Shortest notice for cancellation

[pascal]

Who and how much ?

For me, it's a workshop with Pablo Veron. Advertised one month before the event, cancelled (yesterday) 90 minutes before the event.

[Me]

Wait... meaning a student who registered cancelled 90 minutes before the event, or the hired professional cancelled 90 minutes before the event?

[samina]

sounds like the pro cancelled...

[LucyDiamond]

Sounds like either Pablo cancelled or the entire event was cancelled.

[pascal]

Wait... meaning a student who registered cancelled 90 minutes before the event, or the hired professional cancelled 90 minutes before the event?

I mean cancellation by the teacher.
In my example:
Event advertised one month before by the organizer.
Registration sent by me and my partner three weeks before the event.
Confirmation of our registration by the organizer one week before the event.
Cancellation of the whole two-day event by Pablo Veron 90 min before the first workshop.

[fascination]

that is a problem... and someone who isn't you...should have to swallow it

[Lilly_of_the_valley]

Who and how much ?

For me, it's a workshop with Pablo Veron. Advertised one month before the event, cancelled (yesterday) 90 minutes before the event.

Did they tell you a reason?

[pascal]

Did they tell you a reason?

"Personal reasons".

But this is not a rant at Pablo Veron, hey who am I to criticize him.
it's more a general question about last-minute cancellations, is it a frequent phenomenon, do AT teachers cancel more often than other teachers, do argentine A.T teachers cancel more often than foreign non-argentine A.T teachers, and so on.

[Joe]

So...you're asking whether or not Argentines are flakes? :D

[Heather2007]

"Personal reasons".

But this is not a rant at Pablo Veron, hey who am I to criticize him.
it's more a general question about last-minute cancellations, is it a frequent phenomenon, do AT teachers cancel more often than other teachers, do argentine A.T teachers cancel more often than foreign non-argentine A.T teachers, and so on.

AT isn't unique when it comes to last minute cancellations. It happens every where in every country in every corner in or outside of a dance studio. Nothing is ever guaranteed be it the weather, public transport or one's own health and so cancellations happen. Hmm - a 90-minute cancellation due to "personal reasons"? Rather than debate the cancellation let us instead hope and pray everything well with him (or his family or friends).

[bordertangoman]

well; I've stood in for a teacher who didnt turn up, but I think it was due to a breakdown in communication between him and the organiser.

[pascal]

AT isn't unique when it comes to last minute cancellations. It happens every where in every country in every corner in or outside of a dance studio. Nothing is ever guaranteed be it the weather, public transport or one's own health and so cancellations happen.

Along the years I signed for five of his workshops and he cancelled twice. That's 40% cancellation. If it happens everywhere then I'd better overbook and sign for two workshops on the same day with different teachers.

[Me]

Along the years I signed for five of his workshops and he cancelled twice. That's 40% cancellation. If it happens everywhere then I'd better overbook and sign for two workshops on the same day with different teachers.

I don't think it is normal for visiting instructors to cancel on workshops, especially at such short notice. (Hoping Pablo is well.) I mean, you just don't do that. Cancelling is something that just is not done if it can be avoided. When you cancel, regardless of reason, the organizer may bring in somebody different for that workshop, and what happens if they like this person and go ahead and book them for the future? You've lost not only that workshop, but possible future workshops as well.

I don't believe my instructor has ever cancelled on a workshop. At least, not in the years I have studied with him. I remember he picked up the most terrifying stomach illness when he went to Mexico one year. (This one was so nasty, the hospitals were filled with locals who were sick with it.) Regardless, he rallied through all workshops, despite blinding stomach pain.

[LucyDiamond]

I've had coaches cancel same day.

[Heather2007]

I don't believe my instructor has ever cancelled on a workshop. At least, not in the years I have studied with him. I remember he picked up the most terrifying stomach illness when he went to Mexico one year. (This one was so nasty, the hospitals were filled with locals who were sick with it.) Regardless, he rallied through all workshops, despite blinding stomach pain.

I think it depends - although none of us are truly qualified to say when a teacher should or should not cancel (esp. not knowing the full circumstances). Two weeks ago I'd heard that a good friend of mine died. On the same day I still taught my yoga class. However, had it been a call from my sibling to say that my other sibling had died or that my mum or dad had dropped down dead with a heart attack, believe you me I am not teaching anything that day. My head would simply not be in a place to teach a class as my thought and focus would be elsewhere. I appreciate others may be able to handle that kind of news and still function like a real trooper but not me. And so. Better to cancel and have the student get a refund than to soldier on through what would be a "teacher wasn't quite 100% here with us" class and have the student lose out on getting a refund.

[Me]

To Clarify: He has been asked back to that same venue, so to my knowledge, there were not complaints about compromised instruction.

I guess what I was trying to say is, I believe most who are asked to teach workshops are grateful for the opportunity and do not flake out and cancel. When they do cancel, they (should) have a good reason.

[Stagekat]

Used to have an issue with a pro... he would cancel on me and I wouldn't find out until I arrived at the studio... I no longer work with that pro. I have told all other pros that I don't care if it's 15 minutes before my lesson... CALL ME if they need to reschedule... I also have a 'three strikes and you're out' rule...but that's for everybody not just dance instructors.

Haven't had a problem since... shortest time between cancellation and lesson has been two hours.

Although studio requires 8 hours for a student to cancel w/o being charged.... Not sure how flexible that is... I haven't had to reschedule a lesson on the same day in over a year.

[wooh]

Used to have an issue with a pro... he would cancel on me and I wouldn't find out until I arrived at the studio... I no longer work with that pro. I have told all other pros that I don't care if it's 15 minutes before my lesson... CALL ME if they need to reschedule... I also have a 'three strikes and you're out' rule...but that's for everybody not just dance instructors.

Haven't had a problem since... shortest time between cancellation and lesson has been two hours.

Although studio requires 8 hours for a student to cancel w/o being charged.... Not sure how flexible that is... I haven't had to reschedule a lesson on the same day in over a year.

Did you get free lessons for those cancelled without notice? After all, good for the goose is good for the gander!

As for privates, I've always been in pretty understanding circumstances, they cancel last minute or I have to, it's rare and with good reason, so no penalties either way.:)

[wooh]

Curious, was it instructor (Pablo) that cancelled, or was it organizers, as in maybe they didn't have enough registrants to make money?
I've had instructors cancel for teaching before our non-profit's dances, but always been given pretty good notice (or they attempted to and the person that used to be in charge of scheduling just wouldn't return their calls.:()
Although, we've learned not to schedule certain people, because in the past they'd repeatedly cancel at the very last minute (as in same day or day before.)
I'm pretty forgiving, after all, I've been known to call in to work sick or with a family emergency. But repeated cancellations at the last minute, I'm thinking somebody needs to get their life straightened out before they schedule things.

[Angel HI]

Me's post above said that we usually don't just cancel unless there is good reason, and that she hoped Pablo was/is well. However, even if we do have to cancel, it shouldn't be 90 mins before a scheduled w/s. Classes are one thing...w/s are different.

Often, persons liking a particular instructor, will make exceptional arrangements to attend a w/s (i.e. vacation time, travel, etc.). Understanding extreme mitigating circumstance, and understanding needing to put forth 100% of one's efforts into one's job, I can respectively understand how; 1- some instances might not be avoidable, and, 2- the show must go on b/c it's my job.

Having said that, let's make sure that we do not get on the wrong path, the OP didn't mention being angry, annoyed, etc. Perhaps, there were mitigating circumstances that were/are understandable/forgivable. Let's not automatically jump to the conclusion that the O.p. was a complaint. It was simply a question.

[opendoor]

.. cancelled 90 minutes before the event. ..

Hi Pascal, did he even knew, that he had a workshop? Thought he was in London (http://englishnationalopera.veriovps.co.uk/carmen/index.html). Look at his calendar (http://www.pabloveron.net/).