u/Garfeel_Daddy

Posting this for someone else who is familiar with the situation. I’m leaving out names and specific details because the members involved are afraid of losing classes and opportunities.
There is a Zumba group in our area whose leader often belittles his own members. He sometimes calls them stupid, ugly, or other insulting names and passes it off as a joke. He even does this in front of other people. The members may laugh along, but some of them actually feel humiliated and looked down on.
When someone disagrees with him or wants to grow independently, he reminds them that he was the one who gave them classes, brought the group together, and helped them earn money. It feels like the opportunities he gave are being used to make them feel permanently indebted to him.
There also seems to be a “favorite of the month.” Whoever is currently useful to him gets invited into his circle and receives more gigs and exposure. Some members feel they have to follow him around and agree with everything just to remain included. Once someone is no longer useful or starts getting more attention, that person may be ignored, criticized, or given fewer opportunities.
Because he is well connected, many organizers and potential clients contact him first. He reportedly accepts most of the opportunities even when the schedules overlap. He only passes a class or event to someone else when he cannot do it himself, and it usually goes to one of his current favorites.
There are also questions about sponsors during fun runs and other events. The members are not always told what the sponsorship includes, whether it is financial, in kind, or simply a partnership. When they ask, they are reportedly told that he will handle it because he is the contact person.
I am not accusing him of taking sponsorship money. The concern is the lack of transparency when the group’s name and the members’ participation are involved. Is it reasonable for members to know what the sponsor provided and how any benefits were used or distributed?
Another issue is licensing. I understand that a person officially teaching a branded Zumba class should have the proper license. However, he reportedly uses the licensing issue against certain people while not everyone in his own group is licensed. Even talented dancers who are only participating, assisting, or trying to gain experience may be denied exposure because they do not have a license yet. It feels inconsistent and sometimes seems to be used as a reason to hold back people who are becoming good or gaining a following.
Whenever there is a disagreement, he is also quick to post his side publicly. Since he has many students and followers, people immediately defend him and attack or judge the other person even though they do not know the full story. The person on the other side usually stays quiet because they are afraid of being targeted or losing opportunities.
Most of the members do not speak up because they are scared of him and of what might happen to their classes or income. They feel that he has too much influence in the local community.
For Zumba instructors and group members here, is this considered normal leadership in the Zumba community? How can members address this without being singled out or losing their livelihood?