it's worth it! Ghislaine Maxwells appeals arguments mirror earlier claims Gabriel, when asked about Maples accusation, said in a written statement that he had been drinking heavily that night to control fears about serious health problems in his family. We were doing hand massages, which just creeps me out now, he said. Break the Floor is the largest producer of dance conventions in the world with three dance conventions, JUMP, NUVO and 24 Seven Dance . We view this situation as an opportunity to expand our vision to bring the excitement of dance to everyone, all over the world, no matter the circumstance. Marci A. Hamilton, a University of Pennsylvania professor who founded CHILD USA and is the author of Justice Denied: What America Must Do to Protect its Children, said dance is one of the last forums where adults have unsupervised access to younger students. Gabriel, another famous dancer and choreographer, allegedly sent a nude photo on Snapchat to a 16-year-old dancer who says she was so horrified she threw her phone across the room. One dance instructor said she warns the children and teens she brings to conventions today to be watchful and aware of the potential for abuse of power. Phone Number (706) 217-6462. At her first company event, when she was 17, she and Stroming had oral sex, she said. Lonetree now questions whether he was punished for speaking up. It was my church, he said, but now the whole dance scene feels dirty and tainted.. All I would need to do is say [five] words: I know what you did. . Lavallee also revealed to The Star that Wall gave him ecstasy that night, and we were doing hand massages, which just creeps me out now. Lavallee told the Star he invited a friend to come over to divert where he felt the night was going and a few months later, Wall ceased all communication with him and didnt show up for a scheduled teaching session. I was definitely inappropriate myself in a lot of ways, he told his staff. Lavallee called a friend to come over to divert where he said he felt the night was leading. This salary trends is based on salaries posted anonymously by Break The Floor Productions employees. Each of them has since left the company amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Allegations of sexual misconduct first hit the dance company in October, when the Toronto Starrevealed allegationsof widespread sexual harassment and predatory behavior by Break the Floor instructors. Every year, one of the world's leading dance competition companies sells the dream of Hollywood fame to hundreds of thousands of ambitious young dancers hoping to launch careers on television, in movies and on stage. At BTF, this contact led to physical boundaries being blurred. Can a dancer do the scholarship audition through a virtual event? I wish I would have known back at the time when it happened. Through transparency, integrity, and professionalism, we believe we can become a model throughout the dance industry. Emmy winning choreographer Travis Wall has been suspended from Break the Floor dance company's traveling tours amid an investigation into an accusation of sexually inappropriate behavior made . It has been humbling. Hicks, meanwhile, continued to work at RADIX every season, through 2021. Break the Floors reach extends across the entertainment industry to some of the biggest names in music, television and social media. Still, he accepted a sought-after opportunity to assist Meismer as they toured various studios and conventions together. Not saying it definitely never happened, but I need more proof before Im willing to label Wall or anyone else a predator. Lavallee said Walls disappearance left him feeling unmoored and now feels he was being groomed for a sexual relationship. The Stars prior investigation uncovered allegations that Lazzarini had subjected at least six dancers to unwanted sexual advances at Break The Floor events. Eventually, Lazzarini began to avoid her at dance conventions, Clarke said, and this made her anxious, as she feared he was in a position to impede her career. October 25 2021 11:10 AM EST. I have dedicated my life to creating happiness and joy in this world through dance and feel terrible that anything I might have done could have caused anyone to feel sad or hurt, he said. As a student I was in inappropriate relationships with teachers, and vice versa, and just looking back I was like, oh wow, I think a lot of us dont even realize at first the power that we have in the dance world.. After Maples showed the screenshots to friends who shared them on social media, Gabriel sent her a message threatening to ruin her career, she said. I believe if I had been taken seriously at the time I came forward with my experiences, this could have prevented another person from finding themselves in the same position that I was forced into, Ellis said. Due to the current climate, we realize the need for a clearer payment and refund policy. His mental health deteriorated. Break the Floor helped launch his career, but an alleged assault by one of its star dancers continues to haunt him. Break The Floor Productions is a private company. Yet, I am blessed to be surrounded by the people I love and thank them for their patience and grace. Three of these dancers were under 18. In dance studios, Hudson says Meismer would guide him into bathroom stalls for oral sex. Operator of dance entertainment company committed to creating a dance culture. As a student I was in inappropriate relationships with teachers, and vice versa, and just looking back I was like, oh wow, I think a lot of us dont even realize at first the power that we have in the dance world.. Lonetree was 19. The dance world, its not like its different than any other world, its just that theyve been able to keep their secrets longer.. A Toronto-born teen alleged a famous choreographer propositioned her for sex just hours after judging her at a 2012 Break the Floor convention. Who is Floor Productions. Los Angeles Every year, one of the worlds leading dance competition companies sells the dream of Hollywood fame to hundreds of thousands of ambitious young dancers hoping to launch careers on television, in movies and on stage. Break The Floor Productions is part of the Home Improvement & Hardware Retail industry, and located in California, United States. He stopped eating and sleeping, and suffered from panic attacks, he said. The next morning, Stroming left abruptly for Las Vegas and handed her $40 for a cab ride back to the airport. Now 25, Uchida grew up attending BTF conventions. At least four people removed from Break The Floor for alleged misconduct have continued to work around kids in other settings. (US Only) Stroming did not respond to questions about Elliss allegations. Find salaries. Lavallee also said that Wall gave him ecstasy that night. Our model gets smarter over time as more people share salaries on Glassdoor. I didnt really understand why communication was cut off. In dance studios, Hudson says Meismer would guide him into bathroom stalls for oral sex. Now is the time for continued open dialogue, soul searching, and decisive action towards making amends. But the sexual climate behind closed doors is deplorable to me. Lets be responsible journalists, shall we? Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 5446 Satsuma Ave, N Hollywood, California, 91601, United States. An ongoing investigation by the Star in partnership with the AP now has uncovered alleged sexual misconduct that stretches back to the dance companys early years, and involves Stroming himself. California teacher who gave birth to child fathered by student hit with another sexual abuse lawsuit Learn how to leverage transparent company data at scale. Employers / Post Job. In addition to competitions with cash prizes, Break The Floor conventions which cost between around $200 to $350 per student offer dozens of workshops, under strobing lights and thumping music. We and our third party vendors, like Google, use first party cookies (such as the Google Analytics cookie) and third party cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) to inform, optimize and serve ads based . While not all of the complainants in this story were involved with Break the Floor at the time of the alleged incidents, the instructors and executives accused of wrongdoing have played key roles in growing the companys revenue and popularity. She says she didnt attend any auditions, and returned home devastated. 2.7 out of 5 stars. My resolve is unwavering. An exclusive Star investigation has found allegations of widespread sexual harassment and predatory behaviour by Break the Floor (a big part of the dance community of North America) coaches over . At Floor Productions we deliver best-in-class quality with the industries' best time-to-market project completion. We know this season will look a little different for now. Still, he accepted a sought-after opportunity to assist Meismer as they toured various studios and conventions together. Break The Floor Productions 5446 Satsuma Ave North Hollywood, CA 91601 jam . Etc. Soon after, Lavallee, then 16, attended a hotel-room party in California where he said Wall, who was around 20, gave him crystal meth a highly addictive stimulant so he could stay awake for his flight back home to Arizona. Many students endured inappropriate sexual advances or comments from their instructors, Uchida said. Location. She said once she turned 18, Gabriel, 29 at that time in 2017, invited her to his hotel room in a text message with a shirtless photo. Which in fact, he wasnt, Hudson said in his video, viewed over 6,300 times. Schaufeld stopped dancing years ago and has no plans to return to the studio. Touring to 16 amazing cities across America and Canada, Break The Floor's SUMMER JAM is a full workshop and competition experience featuring a creative mix of all BTF tours: Jump, NUVO, 24 Seven & Radix! Sign in. And five dancers are suing former Boston Ballet star Dusty Button and her husband, alleging sexual abuse and assault. The problems date back to the founding of Los Angeles-based Break The Floor Productions; as the company has grown into an industry powerhouse, its leaders perpetuated a culture of sex and silence, according to interviews with dozens of former and current staff and students. Description. In 2019, Stroming quietly fired him after he posted, then quickly removed, a video of himself masturbating on Instagram, as the Star previously reported. Description. National News | I loved his reality show All the Right Moves & had a crush on Travis, if true makes my crush go away. Lindsey said he eventually sent nude photos back when he was 17. break the floor Blogs, Comments and Archive News on Economictimes.com . Teens who win titles at BTF events are invited back to work on the convention circuit as dance assistants for choreographers on the BTF roster, known internally as faculty.. In the next week, we will be releasing an FAQ that will deal with all other questions. One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students. Hudson said he was optimistic. BTFs website shows the company still employs Wall, who is currently scheduled to be part of a BTF-affiliated dance conventions 2021-2022 faculty. He is no longer with the company, according to Break The Floor. Dancer Isla Clarke, seen here performing in June 2021, alleges she was propositioned for sex by a choreographer nearly twice her age when she competed at a Break the Floor dance competition at age 16. He said he felt punished for dodging the alleged sexual advances. Hamilton also said perpetrators in many youth-focused organizations use hotel rooms away from home to exploit the power imbalance between teachers and students. Founded Date 1999. Reviews from Break The Floor Productions employees about Break The Floor Productions culture, salaries, benefits, work-life balance, management, job security, and more. Stroming did not respond to specific questions, though told the Star that the dance company did not have fully thought out policies and procedures regarding this and, over the last year and a half we have worked very hard to make BTF a better and safer environment for everyone.. Earlier this year, after Geyser took the helm as CEO, Break The Floor published a new code of conduct. For Myles Lavallee, that blurred student-teacher relationship began with BTF instructor Travis Wall. (Please note: Some fall cities have a registration deadline of only 14 days prior). I cant tell you how many times I thought about writing to Travis (Wall). We are committed to making studios and families feel confident and secure when registering for our events. But the sexual climate behind closed doors is deplorable to me. And whats egregious about seeing it in the context of conventions is that it happens to kids. Three of these dancers were under 18. Start of main content. Clarke was competing that July 2012 day at a New York City event put on by Break the Floor, a prominent company that tours Canada, the United States and Mexico hosting dance schools and putting on . In the text conversation, Hicks told Lonetree, I have a blow job with your name on it. Lonetree brushed off Hickss propositions over text, the texts show. . (The Star has not seen the now-deleted text from Lazzarini, but has spoken with two people with whom Clarke shared or discussed the message). Snapshot; Why Join Us . Its headquarters is located at New York, New York, USA. Ellis said Stroming peppered him with questions. Another said Lazzarini texted her a nude selfie when she was 16. In dance spaces, students are in frequent and close contact with their teachers, spending long hours training and rehearsing with them. Lavallee said he did not tell Stroming or BTF staff about what he alleges happened with either Wall or the other choreographer, saying he thought his concerns would not be taken seriously. Hudson is now a famous dancer, with a resume that spans mega tours with Pink, Lady Gaga and Kylie Minogue, and appearances in more than a dozen films including La La Land and FAME. For 17 years, he kept to himself about what happened with Meismer. To surprise him, Hudson said Meismer would buy them matching outfits. Hundreds of studios and schools from smaller communities bring teams of dancers to the events, branded by Stroming as JUMP, NUVO, 24seven, RADIX and DancerPalooza. Uchida is now volunteering with BTF to help further revise the dance companys code of conduct. A post shared by Break The Floor Productions (@breakthefloorprod). She says she didnt attend any auditions, and returned home devastated. We could have and should have done better. Professional dancers suffer a wide swath of sexual predation from irritating flirtation to full-out devastating attacks. And so Schaufeld stayed quiet. But it all blew up when Beacham's husband, Kirk, contacted Gil Stroming, owner of Break the Floor Productions, about why the company would cancel the studio's registration to the Jump and Nuvo . Gabriel who has performed with Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Beyonc and more was recently removed from the JUMP faculty. Whenever I worked with a struggling student, I always reassured them that confronting our shortcomings is not a showing of weakness, it is the beginning of strength. As I Dance organizations create wide opportunities for adults to single out a child, groom them and then get them alone to sexually abuse them, she said. In his first 10 days as CEO, he said four people were let go.. Lonetree said he recounted the alleged exchange to Stroming. A third said he and Lazzarini exchanged nude photos when he was 17. Email. Break The Floor Productions is actively using 50 technologies for its website, according to BuiltWith. Break the Floor Productions is one of the worlds preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing touring theatrical productions, dance workshops, photo and video production, corporate events and apparel. His mental health deteriorated. Russell is known for a high level of professionalism in the entertainment industry. 3 min read. We remain committed to these initiatives and will continue to learn and be better.. A year later, Hudson stayed with Meismer when he joined Break The Floors fledgling NUVO convention as part of its original lineup of instructors. The combination of hyper-sexual dance content and the close contact between adult teachers and the young dancers creates an atmosphere ripe for abuse, said Jamal Story, a professional dancer who is co-chair of the National Dance Committee for The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). I apologize and sincerely regret that my actions have hurt people I cherish or has broken their trust., In a later response, after being presented with an additional accusation that he sent nude photos to a teenage dancer, Lazzarini added: I have never subjected anyone to unwanted sexual advances. I took the word of this choreographer, and thought he was helping me build a dance career. Read More. One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students. But he was uncomfortable when a dance teacher, Mark Meismer, in his early 30s, repeatedly told him how attractive he was. By the mid-2000s, dance exploded into the mainstream with the debuts of popular television shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With The Stars. Gabriel, when asked about Maples accusation, said in a written statement that he had been drinking heavily that night to control fears about serious health problems in his family. Please know, the Break The Floor team is committed to bringing you the safest, most organized and exceptional events in the dance industry. But at Meismers house, they didnt discuss work. At her first company event, when she was 17, she and Stroming had oral sex, she said. It just felt like the next step was for us to be in contact and kiss one another.. Emmy-winning choreographer, So You Think You Can Dance breakout star, and Shaping Sounds co-founder Travis Wall has been removed from a tour with Break The Floor dance company as allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior that have surfaced are being investigated (via The Toronto Star).Break The Floor puts on performances and hosts dance schools across the United States & has said that . The televised dance shows brought fame to dancers Nick Lazzarini, Travis Wall and Misha Gabriel, who became big name attractions as Break The Floor instructors. but trust us. The dance world, its not like its different than any other world, its just that theyve been able to keep their secrets longer.. So I think I always kind of accepted it as, it is what it is, you cant do anything about it. . In a series of text messages between Schaufeld and Wallace, reviewed by the AP and the Star, Schaufeld laid out his accusations and Wallace said that although he couldnt remember anything, he couldnt be more sorry.. Uchida, who was working as a dance assistant for BTF, alleges Lazzarini groped him in public without his consent before and after their relationship, and made derogatory, as well as racist comments about him in front of his peers and boss. Emmy winning choreographer Travis Wall has been cut from Break the Floor dance company's traveling tours amid an investigation into an accusation of . Of the eight allegations made, Wall is only implicated in the one featured in this article- and it happened nearly fourteen years ago. All of these sources spoke on the condition of anonymity in fear of retaliation and damage to their careers in the tight-knit professional dance community. Lavalee stated that he felt he was being groomed for a sexual relationship and that he was now being punished for dodging the alleged sexual advances. By Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza, Associated Press, Morgan Bocknek, Toronto Star . As for the other allegation from the then 16-year-old, Gabriel denied sending the photo, saying he would never engage in inappropriate behavior that would ever lead to sending something like this" to a teen. Russell Geyser is the new CEO of Break the Floor Productions. The new owner, Russell Geyser, said the allegations have nothing to do with the current company, and that people involved with purported misconduct no longer work for Break The Floor. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Stroming picked up Lazzarini at the height of his fame to join the convention circuit, teaching hundreds of thousands of aspiring young dancers. This is quite common in the industry and is used to cover the time and expense Studio Owners incur while organizing, registering and attending these events. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Gabriel who has performed with Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Beyonc and more was recently removed from the JUMP faculty.