Ballet school owner, dance instructors face raps for abuse of teen students

BACOLOD CITY –– Charges were filed against a ballet school owner and his two female dance instructors for allegedly abusing three female teen students.

Three complaints for violation of the Special Protection Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, were filed against the ballet school owner, who is also a dancer and choreographer, and his two female dance instructors at the Bacolod City Prosecutor’s Office on Monday.

The names of the respondents were withheld to protect the identities of the alleged victims.

The abuses began in January 2019 when certain requirements were imposed on the complainants who entered into a scholarship contract with the respondents’ school.

The three ballet students were allegedly subjected to an excessive dietary program that affected their health, as well as to physical, verbal and emotional abuses, said Jeremy Moreno, the lawyer of the three complainants.

Expletives and demeaning terms and phrases that diminished the dignity of the teens were also hurled against the complainants.

Moreno said the students were hit with sticks if they made mistakes during practice.

The lawyer said they believed that other students at the dance school may have undergone similar abuse as the three complainants.

They hoped that other victims would also come forward and file complaints.