break the floor productions

For Myles Lavallee, that blurred student-teacher relationship began with BTF instructor Travis Wall. 165.8K Followers. Allegations of sexual misconduct first hit the dance company in October, when the Toronto Star revealed allegations of widespread sexual harassment and predatory behavior by Break the Floor instructors. . Headquarters Regions Greater Los Angeles Area, West Coast, Western US. This story was reported in partnership with the Toronto Star. break the floor Blogs, Comments and Archive News on Economictimes.com . 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. In the months that followed, Ellis said he began accepting Lazzarinis advances, once making out in the choreographers hotel room during a work break. 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. This salary trends is based on salaries posted anonymously by Break The Floor Productions employees. 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. His mental health deteriorated. Flat-rate shipping on all physical store items anywhere in the US! 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. He stopped eating and sleeping, and suffered from panic attacks, he said. And five dancers are suing former Boston Ballet star Dusty Button and her husband, alleging sexual abuse and assault. 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. I apologize and sincerely regret that my actions have hurt people I cherish or has broken their trust. 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. Meismer didnt respond to repeated requests for comment. On Oct. 1, BTF kicked off its fall season with an event in Toronto at an airport hotel. Its headquarters is located at New York, New York, USA. On planes, Meismer would grope him in his seat, Hudson alleges. 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.. 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. We are truly heartbroken that anyone has been subject to inappropriate behaviour by any person associated with Break The Floor, the statement read. 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. 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. Check! He said that he and Lonetree flirted with one another before the text in question. Contact. 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.. After all, Meismer was already an icon; he had toured with Britney Spears, Madonna and Paula Abdul. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Instinct Magazine 2023 - All Rights Reserved. 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. A year later, Hudson stayed with Meismer when he joined Break The Floors fledgling NUVO convention as part of its original lineup of instructors. Ellis alleges that Stroming decided there was no sexual harassment because Lazzarini never touched his genitals. However, Lavallee said Wall told him he had romantic feelings for him, and thought of him as his best friend. I took the word of this choreographer, and thought he was helping me build a dance career. Im not trying to bring this company down. Refund Policy for the 2020-2021 Season: If an in-person event is unable to be held on the originally advertised dates, and the studio decides not to attend the event virtually, Break The Floor will issue a FULL REFUND within 7 days of the scheduled event date. Hudson alleges Meismer pushed him against a wall and performed oral sex on him. Discover jobs. Another said Lazzarini texted her a nude selfie when she was 16. Gil Stroming, who recently sold the company he founded more . 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. Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 16 years for rape, sexual assault Mom Chief & Officer at Break The Floor Productions . 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A post shared by Travis Wall (@traviswall). 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. In 2018, 14 years later, he decided to tell his family, and confront Wallace directly. Lindsey said he eventually sent nude photos back when he was 17. 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. And so Schaufeld stayed quiet. Related Articles But the secret ate away at him. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a298e5fcfbebcbd Phone Number 818.432.1234. I didnt really understand why communication was cut off. Upload your resume. At least four people removed from Break The Floor for alleged misconduct have continued to work around kids in other settings. 11/20/2022 12:38 PM. Thousands of hopefuls cram into hotel ballrooms across the continent for the chance to be discovered by a top choreographer and catapulted into the spotlight. His picture and profile disappeared from the website, though there was no formal announcement of his departure. Break The Floor now draws around 300,000 dance students, some as . Legal Name Break The Floor Productions. Break The Floor Productions LLC. 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. Ellis said Stroming peppered him with questions. Still, he accepted a sought-after opportunity to assist Meismer as they toured various studios and conventions together. 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. Stroming picked up Lazzarini at the height of his fame to join the convention circuit, teaching hundreds of thousands of aspiring young dancers. In an interview earlier this year with the AP and the Star, Wallace denied Schaufelds allegations and said nothing sexual or physical ever transpired between them, though he said he remembered having an inappropriate attraction to Schaufeld. Schaufeld stopped dancing years ago and has no plans to return to the studio. He added new conventions, and new locations, branching into Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada. 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. Emmy winning choreographer Travis Wall has been cut from Break the Floor dance company's traveling tours amid an investigation into an accusation of . Seven sources say they saw Stroming interact with students in ways that appeared intimate and inappropriate. For more than 30 years, Russell has been CEO of numerous companies and run a portfolio of investments in theatrical film production, sports lending, film finance and lending, media buying, and . He is no longer with the company, according to Break The Floor. 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. Can a dancer do the scholarship audition through a virtual event? 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.. Gabriel, another famous dancer and choreographer, allegedly sent a nude photo on Snapchat to a 16-year-old dancer who says she was so horrified she threw her phone across the room. Reviews from Break The Floor Productions employees about Break The Floor Productions culture, salaries, benefits, work-life balance, management, job security, and more. I dont think I was aware of how manipulated I was and how easy it was for (Lazzarini) to take advantage of the situation, Lindsey said. All rights reserved. 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 . Meismer asked the young dancer, then 17, to come to his home. The dance world, its not like its different than any other world, its just that theyve been able to keep their secrets longer.. Lavallee said Walls disappearance left him feeling unmoored and now feels he was being groomed for a sexual relationship. 10 Mar, 2022, 01.17 PM IST. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. October 25 2021 2:20 PM EST. j***@breakthefloor.com. 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. New York,NY . JUMP is proud to integrate CODA into all its competition. He said he found the work climate to be too sexualized to continue there. A third said he and Lazzarini exchanged nude photos when he was 17. Entering a BTF event is like walking into a carnival. 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). 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. He said he had never done drugs of any kind before. In addition to competitions with cash prizes, Break The Floor conventions which cost between around $200 to $350 per student offer dozens of workshops, under strobing lights and thumping music. 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.. His representatives at the MSA Agency also said they had no comment on his behalf. Man convicted of California rapes that attorney blamed on defendants twin Stroming was three years older, she said, a magnetic 19-year-old running the whole show. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. The OFFICIAL TikTok for Break the Floor Productions! He was inviting her to his hotel room. The Stars prior investigation uncovered allegations that Lazzarini had subjected at least six dancers to unwanted sexual advances at Break The Floor events. In addition to competitions with cash prizes, Break The Floor conventions which cost between around $200 to $350 per student offer dozens of workshops, under strobing lights and thumping music. Lawyers for Saradpon and the Buttons didnt respond to requests for comment. Thats what Gary Schaufeld says happened to him. A third said he and Lazzarini exchanged nude photos when he was 17. 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.. Glassdoor provides our best prediction for total pay in today's job market, along with other types of pay like cash bonuses, stock bonuses, profit sharing, sales commissions, and tips. It just felt like the next step was for us to be in contact and kiss one another.. 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 . In 2019, Stroming quietly fired him after he posted, then quickly removed, a video of himself masturbating on Instagram, as the Star previously reported. Refund Policy for the 2020-2021 Season: If an in-person event is unable to be held on the originally advertised dates, and the studio decides not to attend the event virtually, Break The Floor will issue a FULL REFUND within 7 days of the scheduled event date. Through transparency, integrity, and professionalism, we believe we can become a model throughout the dance industry. Payment Terms for the 2020-2021 Season: The registration deadline will remain 30 days prior to the events, however payment will not need to be made until 14 days prior. 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. 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. - Interactive venue and exhibit hall map. Sexual abuse pervades the dance world, according to child advocates and industry leaders. And everybody strives for that, obviously, because that leads to more opportunity and attention from the faculty, said Uchida. 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.. 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. 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. I then felt very embarrassed. 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.. He added new conventions, and new locations, branching into Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada. The televised dance shows brought fame to dancers Nick Lazzarini, Travis Wall and Misha Gabriel, who became big name attractions as Break The Floor instructors. Break the Floor helped launch his career, but an alleged assault by one of its star dancers continues to haunt him. BTFs website shows the company still employs Wall, who is currently scheduled to be part of a BTF-affiliated dance conventions 2021-2022 faculty. 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. Every year, one of the world's 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 took the word of this choreographer, and thought he was helping me build a dance career. In the next week, we will be releasing an FAQ that will deal with all other questions. 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. 2023 www.detroitnews.com. 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. National News | The ultimate goal is winning first place under the spotlight at the annual Dance Awards. 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. Etc. 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. 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. Hudson said he was optimistic. Stroming declined repeated interview requests. How much do Break The Floor Productions employees make? The Company encompasses dance workshops, competitions, touring theatrical and video . He said he must have passed out and has no recollection of sending the text. 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. <style>.g-image--loading{display:none;}</style> A people person? The AP and the Star havent seen these messages because Maples said theyd been deleted. Who would give someone Ecstacy in their parents home? agreed. I didnt know how inappropriate that was.. Which in fact, he wasnt, Hudson said in his video, viewed over 6,300 times. 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. Competition routines will be uploaded to our website and judged virtually. 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. 15 reviews. Break The Floor Productions 6555 Barton Ave., Ste. He said he must have passed out and has no recollection of sending the text. We could have and should have done better. The next morning, Stroming left abruptly for Las Vegas and handed her $40 for a cab ride back to the airport. Website. JUMP, NUVO and 24 Seven will host a virtual event, specific to the event and city, and broadcast from our studios in Los Angeles. 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 . Schaufeld stopped dancing years ago and has no plans to return to the studio. 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. It is one of the most exciting events of a young dancers life, recalled Keanu Uchida, a professional dancer from Ottawa. Find top employees, contact details and business statistics at RocketReach. 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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