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In his first 10 days as CEO, he said four people were let go.. BTF has undergone training and revised its code of conduct, the company said in a statement. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. 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. 185.120.77.169 I was naive, and I was just letting it all happen, Lindsey said. Related Articles 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. Break The Floor Productions - opradancewear The ultimate goal is winning first place under the spotlight at the annual Dance Awards. One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students. (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). The alleged victims story is shaky at best. We are committed to making studios and families feel confident and secure when registering for our events. Company reviews. Break the Floor is the largest producer of dance conventions in the world with three dance conventions, JUMP, NUVO and 24 Seven Dance . orlando, fl. However, Lavallee said Wall told him he had romantic feelings for him, and thought of him as his best friend. Break The Floor Productions LLC. Break The Floor Productions, LLC was formed in 1999 by Gil Stroming with the rock-tap show Break The Floor. 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. 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 . Break The Floor - Apps on Google Play Ellis started working for BTF in merchandising, selling clothing at events in 2015 when he was 19. The Break The Floor faculty can't wait to dance with you! Im not trying to bring this company down. 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. High school student, convention boyfriend. Emmy winning choreographer Travis Wall has been cut from Break the Floor dance company's traveling tours amid an investigation into an accusation of . j***@breakthefloor.com. june 24-july 1. the venetian/palazzo. Break the Floor helped launch his career, but an alleged assault by one of its star dancers continues to haunt him. 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. 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. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Through transparency, integrity, and professionalism, we believe we can become a model throughout the dance industry. 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.. But at Meismers house, they didnt discuss work. One dancer said she met Stroming when she was a 16-year-old high school junior attending one of Break the Floors first events with her parents. 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.. Start of main content. Meismer asked the young dancer, then 17, to come to his home. 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 now draws around 300,000 dance students, some as . A post shared by Break The Floor Productions (@breakthefloorprod). 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. 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.. But he was uncomfortable when a dance teacher, Mark Meismer, in his early 30s, repeatedly told him how attractive he was. He added new conventions, and new locations, branching into Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada. 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. Hudson said he was optimistic. Its headquarters is located at New York, New York, USA. Once you get a positive response, make sure to find out about the interview process at Break The Floor Productions and prepare for tough questions. Breaking the silence: Dancers accuse choreographers of sexual But the sexual climate behind closed doors is deplorable to me. Lazzarini denied subjecting anyone to unwanted sexual advances, adding that he would not respond to each and every claim in your forthcoming article that is false, taken out of context or completely exaggerated.. Break The Floor Competition Code - CODES By Break The Floor Russell is known for a high level of professionalism in the entertainment industry. Photos: Break the Floor, Joe Corrigan/Getty Images, Jason Kempin/Getty Images, Beau Campbell, Miss Toto Rodgers, KiLeigh Williams, ngel Vasquez, Lee Gumbs, Broderick Baumann. 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. National News | Receive up-to-date schedules and info when attending any of the Break The Floor events: JUMP, NUVO, 24 Seven, The Dance Awards, DancerPalooza and Dance Teacher Summit! 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. I could feel the relationship change because I basically rejected the offer., In a statement, Lazzarini apologized to those who bravely stepped forward to share their truth.. Man convicted of California rapes that attorney blamed on defendants twin Break The Floor (@breakthefloor) | TikTok Free and open company data on California (US) company BREAK THE FLOOR PRODUCTIONS LLC (company number 201329710098), 5446 SATSUMA AVE, NORTH HOLLYWOOD, 91601. Button taught at Radix conventions. I took the word of this choreographer, and thought he was helping me build a dance career. For payroll inquiries: payroll@breakthefloor.com For accounting inquiries: accounting@breakthefloor.com For human resources: hr@breakthefloor.com For general information about our dance programs: info@breakthefloor.com At 16, Hudson looked forward to the festive weekend gatherings. About two decades ago, when she was a dance teacher accompanying her students to a Break the Floor event, she said she refused Stromings $500 offer to join him in his hotel room. Three of them say these alleged advances happened when they were under 18. Warning: This article includes accounts of alleged sexual harassment that some readers could find distressing. I carry so much shame, because I knew who this person was I still indulged in the attention anyways, and it made me feel super icky. Check! Break The Floor LIVE | Virtual Dance Convention - YouTube 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. 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. Meismer didnt respond to repeated requests for comment. I totally feel like I was a headache [for Stroming], Lonetree said. Now 25, Uchida grew up attending BTF conventions. 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. Two-time Emmy-winning choreographer and So You Think You Can Dance star Travis Wall has been taken off of the Break the Floor dance company's tours after allegations . Break The Floor - Break The Floor - Break the Floor Productions 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.. Lavalee also charges that in an earlier incident, he attended a hotel room party in California where Wall gave him crystal meth so he could stay awake for his flight back home to Arizona. (Lavallee had never done any drugs at all prior to the alleged incident). Break The Floor Productions is a private company. Travis has made some great dance routines and is a great dancer. Contact. Professional dancers suffer a wide swath of sexual predation from irritating flirtation to full-out devastating attacks. Break the Floor has a fervent following. His picture and profile disappeared from the website, though there was no formal announcement of his departure. The lawsuit and its disturbing allegations have rocked the ballet world, one populated by young dancers most of them girls who train under exacting instructors in hopes of reaching the top . Performance & security by Cloudflare. She says she didnt attend any auditions, and returned home devastated. Headquarters. This allows a dancer or studio to take class from home or at the studio (at the discounted virtual fee). He is no longer with the company, according to Break The Floor. 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. 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. A post shared by MYLES LAVALLE (@myleslavallee). This salary trends is based on salaries posted anonymously by Break The Floor Productions employees. Ellis alleges that Stroming decided there was no sexual harassment because Lazzarini never touched his genitals. 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. 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. Three of these dancers were under 18. With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000 dancers annually, Break the Floor Productions is largely . Keanu Uchida, photographed in Montreal, said many student dancers at Break the Floor endured inappropriate sexual advances from their instructors. 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 I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. By Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza, Associated Press, Morgan Bocknek, Toronto Star . Company instructors have appeared on Dancing with the Stars, Dance Moms and So You Think You Can Dance. When COVID-19 lockdowns suspended in-person workshops, Break the Floor enlisted social media superstar Charli DAmelio, whose TikTok account has around 10.5 billion likes, to record instructional videos. 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. Website. 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 called me his convention boyfriend, recalled Hudson. [Winners] get the most attention and respect. A third said he and Lazzarini exchanged nude photos when he was 17. 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. September 17, 2021. 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. Company Type For Profit. This story was reported in partnership with the Toronto Star. july 8-15. hyatt regency orlando. The incentive is a tax credit designed to help address complaints from school boards, police departments and hospitals about the growing . We could have and should have done better, he said. He said that he and Lonetree flirted with one another before the text in question. But the sexual climate behind closed doors is deplorable to me. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $(document).ready(function() {\n $('.SA_response-container').click(function() {\n $('.SA_hidden', this).toggle();\n });\n });\n ","wallHtmlBody":". We understand that some studios and families might not yet feel comfortable attending the in-person workshop. Break The Floor Productions, LLC uses Remarketing with Google Analytics to advertise on third party sites to you after you visited our Site. In his first 10 days as CEO, he said four people were let go.. Find company research, competitor information, contact details & financial data for Break The Floor Productions LLC of Los Angeles, CA. He added new conventions, and new locations, branching into Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada. Mega dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say Awards ceremonies will be broadcast live immediately following the competition. Hudson said he was optimistic. If an event changes from in-person to virtual, the difference in fees will be refunded within 7 business days of the event. Founders Gil Stroming. 2023 www.detroitnews.com. He said he had never done drugs of any kind before. Stroming was three years older, she said, a magnetic 19-year-old running the whole show. Josh Shapiro said he will propose a three-year incentive of up to $2,500 a year for newly certified teachers, police officers and nurses when the Democrat unveils his budget plan on Tuesday. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, By Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza and Morgan Bocknek | Associated Press and Toronto Star. The next morning, Stroming left abruptly for Las Vegas and handed her $40 for a cab ride back to the airport. Receive a full refund within 7 business days of the event. For Myles Lavallee, that blurred student-teacher relationship began with BTF instructor Travis Wall. 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. Learn More About 24 Seven! What will the in-person events look like? Afterwards, Schaufeld said Wallace told him never to say anything; it would be bad for both of their careers. 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. Hicks, meanwhile, continued to work at RADIX every season, through 2021. Competition routines will be uploaded to our website and judged virtually. Professional dancers suffer a wide swath of sexual predation from irritating flirtation to full-out devastating attacks. They provide amazing opportunities. And five dancers are suing former Boston Ballet star Dusty Button and her husband, alleging sexual abuse and assault. 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.. Meismer asked the young dancer, then 17, to come to his home. 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.. October 25 2021 2:20 PM EST. 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. Lavallee also said that Wall gave him ecstasy that night. Hicks said he apologized to Lonetree and was reprimanded by Stroming. Entering a BTF event is like walking into a carnival. Break the Floor Productions is one of the world's preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing dance conventions, touring theatrical productions, software, photo and video . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Instinct Magazine 2023 - All Rights Reserved. Break The Floor Productions. 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. Break the Floor founder, celebrity dance instructors face sexual misconduct allegations as the prominent company's crisis deepens. I didnt really understand why communication was cut off. Travis Wall Removed From Dance Tour After Misconduct Allegation In summer 2018, about two years after Ellis approached Stroming about Lazzarinis conduct, 17-year-old Zeke Lindsey met Lazzarini and began taking his classes. Working at Break The Floor Productions | Glassdoor And whats egregious about seeing it in the context of conventions is that it happens to kids. 24 Seven Dance Convention 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. He said he must have passed out and has no recollection of sending the text. Of these sources, four say he sometimes brought young Break the Floor participants to parties or company events, where they were introduced as his girlfriend.