EDIT: updating to 3 stars given the gym manager is looking into it

Ended my ~6 Years of membership over a bad class- the final straw of dealing with overwhelmed, poorly trained, and frustrated staff.

Earlier this year I decided to check out the thai massage class. I carefully read that you didn't need to bring a partner. Traffic was bad, parking was difficult, and it seemed that everyone wanted to go to this class-- so it was packed to the gills. I was extremely nervous to go, but I decided to take a chance. I had had several good acro yoga classes where everyone handled me with grace and friendliness.

This class-- it was unclear that I needed to have gotten a partner at some point in the rush of everyone grabbing mats and spots. The teacher was absolutely overwhelmed and clearly stressed out. Eventually-- as we got started, another student that recognized me from the acro yoga classes called out that I didn't have a partner (thank you!). The teacher was obviously very frustrated and stated if only I had gotten there EARLIER then she could've helped me. That I needed a partner. That I could go outside and make an announcement over the intercom asking for a partner and that it would be "easy" to get one. That was absolutely crazy. So in a dead silent and packed room of ~30 people I got up, walked outside, downstairs, and had the nice guy at the front desk make multiple announcements. No one came; no one was interested. Defeated after 5 or 10 minutes (which honestly felt like an eternity), I had to go BACK into-- again the room full of awkwardly silent people-- to collect my stuff and roll up my mat, while everyone else was partnered up and going over poses and got to continue. There was no acknowledgement as I left the room. I mean I couldn't even make eye contact, so I believe there was no acknowledgement. I have never felt so much SHAME for existing, taking up space, and "doing it wrong".

I didn't have a partner. I moved to LA, was isolated, and I didn't have friends yet. I was going to this space BECAUSE I missed being close to other people and felt disconnected from my body. This was the most horrible experience I could've asked for at that time. Discouraged is an understatement.

I understand there were so many factors. Could we address some of them? In SF you had to reserve a spot. This kept the class size manageable. In LA I was told multiple times to ignore the reservation system, that they didn't use it (???). In other acro and thai massage classes, they make it EXTREMELY clear that you need to bring a partner or not , and either the teacher WILL or WILL NOT accommodate you. In this case, the teacher WILL NOT accommodate you if let's say, its now 5 minutes late to class, traffic was bad, and there are too many people in the room. This message and expectations are posted CLEARLY in the class summary. Honestly, in every thai massage or acro yoga class over the years in SF, there was absolutely NO problem with an odd number of students. We just switched off or had a silly group of 3 people. Or one of the teachers would pair off with the odd student after the teachers demonstrated a pose. Or even made big circles and had people shift down or up. I have honestly NEVER encountered a complete lack of empathy and total rejection for being alone in partnered yoga class (which is understandably inherently vulnerable). In other yoga classes in LA, they THANK you for showing up and even if you're late. They are HAPPY that you fought every reason to not show up and did anyway. Maybe Touchstone cheaps out on their yoga teachers-- perhaps they are not well-compensated, or well-trained, or given the same care that they need to hold space for others. In fact I think that's quite likely.

I have allowed mistreatment over the years, being ignored and treated terribly for my own lead tests and for partners lead tests by overwhelmed staff, extremely crowded gyms that are dangerous, etc, but at this point I'll take my thousands of dollars to other businesses that have an actual sense of community and safety.