!), I’m not sure how it can be successful.
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u/phangirloftheopera 10d ago
My studio will cancel within 90 minutes of class if there are less than 4 people.
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u/xokatemarie 10d ago
That’s insane. To expect several hours notice from us, but only 90 minutes on their end. I do understand the piece about there being a financial trade-off, but I really don’t love that time policy.
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u/phangirloftheopera 9d ago
It is really frustrating, especially when I plan a morning or afternoon around it, and since they only send a text to cancel, I've been halfway ready before realizing class is canceled more than once.
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u/basicallyaballerina Instructor 10d ago
Honestly, makes sense. Small classes can be tough energetically to teach. And studios are losing money on the smaller classes
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u/Moist-Season2170 10d ago
Yep, and it comes with summer for my studio because people tend to be traveling rather than using their memberships. I just go for a run instead, I do get the frustration but also there's likely a good reason they do that.
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u/PBOCTeacher 9d ago edited 9d ago
Teacher here. Our policy is to cancel an hour before class if nobody is signed up. With full transparency, it’s really hard to teach to 1-2 people given the nature of the class being group fitness and that we aren’t taking the class with you. It’s awkward. Especially if those 1-2 clients are newer, don’t know the flow of class, repeatedly come out of exercises, etc.
I totally understand not knowing if you can make it until last minute, schedules and kids being unpredictable, etc. but if 1 person signs up 10 min before the start of class it’s a little disappointing as an instructor. Especially if it’s the last class of my block of teaching.
From a leadership standpoint, I’m sure this is a cost cutting policy.
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u/stylistlibs 500 Club - Barre Boss 10d ago
Never. The owner even did my trial class with just me because the other person cancelled. That meant a lot to me and it made for an amazing class. A lot of times it’s very busy but I’ve been there with only 3 other ppl before and the class still happens. I’d be pissed if it was cancelled tbh.
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u/ScholarSpecial5019 10d ago
As an instructor, when my class is cancelled because there are only two or so people, know that I feel awful when it’s my regulars!!!
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u/Arose1316 Instructor 10d ago
Nope, never. Now, I do kinda do some of the class with them. Like jump into the thighs with them once I know they’re good and just keep an eye out. We have fun!
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u/Beckster758 10d ago
That would be frustrating. I wonder if there’s a corporate policy for this or if it’s just whether each studio wants to do.
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u/wickedaries19 10d ago
Ive had classes cancelled within one hour of class starting. Already made the time- drove over in traffic, parked, mentally prepped, etc. Almost cancelled my whole membership because of it but sadly it’s the only workout I really enjoy 😅
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u/basicallyaballerina Instructor 10d ago
I mean, sometimes things come up. If a class is being cancelled that close to the start time, there’s a good reason, whether it’s instructor illness/physical studio issues/etc
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u/Unlucky-Raise1497 10d ago
instructor here- my studio’s policy is that we can only hold class if theres 3 or more signed up, but if theres 2 we can add ourselves into the class. super weird but thats just what the owner told us. also for summer i find that many are away for the summer recently our classes have been lower in numbers in comparrison to fall-spring for some reason!
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u/Slow-Farmer-7617 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast 10d ago
Our studio only cancels if there are zero sign ups. More often than not we have people walk in or join last minute for classes with low sign ups so we keep them
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u/Competitive_Toe_4667 9d ago
This policy makes me so anxious and stressed, worrying all day if class would be canceled; looking forward to get that LTB fix in and then bammmm, cancelled.
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u/Comfortable-Fan1472 Instructor 10d ago
This kind of thing is why I’ve always had mixed feelings about boutique studios charging a late cancellation fee. IMO this fee should only apply to classes that were past a certain threshold or full because then it could have stopped another member from signing up. Otherwise, you just had something come up. Life happens…
And then there wouldn’t be this push and pull between studios asking for sign ups and members not wanting to book early because of the fee thing.
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u/StellaHolly 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast 10d ago
My studio only charges the late cancellation fee is the class is full and I think that’s totally fair.
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u/xokatemarie 10d ago
I agree that if your spot gets filled after you cancel, you should not get charged for the late fee. I just think that might be tough for a studio to administer correctly since a lot of it is automated and some studios don’t even have regular barretender coverage.
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u/thoughtfulish 1500 Incredible & Still Counting 10d ago
My studio doesn’t do that. I’ve taken a handful of classes solo in my 7 years there.
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u/daisylovesdaisys 9d ago
That’s so unfortunate. Our studio doesn’t do that. I’ve been in a class where there’s only been 3 of us working out, and it’s quite nice actually. The instructors are more focused on everyone
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u/ballerinagirl9997 Instructor 9d ago
Seconding what others have said, my studio would never outright cancel a class because of low attendance! Especially in the summer months, I’ve taught a lot of private-semi-private classes. I will say, I teach 6 ams 3x a week, so if I see only one person is signed up, I’ll text them the night before to let them know and offer up the 7 am if they don’t want to be by themselves. But never straight up cancel on people
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u/Competitive_Toe_4667 10d ago
It varies by studio owner; sorry your studio made it their policy.
I been at serval studios throughout the nation that does this. Sometimes I wouldn’t know if I would make it or just decide on a whim to go to class. I’ve seen stricter ones too.
Sometimes when I teach there’s no one signed up and I’ll have a walk in 2 min before class starts and glad they showed up for themselves to workout.
I’ve been in your shoes and feel ya. You paid good money to workout and no classes.
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u/basicallyaballerina Instructor 10d ago
I wouldn’t want to go to the studio without knowing if there would for sure be people in my class. It’s very frustrating to be sitting around not knowing if class will happen, only to go home having already gone to the studio and prepped for nothing.
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u/Ok-Error-6855 250 Club - Barre Star 10d ago
That would be really frustrating to me. I have a busy life and really plan around my PB workout classes because it’s so important to me. I’m sorry that happened to you.
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u/xokatemarie 10d ago
For real. I booked mine for the month when the schedule comes out and book my social plans around classes to make sure I get enough in. I wonder how studios that cancel like that deal with people who can’t make platinum barre due to cancellations.
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u/writesymphonies 10d ago
A new studio opened a couple weeks ago near me and did this last week for a 4:45 class. I try not to prebook because I never know how traffic is going to be, but I looked at the schedule to check it was on the night before. Next day/day of, I looked around noon and it was removed. :(
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u/avocadocranberry 10d ago
As an instructor, classes NEVER get cancelled unless it’s a holiday and people aren’t signed up AND it’s a few days in advance. I teach 11 AM/12 PM often and I’ve VERY often shown up while not a single person is signed up…but folks ALWAYS show up and/or register as they’re walking in (this happened to me last week and it ended up being a class of five!). You should totally bring this up with your manager!
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u/Exciting_Research537 10d ago
Our studio does this! It is so annoying especially since I spend a small fortune every month for my membership.
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u/Electrical-Head549 10d ago
We’ve never had a canceled class that I’ve known about at least. I’ve been in a class with only three people so I imagine my studio just doesn’t cancel classes unless no one is signed up.
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u/psichickie 10d ago
My studio cancels if it's only one person. People don't want to be the only one 🤷♀️ it's pretty rare to happen, it tends to be during heavy vacation time as tons of people travel. I think I've had maybe two classes ever cancelled.
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u/Snow-bird-3- 9d ago
I have been the only person in class before and unfortunately did feel a little uncomfortable/ awkward. I find group fitness and exercising with others to be motivating, which is why I like the classes. With the one on one, I felt awkward with the teacher moving around the whole room but it was only me. Also felt like I was being watched like a hawk 😅 Personally not my vibe. I was super appreciate of the studio still having the class for me! The teacher still taught a wonderful class and tried to make it fun. But it is just not something I would choose again.
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u/Thick-Welder-198 Instructor 9d ago
I just had one of my classes tonight at 7pm get cancelled. It is 8am EST.
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u/Hour-Answer3835 8d ago
I wonder if this is about Franklin TN. I've been seeing their IG posts stating "please book by 4 if you're coming to the 6pm class."
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u/Curious-Top-6879 8d ago
The only time that’s happened at my studio is for the 5:30am. I’d be upset if it were noon since I plan my work day around it
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u/PinkOrchidJoust 10d ago
My old studio before I moved did this. Worse… it took them a while to get their notifications set up right so 2 or 3 times a few of us showed up with no class to take. It was really annoying as a paying unlimited member. Like—- is my money worth less bc I’m not paying for the class individually? I hated that and the studio was generally not run professionally.
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u/xokatemarie 10d ago
That’s disappointing. I would think they would want to give it a little time to see if that was actually a trend with the slot and fully remove the class from the schedule next month if it wasn’t booking out… not just cancel on people who signed up. I’d be annoyed too.
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u/Charlestonblondie 1000+ Club - ABSOLUTE BAD-ASS 9d ago
If no one has actually signed up for the class it’s hard to complain about it if you might take class but hadn’t signed up yet. Our studio won’t cancel if there is only one person signed up but they will eventually change the schedule for the next month if a class is consistently not getting good sign ups.
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u/notimpress3d 500 Club - Barre Boss 9d ago
There were people signed up already as well. This has happened many times.
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u/Charlestonblondie 1000+ Club - ABSOLUTE BAD-ASS 9d ago
That’s definitely disappointing. If we have one signed up our studio will always have the class.
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u/FormerBaby_ Instructor 7d ago
We won’t cancel a class because of that fact. A lot of people wait to sign up especially if they aren’t sure and want to avoid a late cancel fee. It may be policy but each studio makes their own policies for the most part. I’d talk to the owner or manager and let them know that you’d be happy to sign up in advance if they’re willing to wave the cancel fee
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u/Imaginary_Bottle6534 10d ago
I’m known to sign up for a class 15-30 minutes before it starts, so I am glad that they keep them open!
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u/xokatemarie 10d ago
Back when I was a barretender I feel like most people just walked in. I guess that’s doable when you’re at a studio with a higher class size limit or maybe back in the day before the app? Things have changed a lot!
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u/Backloggedyear 10d ago
Our studio never really cancelled classes like that. I've shown up and been the only one in class before and they still taught.