And
For a few words omitted or missed in my speech.
I have chosen to not name the institution yet. At least until I know there are more of us who can bring up the courage to speak up and call out these places.
#exposethetruth
#speakupspeakout
Thank you @_praavaah_ for taking a video at this moment. And @aswathy_neel and a lot of my friends for being supportive and staying along for the cause.
a month agobirdfree_281
Thank you, Saran💙 Because something similar happened to me as well. I had paid more than half of the course fee, and some amount was still remaining. I told them that if they gave me assurance about these things, I would immediately pay the remaining fees. But they told me that they would not provide me with those things unless I paid the full fees. They also did not allow me to attend the further classes. They called security and had security escort me out, even though I had already paid more than half of the course fee. They are lying to our faces. There is no proper schedule, no proper structure, and no proper syllabus. Even the teachers there sometimes did not know that they had a class that day. And suddenly, the Artistic Director would come for 15 minutes and directly start taking a ballet class, when my body was not properly warmed up or prepared for it. On one occasion, someone put on a warm-up from YouTube and made us do it. We had only four ballet classes. I don't know why they were conducted or what they were for. I don't even know whether they will be useful for me going forward. The fee for the course is ₹3,00,000 for one year. Even basic things are not properly provided at the institute. I was honestly shocked when I realised all of this. There was no space available for extra practice. I was there for three months. If a student had an issue, sometimes there wasn't even a teacher available there. I also don't understand who exactly the Artistic Director is. Whoever is there does not communicate. If you go to them with an issue, they simply walk away.
a month agochaitanyanahar
@sreeshma_latha_sathyan i hear you sree. It's so sad that this is continuing even now 💔
2 months agosreeshma_latha_sathyan
@attakkalari_centre Have some shame and hold accountability for the exploitation you did to all these students. @jayachandran.palazhy Read the comments do better!!!
2 months ago_richakushwaha_
Thank you for speaking up! My experience has not been very different as well. A lot of times when I had raised concerns regarding such things over mail or personally, they tried to put me down by questioning my capabilities which were not the part of discussion at all. Instead of increasing students confidence, they try to diminish them not only by staying silent over certain matters but also by taking time and efforts to make students feel less of themselves in case they try to speak up. I just want to mention that the faculties who come to teach there are highly qualified and great but the management is not at all there which makes the course not really worth your time and effort. I feel investing the same time and energy would have been really worth it anywhere else.
2 months agodiary_of_aish
I have personally experienced the same treatment from this institution, and I feel it's important to speak up. I joined with immense passion for dance, but by the end of the course, I felt like quitting altogether. I paid almost ₹3 lakh for a year, yet the quality of classes was nowhere near what we deserved. When we raised genuine concerns, we were targeted, manipulated, blamed, and made to feel insignificant. Students who voiced their opinions were treated differently and often sidelined. I also suffered an injury during the course, and instead of being supported, I was shamed for taking time to heal and care for my body. The entire experience was emotionally exhausting and deeply traumatic. They made me question whether I was good enough to be a dancer. I have also had end number of breakdowns because of how badly they treated us When we wanted to leave, getting our money back wasn't an option, so I had to somehow complete the course and move on. To everyone who started this movement, thank you for finding the courage to speak up. You are giving people like me the strength to share experiences we have carried silently for so long. No artist should lose their passion or confidence in a place that is supposed to nurture them. Keep speaking up. Your voices matter, and you are not alone. ❤️
2 months agosakshi_.aa
And what happened to me when I raised concerns? I was banned from attending classes for a week, despite having paid 70% of my course fees within the first four months. I had paid to be there. I had enrolled to learn. And instead of feeling that my concerns could be addressed through a proper conversation, I was denied access to the classes forcing me to complete the remaining fees payment asap. I still find that deeply unacceptable. What also concerns me is the way things change when students start speaking. Instead of creating a space where we can come together and question the institution, I have experienced situations where students are divided. A kind of divide and rule approach, where it becomes easier to manage students when they are not standing together. I cannot speak for everyone’s intentions, but this is how the situation has felt and what I have observed. And no, I am not saying that nothing valuable happens at Attakkalari. There are very few and certain teachers, practices and experiences that have mattered to me. But that does not mean I have to overlook the problems, remain grateful and stay quiet. Both things can be true. I can acknowledge what I learned and still say that I have serious issues with the way this institution operates. Students are not just fees. We are not bodies that you can train, control and discard when we start asking questions. We are people who come with trust, expectations, financial investment and the hope of learning something meaningful. If you are considering joining this course, please do not look only at its reputation or what is presented publicly. Speak to students. Ask difficult questions. Find out what happens when things go wrong and when students disagree with the management. I stand by every other individual out there who went through the same thing and decided to think and act upon it.🤍🌱
2 months agosakshi_.aa
And I want to speak about something else that I find deeply disturbing, the emotional and mental manipulation I experienced from one of the so-called important female faculty members. I am not saying this lightly. When someone holds authority over students, that position comes with responsibility. It should not be used to manipulate students emotionally, make them feel guilty for raising concerns, or create a fear around speaking openly. I have experienced this in ways that have deeply affected my trust in the institution. Then there is the question of students’ physical learning and safety. This is a physical training course. Consistency in conditioning, preparation, progression and attention to students’ bodies is not some additional luxury. It is fundamental. When the training is inconsistent and students’ physical needs are not taken seriously, there can be serious consequences, including injuries. You cannot ask students to push their bodies every day and then be careless about the conditions in which they are learning.
2 months agosakshi_.aa
I was the student who said a ‘NO…NOT REALLY’ on stage when asked if I would recommend Attakkalari. And I want to say it again here, in my own words.My name is Sakshi! After everything I experienced during this course, I genuinely cannot understand how this institution continues to present itself as a space that puts students and their learning first. For me, the biggest problem has been the way the institution functions. The money-oriented approach, the lack of transparency, the manipulation, and the way students are treated when they question things. We are paying more than 3 lakhs for this course. We are giving our time, our bodies, our energy and a significant part of our lives to this training. And yet, again and again, I felt that the institution cared more about collecting fees and maintaining its image than about taking actual responsibility for its students. The lies and misrepresentations, as I experienced them, started right from my audition for the course and continued till the end. Things were said, promises were made, and what we actually experienced was often very different. At some point, it becomes difficult to trust anything that comes from the institution. And I want to speak about something else that I find deeply disturbing, the emotional and mental manipulation I experienced from one of the so-called important female faculty members. I am not saying this lightly. When someone holds authority over students, that position comes with responsibility. It should not be used to manipulate students emotionally, make them feel guilty for raising concerns, or create a fear around speaking openly. I have experienced this in ways that have deeply affected my trust in the institution.
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