Break the Floors reach extends across the entertainment industry to some of the biggest names in music, television and social media. But he was uncomfortable when a dance teacher, Mark Meismer, in his early 30s, repeatedly told him how attractive he was. Dance studios may apply their own additional administrative fees. The Star reviewed the text messages. Stroming did not respond to questions about Elliss allegations. Break The Floor Productions uses 14 technology products and services including HTML5, jQuery, and Google Analytics, according to G2 Stack. As I embark on a path of repentance, I will use the platform I have been given to do better in the future and to help others get it right too. After this investigation published, BTF issued a statement saying it fired the choreographer following this incident because of concerns about this type of behaviour., After receiving questions regarding the allegations, Lazzarini sent text messages to three of the dancers who spoke to the Star, saying to one, I will do my best to be a better person and apologizing to another, Im so so sorry I ever made you feel uncomfortable.. Break the Floor Productions is one of the world's preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing dance conventions, touring theatrical productions, software, photo and video production and apparel.Break the Floor is the largest producer of dance conventions in the world with three dance conventions, JUMP, NUVO and 24 Seven Dance . This might just be his lucky break into professional dance. If the in-person event is unable to be held, studios and dancers may choose to: Attend the event virtually (for a discounted rate). Jackie Stroming's Phone Number and Email Last Update. When Ellis explained that he recoiled before Lazzarini actually touched his genitals, he alleges Stroming declared it wasnt actually sexual harassment because he didnt actually touch me.. His representatives at the MSA Agency also said they had no comment on his behalf. We know this season will look a little different for now. july 8-15. hyatt regency orlando. Break The Floor Productions 6555 Barton Ave., Ste. Find salaries. Break the Floor helped launch his career, but an alleged assault by one of its star dancers continues to haunt him. That dancer now works for BTF as a choreographer. Lindsey alleges Lazzarini sent him nude photos of himself. 324 Brickyard Rd, Dalton, Georgia, 30721, United States. He referred reporters to his lawyer, who didn't respond. The company currently specializes in the Entertainment area. It was discussed by everyone, but was talked about as more of an inconvenience than something that absolutely should never have been happening in the first place. In the months that followed, Ellis said he began accepting Lazzarinis advances, once making out in the choreographers hotel room during a work break. 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. Stroming declined repeated interview requests. Break The Floor now draws around 300,000 dance students, some as young as 5, to packed hotel ballrooms across the U.S. and Canada for weekend workshops and competitions. Lilli Maples had taken classes with Gabriel since she was 10 years old. Phone Number 818.432.1234. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. Many students endured inappropriate sexual advances or comments from their instructors, Uchida said. Ellis started working for BTF in merchandising, selling clothing at events in 2015 when he was 19. 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 performances led by elite dancers and choreographers known from Broadway, film and television. Which in fact, he wasnt, Hudson said in his video, viewed over 6,300 times. Schaufeld had fallen in love with tap at 7 years old, and assisting Wallace offered a chance to raise his profile and learn from one of the best. Dancers say leading company bred culture of, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Los Gatos: Hundreds still without power as Black Road repair project finishes early, Dancers say leading company bred culture of sex, silence, California teacher who gave birth to child fathered by student hit with another sexual abuse lawsuit, Ghislaine Maxwells appeals arguments mirror earlier claims, Man convicted of California rapes that attorney blamed on defendants twin, San Jose firefighter claims sexual abuse, racism, swastikas drove her out, Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 16 years for rape, sexual assault. They provide amazing opportunities. Im not a monster but I feel like one, Wallace wrote, adding that he has a lot of hazy memories and a huge list of regrets/mistakes from that time period. Im not trying to bring this company down. Upload your resume. San Jose firefighter claims sexual abuse, racism, swastikas drove her out Two of the choreographers facing allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour are listed as employees on the companys website. Legal Name Break The Floor Productions. He said he had never done drugs of any kind before. On Oct. 1, BTF kicked off its fall season with an event in Toronto at an airport hotel. Nico Lonetree (left) and Myles Lavallee are among eight dancers who allege they were subjected to sexual harassment or predatory behaviour from staff of the prominent dance company, Break the Floor. If an event changes from in-person to virtual, the difference in fees will be . Another said Lazzarini texted her a nude selfie when she was 16. 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.. Break the Floor (who is bringing in a third party to launch an investigation into the accusation lobbied against Wall) said in a story on the companys Instagram page on Friday Travis will not be traveling with BTF until weve had the opportunity for a third-party to look into these allegations,going on to say We take this very seriously and will take further action if necessary.For his own part, Wall told the Star through his publicist thatthe accusations against me are false, but has not commented on on being cut from Break the Floors tour due to the accusations. He was inviting her to his hotel room. Dancer Nico Lonetree, of Saint Paul, Minn., alleges he was propositioned for oral sex by BTF employee Vincent Hicks via texts while they both worked at the RADIX BTF dance convention on Feb. 11, 2017, in Houston, Texas. Emmy winning choreographer Travis Wall has been cut from Break the Floor dance company's traveling tours amid an investigation into an accusation of . All of our in-person events will now have a virtual option. Lazzarini noticed a tear in Elliss pants and he just shoved his hand up my pants, to which I quickly reacted because I was already embarrassed and didnt need a hand grabbing my genitalia, alleged Ellis. A people person? 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. In the years that followed, Hudson said Meismer continued to pursue him for sex. Keanu Uchida, photographed in Montreal, said many student dancers at Break the Floor endured inappropriate sexual advances from their instructors. Lindsey, from California, said he started exchanging text messages with the 34-year-old choreographer. Break The Floor Productions General Information. Based on the Toronto Stars expose, Eight former staff and students allege BTF employees, famous in the dance world, initiated sexual conversations, propositioned them for sex, sent them nude photos, sexually harassed them at work or engaged in sexual relationships with them.Myles Lavallee (one of the students) has accused Wall of starting to groom him when Lavallee was just sixteen years old and Wall was approximately twenty years old. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, By Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza and Morgan Bocknek | Associated Press and Toronto Star. Hicks, meanwhile, continued to work at RADIX every season, through 2021. 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.. He won the best dancer title in 2014 and worked for BTF for two years as a dance assistant, travelling across Canada and the United States. Contact. Description. In a written statement, he told the AP and Star, I have been very upfront that when I first started the company at 19, over 20 years ago, there were issues of inappropriateness. He didn't respond to the specific allegations. 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. He was a teen in 2004, assisting a successful tap dancer named Danny Wallace, who wasnt with Break the Floor at the time, but would go on to run one of its subsidiary conventions. Gil Stroming founded the excellent company named Break The Floor Productions in 1999 and has since grown it into one of the most famous dance entertainment companies in the world. Headquarters. Lonetree said he recounted the alleged exchange to Stroming. In his first 10 days as CEO, he said four people were let go.. Subscribe to our emails. He is no longer with the company, according to Break The Floor. For Myles Lavallee, that blurred student-teacher relationship began with BTF instructor Travis Wall. Headquarters Regions Greater Los Angeles Area, West Coast, Western US. He also noted that he was not in a position of authority but in a first-year, entry-level position. One night, Schaufeld said, Wallace pushed him up against the wall of a hotel room they shared with a female assistant and forced oral sex on him. It was discussed by everyone, but was talked about as more of an inconvenience than something that absolutely should never have been happening in the first place, said Uchida, who alleges in 2015 he had a six-month consensual sexual relationship with Lazzarini when he was 19 and Lazzarini was 31. This story was reported in partnership with the Toronto Star. Hudson alleges Meismer pushed him against a wall and performed oral sex on him. 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). 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. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. I would not have stayed silent, said Wendy in a phone interview with the Star. I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. Its headquarters is located at New York, New York, USA. Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza and Morgan Bocknek. 24 SEVEN Dance Convention is a dance workshop and competition that tours to 27 cities in the United States each season. A Star investigation has found allegations of widespread sexual harassment and predatory behaviour by BTF coaches over their younger students, where dancers say their complaints of inappropriate conduct have been dismissed by the companys owner, letting the problem fester for years. 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 . Now 25, Uchida grew up attending BTF conventions. Maples mother, however, told the news organizations that she saw the photos when they appeared on shared photo albums on their familys home computer. Yet, I am blessed to be surrounded by the people I love and thank them for their patience and grace. 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. Russell is known for a high level of professionalism in the entertainment industry. A third said he and Lazzarini exchanged nude photos when he was 17. Awards ceremonies will be broadcast live immediately following the competition. 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. He is no longer with the company, according to Break The Floor. By Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza, Associated Press, Morgan Bocknek, Toronto Star . Lawyers for Saradpon and the Buttons didnt respond to requests for comment. Hudson said he was optimistic. Ellis recalled that on the last night of the dance season in May 2017, when Ellis was 21, Lazzarini kissed him while they were out at a club with other staff members. Jeremy Hudson, now a professional dancer, came of age on the convention circuit and won Outstanding Dancer of the Year at the first JUMP Nationals in 2004. At 16, Hudson looked forward to the festive weekend gatherings. Mom Chief & Officer at Break The Floor Productions . Here is how it will work: JUMP, NUVO & 24 Seven will be planning all events, in-person, for the upcoming season. Eight former staff and students allege BTF employees, famous in the dance world, initiated sexual conversations, propositioned them for sex, sent them nude photos, sexually harassed them at work or engaged in sexual relationships with them. 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. Learn how to leverage transparent company data at scale. Average hourly pay for Break The Floor Productions Av Technician: $21. Updated: This article has been updated to include a comment that Break The Floor provided after the article published. <style>.g-image--loading{display:none;}</style> 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.. The only reason I could think of was because we didnt take it further romantically. I didnt really understand why communication was cut off. . Break the Floor offers dance workshops, contests, touring theatrical productions, picture and video production, corporate events . I could feel the relationship change because I basically rejected the offer. 2023 www.detroitnews.com. If an event changes from in-person to virtual, the difference in fees will be refunded within 7 business days of the event. Check! Still, he accepted a sought-after opportunity to assist Meismer as they toured various studios and conventions together. (Please note: Some fall cities have a registration deadline of only 14 days prior). And so Schaufeld stayed quiet. 2.7. Payment Terms for the 2020-2021 Season: The registration deadline will remain 30 days prior to the events, however payment will not need to be made until 14 days prior. This option would also allow the dancers or studios attending the virtual workshop to still come to the venue for the competition portion of the event. 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. Each of them has since left the company amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Former DancerPalooza instructor, Eric Saradpon, has been charged by the Riverside County District Attorney with perpetrating lewd acts on minors in a private dance studio, and is awaiting trial. Earlier this year, after Geyser took the helm as CEO, Break The Floor published a new code of conduct. In the years that followed, Hudson said Meismer continued to pursue him for sex. Still, he accepted a sought-after opportunity to assist Meismer as they toured various studios and conventions together. He apologized and said he himself was a victim of abuse as a teen, and that his texts to Maples were a one time ever brief exchange.. Break the Floor founder, celebrity dance instructors face sexual misconduct allegations as the prominent company's crisis deepens. But in January, as the AP and the Star were investigating allegations of sexual misconduct against him and others involved in the company, Stroming announced that he had sold Break the Floor and stepped down as CEO. Contact. Studio Owners, please contact us to confirm pricing, discounts, and incentives. In an interview earlier this year with the AP and the Star, Wallace denied Schaufelds allegations and said nothing sexual or physical ever transpired between them. 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. He added new conventions, and new locations, branching into Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada. 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. Refund Policy for the 2020-2021 Season: If an in-person event is unable to be held on the originally advertised dates, and the studio decides not to attend the event virtually, Break The Floor will issue a FULL REFUND within 7 days of the scheduled event date. A year or so later, shortly after her 18th birthday, Stroming flew the dancer to New York, where he told her he had lined up potentially career-launching dance auditions, she says. Gabriel who has performed with Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Beyonc and more was recently removed from the JUMP faculty. 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. His mental health deteriorated. Another said Lazzarini texted her a nude selfie when she was 16. But the secret ate away at him. Read More. They typically end with parents on the sidelines shooting photos of their beaming children in leotards and makeup, striking poses alongside famous choreographers and dancers. Break the Floor helped launch his career, but an alleged assault by one of its star dancers continues to haunt him. The AP and the Star havent seen these messages because Maples said theyd been deleted. 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. BTFs website shows the company still employs Wall, who is currently scheduled to be part of a BTF-affiliated dance conventions 2021-2022 faculty. While for some of the dancers in this story the sexual interactions were, at the time, consensual, they now feel a power imbalance pressured them into relationships with leaders of the dance world who are many years older than them. Lindsey said he eventually sent nude photos back when he was 17. He worked at a convention in Minneapolis, Minn., where he alleges a 31-year-old Lazzarini groped him. Employers / Post Job. Stroming was allegedly involved in a series of inappropriate relationships with students of the dance program he was running, according to more than a dozen former staff and students. In dance studios, Hudson says Meismer would guide him into bathroom stalls for oral sex. Break the Floor Productions LLC operates as a dance entertainment company. Lavallee said he made it clear he was not interested in a sexual relationship. Maples mother, however, told the news organizations that she saw the photos when they appeared on shared photo albums on their familys home computer. Three of these dancers were under 18. Lavallee said Walls disappearance left him feeling unmoored and now feels he was being groomed for a sexual relationship. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! 2.7 out of 5 stars. Not saying it definitely never happened, but I need more proof before Im willing to label Wall or anyone else a predator. Of the eight allegations made, Wall is only implicated in the one featured in this article- and it happened nearly fourteen years ago. Stroming picked up Lazzarini at the height of his fame to join the convention circuit, teaching hundreds of thousands of aspiring young dancers. Get the latest business insights from Dun & Bradstreet. Hicks said he apologized to Lonetree and was reprimanded by Stroming. They typically end with parents on the sidelines shooting photos of their beaming children in leotards and makeup, striking poses alongside famous choreographers and dancers. At her first company event, when she was 17, she and Stroming had oral sex, she said. Stroming picked up Lazzarini at the height of his fame to join the convention circuit, teaching hundreds of thousands of aspiring young dancers. The AP and the Star spoke to the dancers father, who said that in the years following, she told him about these sexual interactions with Stroming, which left her deeply upset. The next morning, Stroming left abruptly for Las Vegas and handed her $40 for a cab ride back to the airport. To surprise him, Hudson said Meismer would buy them matching outfits. 10 Mar, 2022, 01.17 PM IST. 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 called me his convention boyfriend, recalled Hudson. Break The Floor puts on performances and hosts dance schools across the United States & has said that they will be looking into the allegations against Wall. Break The Floor hosts conventions in cities across North America, putting on events in hotel ballrooms every weekend over the course of a six-month season. 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. One said Lazzarini groped him through a hole in his pants. 185.120.77.169 At the New York event in 2012, Clarke said she turned down Lazzarinis request to join him in his hotel room. 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. It was my church, he said, but now the whole dance scene feels dirty and tainted.. 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). 5446 Satsuma Ave, N Hollywood, California, 91601, United States. Nowhere in the world of education should students feel they are underneath the predators, he said. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a298e5fcfbebcbd National News | Take a look at our available positions: Break the Floor Productions is one of the world's preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing touring theatrical productions, dance workshops, photo and video production, corporate events and apparel. Meismer shushed him, he remembers, warning that someone was asleep in a nearby room. But after speaking with the AP and the Star in February, Hudson went public and shared his experience in an emotional Instagram video, without naming Meismer. And whats egregious about seeing it in the context of conventions is that it happens to kids. Break The Floors Health & Safety Protocols can be found here: https://www.breakthefloor.com/safety. It was founded by Gil Stroming (Tap Dancer) in 1999, and today it is one of the most important dance companies in the world, encompassing traveling theater productions, dance workshops, photo and video production, corporate clothing events, real estate production rental studios, software . The dance world, its not like its different than any other world, its just that theyve been able to keep their secrets longer.. In his first 10 days as CEO, he said four people were let go.. This allows a dancer or studio to take class from home or at the studio (at the discounted virtual fee). 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. Arts Apr 20. The Company encompasses dance workshops, competitions, touring theatrical and video . The dance world, its not like its different than any other world, its just that theyve been able to keep their secrets longer.. Through transparency, integrity, and professionalism, we believe we can become a model throughout the dance industry. (US Only) Meismer asked the young dancer, then 17, to come to his home. His picture and profile disappeared from the website, though there was no formal announcement of his departure. Stroming was three years older, she said, a magnetic 19-year-old running the whole show. Dharma Productions shared the news of filming start on the project on the banner's social media handles. But during a 2020 in-house training, a recording of which was reviewed by the AP and Star, Stroming addressed his own past misconduct. Break The Floor Productions. We are working on our competition entry limits for each event and will announce them soon. To get anywhere, like here, you have to do whatever the teachers said, you know what I mean? Learn More About 24 Seven! 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. In the fall of 2008, Wall was teaching a course near Lavallees house in Arizona, and Lavallees parents invited Wall to stay overnight, Lavallee said. I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. Ghislaine Maxwells appeals arguments mirror earlier claims It banned inviting students to hotel rooms and said instructors shouldnt call students their daughter or son. And it encourages discretion online regarding Religion, Social Justice, Discrimination, Politics, Love and Romance, Abuse, Mental Health, Bullying, and Terrorism., The new code of conduct also says educators are considered mandated reporters regarding suspected child abuse: If you witness anything concerning, it is your duty to report it to the appropriate authorities..