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. Break The Floor Productions General Information. The alleged victims story is shaky at best. 10 Mar, 2022, 01.17 PM IST. Button taught at Radix conventions. 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. On Oct. 1, BTF kicked off its fall season with an event in Toronto at an airport hotel. These include Viewport Meta, IPhone / Mobile Compatible, and LetsEncrypt. Several individuals have recently stepped forward to publicly express their feelings of hurt or betrayal based on interactions they had with me between 2012 and 2020. 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. Lazzarini would laugh and smile and would play it lighthearted so as to not take on the full responsibility of what he was doing, said Ellis. Hicks said he apologized to Lonetree and was reprimanded by Stroming. 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. Hotel lobbies, colourfully decorated, are lined with vendors selling clothes and videos. 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. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! After all, Meismer was already an icon; he had toured with Britney Spears, Madonna and Paula Abdul. 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. 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. In the years that followed, Hudson said Meismer continued to pursue him for sex. And five dancers are suing former Boston Ballet star Dusty Button and her husband, alleging sexual abuse and assault. CODA aims to revolutionize the dance competition experience and is complimentary for every routine registered for JUMP, NUVO, 24 Seven and The Dance Awards. He said he felt punished for dodging the alleged sexual advances. Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza and Morgan Bocknek. 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. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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. 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. He also noted that he was not in a position of authority but in a first-year, entry-level position. 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. 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. Which in fact, he wasnt, Hudson said in his video, viewed over 6,300 times. 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. 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. 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. He stopped eating and sleeping, and suffered from panic attacks, he said. Lonetree now questions whether he was punished for speaking up. Hours earlier, the Toronto-born teen performed before a panel of judges that included the choreographer, Nick Lazzarini, a luminary in the dance world and first-ever winner of the TV show So You Think You Can Dance.. September 17, 2021. Hicks, meanwhile, continued to work at RADIX every season, through 2021. Lindsey alleges Lazzarini sent him nude photos of himself. The Stars prior investigation uncovered allegations that Lazzarini had subjected at least six dancers to unwanted sexual advances at Break The Floor events. 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 . Jackie Stroming is a Mom Chief & Officer at Break The Floor Productions based in N Hollywood, California. Uchida is now volunteering with BTF to help further revise the dance companys code of conduct. (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). 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. Break The Floors Health & Safety Protocols can be found here: https://www.breakthefloor.com/safety. However, Lavallee said Wall told him he had romantic feelings for him, and thought of him as his best friend. It is one of the most exciting events of a young dancers life, recalled Keanu Uchida, a professional dancer from Ottawa. What will the in-person events look like? Lets be responsible journalists, shall we? In his first 10 days as CEO, he said four people were let go.. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a298e5fcfbebcbd 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. 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. orlando, fl. Break the Floor Productions is one of the world's preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing dance conventions, touring theatrical productions, software, photo and video . Out So You Think You Can Dance winner and Emmy Award-winning choreographer Travis Wall has been cut from dance company Break the Floor's tours following an . 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. 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 said he must have passed out and has no recollection of sending the text. Ellis said it was this moment where he realized he had to leave the company. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, By Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza and Morgan Bocknek | Associated Press and Toronto Star. On planes, Meismer would grope him in his seat, Hudson alleges. 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. 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. Gil Stroming, who recently sold the company he founded more . 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. That same year, Lavallee alleges a 24-year-old dancer forced himself onto a 16-year-old Lavallee at a party. 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 . Break The Floor Productions. In 2019, according to multiple sources, Lazzarini accidentally posted to Instagram a video that appears to show himself masturbating. 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.. 2.7. Afterwards, Schaufeld said Wallace told him never to say anything; it would be bad for both of their careers. 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. 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. 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. 24Seven 2021. At BTF, this contact led to physical boundaries being blurred. Can a dancer do the scholarship audition through a virtual event? 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. - Interactive venue and exhibit hall map. I didnt really understand why communication was cut off. 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 during a 2020 in-house training, a recording of which was reviewed by the AP and Star, Stroming addressed his own past misconduct. At 16, Hudson looked forward to the festive weekend gatherings. Reviews from Break The Floor Productions employees about Pay & Benefits. A typical convention weekend lasts from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon and features dance classes with some of the world's leading dance educators. 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. . They provide amazing opportunities. 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. While not all of the complainants in this story were involved with Break the Floor at the time of the alleged incidents, the instructors and executives accused of wrongdoing have played key roles in growing the companys revenue and popularity. Break The Floor Productions, LLC was formed in 1999 by Gil Stroming with the rock-tap show Break The Floor. 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. 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. All I would need to do is say [five] words: I know what you did. . He is no longer with the company, according to Break The Floor. Studio Owners, please contact us to confirm pricing, discounts, and incentives. 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. New York,NY . Professional dancers suffer a wide swath of sexual predation from irritating flirtation to full-out devastating attacks. 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. 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. Lonetree was 19. Find top employees, contact details and business statistics at RocketReach. Contact. BREAK THE FLOOR LIVE is now April 18-19! Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. But at Meismers house, they didnt discuss work. This allows a dancer or studio to take class from home or at the studio (at the discounted virtual fee). 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. New App with lots of helpful features. One said Lazzarini groped him through a hole in his pants. Lilli Maples had taken classes with Gabriel since she was 10 years old. Its the opposite of a zero tolerance policy, Ellis said. 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. Please know, the Break The Floor team is committed to bringing you the safest, most organized and exceptional events in the dance industry. 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.. Following his bosss instruction, Ellis went back to his tasks at BTF. I then felt very embarrassed. When I began teaching dance, I did so with the singular goal of helping individuals discover, develop, and express their truest selves. If the in-person event is unable to be held, studios and dancers may choose to: Attend the event virtually (for a discounted rate). He said that he and Lonetree flirted with one another before the text in question. The problems date back to the founding of Los Angeles-based Break The Floor Productions, whose alumni and faculty have danced on stage with Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, at the Oscars and Super Bowl . \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":". In 2019, Stroming quietly fired him after he posted, then quickly removed, a video of himself masturbating on Instagram, as the Star previously reported. Lindsey said he eventually sent nude photos back when he was 17. After all, Meismer was already an icon; he had toured with Britney Spears, Madonna and Paula Abdul. I just didnt know myself enough to understand how harmful it was, Hudson said. I didnt know how inappropriate that was.. The only reason I could think of was because we didnt take it further romantically.. 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! Allegations and Scandal Update. Free and open company data on California (US) company BREAK THE FLOOR PRODUCTIONS LLC (company number 201329710098), 5446 SATSUMA AVE, NORTH HOLLYWOOD, 91601. 24 SEVEN Dance Convention is a dance workshop and competition that tours to 27 cities in the United States each season. One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students. Another said Lazzarini texted her a nude selfie when she was 16. He said he had never done drugs of any kind before. The annual revenue of Break The Floor Productions varies between 25M and 100M. 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. Sexual abuse pervades the dance world, according to child advocates and industry leaders. Our dance studio friends are finding it hard to plan for the new season. 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. But he was uncomfortable when a dance teacher, Mark Meismer, in his early 30s, repeatedly told him how attractive he was. Seven sources say they saw Stroming interact with students in ways that appeared intimate and inappropriate. with photos from Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star 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. 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. National News | 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. He was inviting her to his hotel room. Ellis said Stroming peppered him with questions. Which in fact, he wasnt, Hudson said in his video, viewed over 6,300 times. Related Articles They provide amazing opportunities. That night, they had sex in his apartment. Your IP: But the sexual climate behind closed doors is deplorable to me. - See show line-ups. june 24-july 1. the venetian/palazzo. Hudson alleges Meismer pushed him against a wall and performed oral sex on him. Here is how it will work: JUMP, NUVO & 24 Seven will be planning all events, in-person, for the upcoming season. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 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. 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.. I just didnt know myself enough to understand how harmful it was, Hudson said. Meismer shushed him, he remembers, warning that someone was asleep in a nearby room. 2023 www.detroitnews.com. We could have and should have done better, he said. I didnt really understand why communication was cut off. 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.. Nowhere in the world of education should students feel they are underneath the predators, he said. He worked at a convention in Minneapolis, Minn., where he alleges a 31-year-old Lazzarini groped him. 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. Three of these dancers were under 18. BTFs website shows the company still employs Wall, who is currently scheduled to be part of a BTF-affiliated dance conventions 2021-2022 faculty. Saying Pennsylvania is in the midst of a workforce crisis, Gov. She says she didnt attend any auditions, and returned home devastated. We have many different teams and departments who are in need of someone just like you! National News | Yet, I am blessed to be surrounded by the people I love and thank them for their patience and grace. In dance studios, Hudson says Meismer would guide him into bathroom stalls for oral sex. Sign in. Schaufeld stopped dancing years ago and has no plans to return to the studio. 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). 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. I cant tell you how many times I thought about writing to Travis (Wall). The next morning, Stroming left abruptly for Las Vegas and handed her $40 for a cab ride back to the airport. At least four people removed from Break The Floor for alleged misconduct have continued to work around kids in other settings. October 25 2021 2:20 PM EST. 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.. 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.. Contact Email info@breakthefloor.com. He is no longer with the company, according to Break The Floor. 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. 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. The ultimate goal is winning first place under the spotlight at the annual Dance Awards. it's worth it! Greater Los Angeles Area Event Planner Break the Floor Productions Jan 2012 - Aug 2019 7 years 8 months.
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