Which in fact, he wasnt, Hudson said in his video, viewed over 6,300 times. San Jose firefighter claims sexual abuse, racism, swastikas drove her out 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. They provide amazing opportunities. One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students. And five dancers are suing former Boston Ballet star Dusty Button and her husband, alleging sexual abuse and assault. In 2019, Stroming quietly fired him after he posted, then quickly removed, a video of himself masturbating on Instagram, as the Star previously reported. A post shared by Break The Floor Productions (@breakthefloorprod). 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. High school student, convention boyfriend. Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 16 years for rape, sexual assault There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. 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. 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. agreed. He stopped eating and sleeping, and suffered from panic attacks, he said. And whats egregious about seeing it in the context of conventions is that it happens to kids. Professional dancers suffer a wide swath of sexual predation from irritating flirtation to full-out devastating attacks. I dont know in which ways more to be accountable, in which ways more to apologize, or in which ways more to make it right, Hicks said. 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. He was inviting her to his hotel room. Man convicted of California rapes that attorney blamed on defendants twin 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. Wall did not respond to detailed questions sent by The Star, and said only the accusations against me are false, in a statement through a publicist. Break The Floor is a rapid growth company and are always looking for great new people to join our team! On planes, Meismer would grope him in his seat, Hudson alleges. 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 2.7. Lavallee said he made it clear he was not interested in a sexual relationship. Our goal for this coming season is clear we are going to be holding all events, no matter what, GUARANTEED. 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. A third said he and Lazzarini exchanged nude photos when he was 17. If an event changes from in-person to virtual, the difference in fees will be refunded within 7 business days of the event. 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.. National News | 10 Mar, 2022, 01.17 PM IST. orlando, fl. Due to the current climate, we realize the need for a clearer payment and refund policy. Our model gets smarter over time as more people share salaries on Glassdoor. Ellis started working for BTF in merchandising, selling clothing at events in 2015 when he was 19. confront my own shortcomings, I vow to take every step necessary to turn them into the very strengths I will use to help empower and protect others. We will be limiting attendance, working with our venue partners to increase ballroom space and implementing health procedures and guidelines to be able to offer the safest environment for our attendees. Lavallee called a friend to come over to divert where he said he felt the night was leading. Break The Floor Productions, LLC is one of the world's preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing touring theatrical productions, dance workshops, photo and video production, corporate events and apparel. A Toronto-born teen alleged a famous choreographer propositioned her for sex just hours after judging her at a 2012 Break the Floor convention. Contact. Lets be responsible journalists, shall we? Sexual abuse pervades the dance world, according to child advocates and industry leaders. Break The Floor Productions. After all, Meismer was already an icon; he had toured with Britney Spears, Madonna and Paula Abdul. We were doing hand massages, which just creeps me out now, he said. Through transparency, integrity, and professionalism, we believe we can become a model throughout the dance industry. 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. 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. 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. 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. JUMP, NUVO and 24 Seven will host a virtual event, specific to the event and city, and broadcast from our studios in Los Angeles. California teacher who gave birth to child fathered by student hit with another sexual abuse lawsuit The Star reviewed the text messages. Lavallee also said that Wall gave him ecstasy that night. With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000 dancers annually, Break the Floor Productions is largely responsible for the transformation of dance entertainment. 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. 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. 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. 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.. 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. 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 action you just performed triggered the security solution. He stopped eating and sleeping, and suffered from panic attacks, he said. 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. Description. The OFFICIAL TikTok for Break the Floor Productions! 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! Since then, Break The Floor has become one of the world's preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing touring theatrical productions, dance workshops, photo and video production, corporate events and apparel. Hicks, meanwhile, continued to work at RADIX every season, through 2021. Gil Stromings company capitalized on all of that studio growth, an industry that reached about $4 billion in value by 2021, employing more than 120,000 people, according to market research from analysts at IbisWorld. Click to reveal While some of what is being said about me is inaccurate or mischaracterized, there is enough truth in their stories to make me feel ashamed and remorseful. On planes, Meismer would grope him in his seat, Hudson alleges. Follow. [Winners] get the most attention and respect. Learn how to leverage transparent company data at scale. 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 . 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 Productions is one of the world's preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing dance conventions, touring theatrical productions, software, photo and video production and apparel. Thats what Gary Schaufeld says happened to him. He worked at a convention in Minneapolis, Minn., where he alleges a 31-year-old Lazzarini groped him. Any claims to the contrary are simply untrue., Nick Lazzarini: My Apology and Promise to Do Better. The Company encompasses dance workshops, competitions, touring theatrical and video . Lonetree now questions whether he was punished for speaking up. Start of main content. Im not trying to bring this company down. This story was reported in partnership with the Toronto Star. Our dance studio friends are finding it hard to plan for the new season. Isla Clarke was 16 when she alleges she received a nude photo texted by one of North Americas most famous dance choreographers, a man nearly twice her age. He added new conventions, and new locations, branching into Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada. Maples mother, however, told the news organizations that she saw the photos when they appeared on shared photo albums on their familys home computer. 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. 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. 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 typical convention weekend lasts from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon and features dance classes with some of the world's leading dance educators. 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. 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. This might just be his lucky break into professional dance. Break The Floor Productions, LLC uses Remarketing with Google Analytics to advertise on third party sites to you after you visited our Site. 165.8K Followers. 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. The annual revenue of Break The Floor Productions varies between 25M and 100M. Related Articles 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. The only reason I could think of was because we didnt take it further romantically.. Hicks said he apologized to Lonetree and was reprimanded by Stroming. I felt very invalidated, Ellis said. Stroming was three years older, she said, a magnetic 19-year-old running the whole show. Snapshot; Why Join Us . His mental health deteriorated. At least four people removed from Break The Floor for alleged misconduct have continued to work around kids in other settings. Stroming did not respond to questions about this incident. In 2019, Stroming quietly fired him after he posted, then quickly removed, a video of himself masturbating on Instagram, as the Star previously reported. . 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. 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.. Break The Floor Productions 5446 Satsuma Ave North Hollywood, CA 91601 jam . Not saying it definitely never happened, but I need more proof before Im willing to label Wall or anyone else a predator. Three of these dancers were under 18. Break The Floor Productions uses 14 technology products and services including HTML5, jQuery, and Google Analytics, according to G2 Stack. Earlier this year, after Geyser took the helm as CEO, Break The Floor published a new code of conduct. las vegas, nv. Reviews from Break The Floor Productions employees about Pay & Benefits. Lavallee said they exchanged numbers, and over a few texts and calls, he agreed to become Walls dance assistant. 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. CODA is Break The Floor's innovative online system of style specific score sheets, video tutorials, data analytics and judge training. A post shared by Travis Wall (@traviswall). Six of them have agreed to go public with their allegations. These include Viewport Meta, IPhone / Mobile Compatible, and LetsEncrypt. BTF has undergone training and revised its code of conduct, the company said in a statement. Stroming declined repeated interview requests. Break The Floor now draws around 300,000 dance students, some as . The next day Meismer was removed from NUVOs website and abruptly left the tour. Break The Floor Productions is part of the Home Improvement & Hardware Retail industry, and located in California, United States. What if we plan on it and they are cancelled again? To surprise him, Hudson said Meismer would buy them matching outfits. Email. 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. 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. Still, he accepted a sought-after opportunity to assist Meismer as they toured various studios and conventions together. Ellis said it was this moment where he realized he had to leave the company. One of those dancers was Patrick Ellis, who alleges that he told Break the Floors CEO, Gil Stroming, that Lazzarini had stuffed his hand up through a hole in Elliss pants and tried to fondle 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. JUMP is proud to integrate CODA into all its competition. 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. 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 . Lindsey alleges Lazzarini sent him nude photos of himself. However, Lavallee said Wall told him he had romantic feelings for him, and thought of him as his best friend. 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. I took the word of this choreographer, and thought he was helping me build a dance career. Operating Status Active. Maples mother, however, told the news organizations that she saw the photos when they appeared on shared photo albums on their familys home computer. Russell is known for a high level of professionalism in the entertainment industry. Meismer didn't respond to repeated requests for comment. 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 . 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. 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. Jackie Stroming is a Mom Chief & Officer at Break The Floor Productions based in N Hollywood, California. 11/20/2022 12:38 PM. Hicks said he sought therapy and a sexual treatment course in an effort to hold myself accountable and also deal with the feelings of feeling like I had wronged him in that way when that was never my intention. Break the Floor is the largest producer of dance conventions in the world with three dance conventions, JUMP, NUVO and 24 Seven Dance . October 25 2021 11:10 AM EST. 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. Break The Floor Productions. It has been humbling. Break the Floor Productions Jan 2015 - Aug 2019 4 years 8 months. Break The Floor Productions LLC. Seven sources say they saw Stroming interact with students in ways that appeared intimate and inappropriate. 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. But behind the bright lights and pulsing music, some dancers say they were sexually assaulted, harassed and manipulated by the companys powerful founder and famous teachers and choreographers, according to a joint investigation by The Associated Press and the Toronto Star. September 17, 2021. Due to the LA lockdown, it took us a little longer to organize. With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000 dancers annually, Break the Floor Productions is largely . 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). A post shared by MYLES LAVALLE (@myleslavallee). Of the eight allegations made, Wall is only implicated in the one featured in this article- and it happened nearly fourteen years ago. In 2018, 14 years later, he decided to tell his family, and confront Wallace directly. 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. Another dancer who says he reported his harassment to BTF management is Patrick Ellis, 26, from Baltimore, Md. 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 .
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