With stronger policies, he and his executive team would secure the sprawling organization that hosts as many as 300,000 aspiring dancers each year. It is one of the most exciting events of a young dancers life, recalled Keanu Uchida, a professional dancer from Ottawa. Lavallee said Wall flew him around the United States to help him teach choreography to youth in a dance studio and other conventions. "The dance community has long dealt with issues of inappropriate power dynamics as well as overt unacceptable behavior," the company wrote. 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 company's Instagram page on Friday "Travis will not be traveling with BTF until we've had the opportunity for a third-party to look into these allegations," going on to say "We take this very seriously and However, Lavallee said Wall told him he had romantic feelings for him, and thought of him as his best friend. Hudson said he was optimistic: This might just be his lucky break into professional dance. BTF has undergone training and revised its code of conduct, the company said in a statement. Stroming started the company after he came to fame in the 1990s, performing in an off-Broadway show Tap Dogs, described in The New York Times as a beefcake tap-a-thon where six husky hoofers show off more than their fancy footwork.. The next summer, Ellis said he approached Stroming at the Dance Awards, the biggest BTF event of the season, to tell him how Lazzarini had harassed him. 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. Finally, 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. 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. Two of the choreographers facing allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour are listed as employees on the companys website. For aspiring young dancers like Clarke, the companys events are an almost mandatory stop if they want to pursue dancing professionally. "We take this very seriously and will take further action if necessary. After the Stars October 2021 story published, dancers came forward with more than 15 additional accusations, about Stroming and Break The Floor faculty. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about The parents Cecilia Sheeren, Toni Carr, Vicki Oglesby, Jerry Walker and Jarneia Beacham accused studio manager Debra Green of misusing the funds they paid to send their daughters to the JUMP. To surprise him, Hudson said Meismer would buy them matching outfits. Break the Floor is investigating an allegation of sexually inappropriate behaviour raised in a Toronto Star investigation. Warning: This article includes accounts of alleged sexual harassment that some readers could find distressing. Wallace did not respond to questions about those texts. In the NEWS. Dancers repeatedly described feeling sexualized in their learning space, and multiple dancers said they felt leered at by some choreographers who would message them compliments on their appearance, sometimes immediately following classes. It was my church, he said, but now the whole dance scene feels dirty and tainted.. 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. Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. He worked at a convention in Minneapolis, Minn., where he alleges a 31-year-old Lazzarini groped him. 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 of sexual misconduct and grooming were leveled at him by a then-underaged dancer with the company. 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., In a written statement he told AP/Star I have been very upfront that when I first started the company at 19, over 20 years ago, there were issues of inappropriateness., The reach of California-based Break The Floor Productions extends across the entertainment industry to some of the biggest names in music, television and social media. The Toronto Stars story, which was published Thursday, detailed widespread sexual harassment and predatory behavior at the North America-based Break the Floor. The Star has spoken to a friend of Lindseys who said they saw the texts and photos Lindsey and Lazzarini exchanged. ", The day before, the company posted another statement on its Instagram account. Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. By clicking accept, you agree to this use. Hudson was still working with Meismer when he joined Break The Floors NUVO convention as part of its original lineup of instructors. Lindsey said he eventually sent nude photos back when he was 17. The relationship did not progress further physically, Lavallee said. Meismer allegedly asked the young dancer, then 17, to come to his home. Attendees squeeze into small ballrooms where choreographers teach classes. On planes, Meismer would grope him in his seat, Hudson alleges. 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. But for many years the secret ate away at him. Break the Floor has a fervent following. They provide amazing opportunities. Travis will not be traveling with BTF until weve had the opportunity for a third-party to look into these allegations, Break the Floor said in a statement shared in the dance companys Instagram Stories Friday. Looking back, Lindsey feels he had been groomed. 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. I cant tell you how many times I thought about writing to Travis (Wall). With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000 dancers annually, Break the Floor Productions is largely . We could have and should have done better, he said. 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. At her first company event, when she was 17, she and Stroming had oral sex, she said. 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. He said he had never done drugs of any kind before. https://t.co/213nsiNJ73 Morgan Bocknek (@mobocks) October 21, 2021 He said the fact that the sale occurred at the time of mounting allegations was a coincidence. 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. "In. These alleged relationships took place between 2000, a little after Stroming launched the company, and around 2008, when Stroming would have been in his late 20s. Afterwards, Schaufeld said Wallace told him never to say anything; it would be bad for both of their careers. When allegations of sexual misconduct hit the world-famous dance company Break the Floor last fall, CEO Gil Stroming tried to calm the tight-knit community of dancers and their parents. Male Dancer Accuses Travis Wall of Sexual Misconduct and Grooming. 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.. A joint investigation by the Toronto Star and the Associated Press has found alleged sexual misconduct stretches back to the dance companys early years, and involves some of its most prominent instructors and Stroming himself. About five years later, Lavallee, who now works as a professional dancer and choreographer, told his mother, Wendy, about everything that happened between him and the two older choreographers. Gil Stromings company capitalized on all of that studio growth, a dance industry that reached some $4 billion in value by 2021, employing more than 120,000 people, according to market research from analysts at IBISWorld. 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. 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 didnt really understand why communication was cut off. This comes after the Toronto Star published a recent news story accusing him of s*xually questionable behavior. 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. Break the Floor is investigating an allegation of sexually inappropriate behaviour raised in a Toronto Star investigation. 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 is one of the world's preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing touring theatrical productions, dance workshops, photo and video production, corporate events and apparel. In 2018, 14 years later, he decided to tell his family, and then confront Wallace directly. Now 25, Uchida grew up attending BTF conventions. I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. Company instructors have appeared on ABCs Dancing with the Stars, Lifetimes Dance Moms and Foxs So You Think You Can Dance.. His mental health deteriorated. Updated: This article has been updated to include a comment that Break The Floor provided after the article published. Of these sources, four say Stroming sometimes brought young Break the Floor participants to parties or company events, where they were introduced as his girlfriend. Donald Padgett. "The dance community has long dealt with issues of inappropriate power dynamics as well as overt unacceptable behavior," Break the Floor said in a statement posted to Instagram Thursday. 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. But as his company grew, the alleged sexual misconduct continued. That dancer now works for BTF as a choreographer. He also noted that he was not in a position of authority but in a first-year, entry-level position. All of these sources spoke on the condition of anonymity in fear of retaliation and damage to their careers in the professional dance community. I wish I would have known back at the time when it happened. Lavallee said Walls disappearance left him feeling unmoored and now feels he was being groomed for a sexual relationship. Im not trying to bring this company down. Hours later, Gil Stroming told his staff and customers he had sold the company for an undisclosed amount to Los Angeles real estate investor and producer Russell Geyser and was stepping down as CEO. 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 . ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"In an interview with the Star/AP, Wallace denied Schaufelds allegations and said nothing physical ever transpired between them, though he said he remembered having an inappropriate attraction to Schaufeld. Stroming was three years older, she said, a magnetic 19-year old running the whole show. Six of them have agreed to go public with their allegations. 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. 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. Former DancerPalooza instructor, Eric Saradpon, has been charged by the Riverside County. BTF TV. He called me his convention boyfriend, recalled Hudson. Explore the latest videos from hashtags: #breakthefloor, #dontbreakthefloor, #breakthelimitations . I took the word of this choreographer, and thought he was helping me build a dance career. Many described an overtly sexual environment. Schaufeld stopped dancing years ago and has no plans to return to the studio. Myles Lavallee is one of eight former staffers and students in a . 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. The CEO of Break the Floor where famous dance coaches were accused of sexual misconduct says he is selling the company A Star investigation found allegations of widespread sexual harassment. I totally feel like I was a headache [for Stroming], Lonetree said. TikTokWant more news, top stories, and videos? Ellis said it was this moment where he realized he had to leave the company. Wallace was already a star in the dance world and would later go on to be hired by Gil Stroming to direct Break The Floors 24 Seven. I was naive, and I was just letting it all happen, Lindsey said. According to the Star, Wall told the outlet through his publicist that "the accusations against me are false," in response to the Star's initial story, but did not comment on being cut from Break the Floor's tour as a result of the accusation. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, AFI Honors Rust Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins With Scholarship Fund for Women Filmmakers, 13 New Fall TV Shows Ranked by Premiere Viewers, From Grand Crew to CSI: Vegas (Photos). A third said he and Lazzarini exchanged nude photos when he was 17. As for the other allegation from the then-16-year old, Gabriel denied sending the photo, saying he would never engage in inappropriate behaviour that would ever lead to sending something like this to a teenager. 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. His family has an INCREDIBLE amount of money. Warning: This article includes accounts of alleged sexual misconduct that some readers could find distressing. Ellis alleges that Stroming decided there was no sexual harassment because Lazzarini never touched his genitals. 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.. Includes allegations against Break the Floor founder Gil Stroming (referenced in 1 episode by Abby), as well as choreographers Mark Meismer (had Elliana as a regular assistant over the pandemic, taught the older girls choreography at ALDC LA) and Travis Wall (danced with Maddie on SYTYCD . "In. however he still holds a major position in the company, and it is rumoured that he is paying off news networks and social media workers to remove/not write negative posts about him. The Star's investigation found that eight former staff and students at Break the Floor alleged that company staff "initiated sexual conversations, propositioned them for sex, sent them nude photos, sexually harassed them at work or engaged in sexual relationships with them.". The dance community has long dealt with issues of inappropriate power dynamics as well as overt unacceptable behavior, Break the Floor said in a statement posted to Instagram Thursday. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them.
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