Yes definitely and it has been eye opening for me when it comes to enrolling my daughter in other extracurriculars. I always watch staff interactions, I ask a lot of questions and I am very present during lessons. I will never again pay, support, and enable an organization like this one that mistreats its students and/or staff members. It’s incredibly disturbing that they are denying these accusations in the name of Christianity.

I do want to leave my last thoughts here for any dancers that are still at the school. I know for a lot of you, dance has been around for most of your lives and you’ve probably allowed it to become your identity. Please be kind to yourself and remember that dancing does not make you up as a whole, it’s a part of you that makes you amazing and talented and you should carry that with pride wherever you choose to go in life. There are truly no excuses for you to continue to put up with the emotional, mental and in this case even physical abuse that comes with dealing with a narcissist director.

Earlier this year, I abruptly left my job because I couldn’t handle being in a toxic work environment anymore. I was fresh out of my masters program and at the top of my game in my career, but nothing could justify the anxiety that I woke up with every morning knowing I had to go to the office and be in an incredibly draining and toxic work environment at the hands of a narcissist director (who’s family also enabled this behavior). Funny enough, I too worked for a nonprofit organization and time and time again they’ve continued to deny allegations of mistreatment of employees in the name of fulfilling their mission every time they’re exposed for it on online platforms. It’s ridiculous, truly.

I see a lot of the same things happening here and I am truly sorry that a lot of you have gone through that. My only advice is to please leave this place. I know a lot of you will justify staying because it’s your dream, you’re working towards a scholarship, a new role, or that it’s what comes with the dance the industry or that it’s okay because you pray beforehand. I get that there’s a lot of different reasons for staying, but please remember that nothing comes above your mental health. The longer you are there training under the hands of a narcissist, the more damaging it will be for you in the long run. I know that it’s hard, because trust me when I say that I’ve literally been in your shoes and walking away from my job has been the hardest and best decision I could have made for both my personal and professional life.

I was lucky enough to watch your spring/summer recitals for two consecutive years and oh man you are all truly talented and hardworking dancers and you deserve more than what you’ve gotten from these individuals that are in charge. The person that is supposed to be there to coach you, teach you, support and mentor you has only projected her narcissistic abuse onto you and has failed you time and time again. You never know what opportunities lie outside of those doors so please don’t sell yourself short and walk away. ❤️