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. . It was my church, he said, but now the whole dance scene feels dirty and tainted.. Learn how to leverage transparent company data at scale. (US Only) I just knew after that the company was bad news and I wanted out.. Inside a Manhattan hotel, one of those choreographers Clarke idolized was now propositioning her for sex, she alleges. This will be a real. 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. But during a 2020 in-house training, a recording of which was reviewed by the AP and Star, Stroming addressed his own past misconduct. 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. 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. Which in fact, he wasnt, Hudson said in his video, viewed over 6,300 times. 5446 Satsuma Ave, N Hollywood, California, 91601, United States. 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 didnt 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. 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. The company was launched 22 years ago by a charismatic dancer, Gil Stroming, who came to fame in the 1990s, performing in the off-Broadway show Tap Dogs, described in The New York Times as a beefcake tap-a-thon.. 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 . 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. Man convicted of California rapes that attorney blamed on defendants twin BTF has undergone training and revised its code of conduct, the company said in a statement. I wish I would have known back at the time when it happened. 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. That night, they had sex in his apartment. Im not trying to bring this company down. 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. I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. Average hourly pay for Break The Floor Productions Av Technician: $21. The whole story seems fishy. I then felt very embarrassed. 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. Button taught at Radix conventions. How? <style>.g-image--loading{display:none;}</style> 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. This might just be his lucky break into professional dance. Receive a full refund within 7 business days of the event. We have many different teams and departments who are in need of someone just like you! Break the Floor offers dance workshops, contests, touring theatrical productions, picture and video production, corporate events . I took the word of this choreographer, and thought he was helping me build a dance career. 185.120.77.169 At Floor Productions we deliver best-in-class quality with the industries' best time-to-market project completion. Reviews from Break The Floor Productions employees about Break The Floor Productions culture, salaries, benefits, work-life balance, management, job security, and more. Lonetree said he was soon after moved to a different convention, which he said made him feel like he had to start over and establish himself with a new team. Seven sources say they saw Stroming interact with students in ways that appeared intimate and inappropriate. Each of them has since left the company amid allegations of sexual misconduct. 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. Competition routines will be uploaded to our website and judged virtually. 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). 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. Alumni and faculty have danced on stage with Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, at the Oscars and the Super Bowl. 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. Click to reveal 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. California teacher who gave birth to child fathered by student hit with another sexual abuse lawsuit 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. Performance & security by Cloudflare. 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. 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. Once on the convention circuit, children as young as five years old and teens spend entire weekends, from early morning to sometimes past midnight in hotel ballrooms and convention centres. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 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. The biggest problem facing the dance industry (and everything, quite frankly) is uncertainty. Hotel lobbies, colourfully decorated, are lined with vendors selling clothes and videos. 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. Jackie Stroming is a Mom Chief & Officer at Break The Floor Productions based in N Hollywood, California. 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. 550 Los Angeles, CA 90038 818.432.1234 info@breakthefloor.com. 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). 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). At 16, Hudson looked forward to the festive weekend gatherings. She says she didnt attend any auditions, and returned home devastated. 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. 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. Lavallee charges that in 2008, Wall made sexual advances on him when the two stayed at Lavalees parents home overnight while teaching a dance course close by. 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. 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. las vegas, nv. National News | 10 Mar, 2022, 01.17 PM IST. But the sexual climate behind closed doors is deplorable to me. One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students. . Break The Floor (@breakthefloor) on TikTok | 2M Likes. Break The Floor Productions is a Music & Music Related Services, and Media & Internet company located in New York, New York with $2.40 Million in revenue and 62 employees. 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. Meismer didnt respond to repeated requests for comment. Due to the current climate, we realize the need for a clearer payment and refund policy. Lindsey, from California, said he started exchanging text messages with the 34-year-old choreographer. The OFFICIAL TikTok for Break the Floor Productions! Through transparency, integrity, and professionalism, we believe we can become a model throughout the dance industry. Break the Floor has a fervent following. Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. agreed. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a298e5fcfbebcbd The ultimate goal is winning first place under the spotlight at the annual Dance Awards. After all, Meismer was already an icon; he had toured with Britney Spears, Madonna and Paula Abdul. In a statement, BTF Productions said, For some time, we have taken substantial steps to ensure BTF is the safe and comfortable environment that our attendees and employees deserve and expect.. Six of them have agreed to go public with their allegations. He said he had never done drugs of any kind before. At least four people removed from Break The Floor for alleged misconduct have continued to work around kids in other settings. Learn More About 24 Seven! In dance spaces, students are in frequent and close contact with their teachers, spending long hours training and rehearsing with them. I would not have stayed silent, said Wendy in a phone interview with the Star. 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. Company reviews. 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.
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