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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 . Lilli Maples had taken classes with Gabriel since she was 10 years old. 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. Your IP: I just didnt know myself enough to understand how harmful it was, Hudson said. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Instinct Magazine 2023 - All Rights Reserved. Entering a BTF event is like walking into a carnival. Can a dancer do the scholarship audition through a virtual event? He won the best dancer title in 2014 and worked for BTF for two years as a dance assistant, travelling across Canada and the United States. A Toronto-born teen alleged a famous choreographer propositioned her for sex just hours after judging her at a 2012 Break the Floor convention. September 17, 2021. But at Meismers house, they didnt discuss work. Still, he accepted a sought-after opportunity to assist Meismer as they toured various studios and conventions together. What if we plan on it and they are cancelled again? 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. As for the other allegation from the then 16-year-old, Gabriel denied sending the photo, saying he would never engage in inappropriate behavior that would ever lead to sending something like this to a teen. Upload your resume. 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 . 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. I just didnt know myself enough to understand how harmful it was, Hudson said. Earlier this year, after Geyser took the helm as CEO, Break The Floor published a new code of conduct. To get anywhere, like here, you have to do whatever the teachers said, you know what I mean? I didnt really understand why communication was cut off. With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 100,000+ dancers annually, Break The Floor Productions is largely . Description. Dancer Nico Lonetree, of Saint Paul, Minn., alleges he was propositioned for oral sex by BTF employee Vincent Hicks via texts while they both worked at the RADIX BTF dance convention on Feb. 11, 2017, in Houston, Texas. Ellis said Stroming peppered him with questions. Find company research, competitor information, contact details & financial data for Break The Floor Productions LLC of Los Angeles, CA. National News | 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. Operating Status Active. Break The Floor Productions. 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. He is no longer with the company, according to Break The Floor. He stopped eating and sleeping, and suffered from panic attacks, he said. On planes, Meismer would grope him in his seat, Hudson alleges. 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). Lindsey alleges Lazzarini sent him nude photos of himself. Contact. Etc. Another said Lazzarini texted her a nude selfie when she was 16. Meismer asked the young dancer, then 17, to come to his home. Break The Floor Productions 5446 Satsuma Ave North Hollywood, CA 91601 jam . 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. Learn More About 24 Seven! It has been humbling. Which in fact, he wasnt, Hudson said in his video, viewed over 6,300 times. Our dance studio friends are finding it hard to plan for the new season. Break The Floor Productions General Information. 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. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. 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 . 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 . Lavallee said Wall flew him around the United States to help him teach choreography to youth in a dance studio and other conventions. In the next week, we will be releasing an FAQ that will deal with all other questions. . Break The Floor Productions. 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. 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 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.. 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. And whats egregious about seeing it in the context of conventions is that it happens to kids. 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. Learn how to leverage transparent company data at scale. 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. My resolve is unwavering. Afterwards, Schaufeld said Wallace told him never to say anything; it would be bad for both of their careers. 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The Stars prior investigation uncovered allegations that Lazzarini had subjected at least six dancers to unwanted sexual advances at Break The Floor events. The annual revenue of Break The Floor Productions varies between 25M and 100M. We could have and should have done better. I loved his reality show All the Right Moves & had a crush on Travis, if true makes my crush go away. Follow Break The Floor Productions on Instagram. Each of them has since left the company amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Break the Floor has a fervent following. After he turned 18, he engaged in a consensual sexual relationship with Lazzarini. Lonetree alleges Hicks later confronted him, took off Lonetrees headset, and told him to take a walk and come back with the answer I want. Hicks strenuously denies saying this and denies removing Lonetrees headset. I cant tell you how many times I thought about writing to Travis (Wall). How? I wish I would have known back at the time when it happened. The alleged victims story is shaky at best. Discover jobs. Follow. He said he must have passed out and has no recollection of sending the text. He said he found the work climate to be too sexualized to continue there. Im not trying to bring this company down. Russell Geyser is the new CEO of Break the Floor Productions. At Break the Floor Productions, we are committed to creating a dance culture rooted in excellence and focused on the well-being of our dancers and staff. Arts Apr 20. BTF has undergone training and revised its code of conduct, the company said in a statement. Stroming picked up Lazzarini at the height of his fame to join the convention circuit, teaching hundreds of thousands of aspiring young dancers. Break the Floor is the largest producer of dance conventions in the world with three dance conventions, JUMP, NUVO and 24 Seven Dance . Description. 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. 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. Break The Floor (@breakthefloor) on TikTok | 2M Likes. Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. 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. www.floorproductionsllc.com. 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.Break the Floor is the largest producer of dance conventions in the world with three dance conventions, JUMP, NUVO and 24 Seven Dance . The relationship did not progress further physically, Lavallee said. Read More. The creative type? with photos from Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star Two of the choreographers facing allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour are listed as employees on the companys website. One night, Schaufeld said, Wallace pushed him up against the wall of a hotel room they shared with a female assistant and forced oral sex on him. It was my church, he said, but now the whole dance scene feels dirty and tainted.. Break The Floor Productions. Lazzarini noticed a tear in Elliss pants and he just shoved his hand up my pants, to which I quickly reacted because I was already embarrassed and didnt need a hand grabbing my genitalia, alleged Ellis. 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 . A people person? You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. If an event changes from in-person to virtual, the difference in fees will be refunded within 7 business days of the event. Hudson said he was optimistic. - See all classes with helpful filters. When I began teaching dance, I did so with the singular goal of helping individuals discover, develop, and express their truest selves. Specialties: Event Production Established in 2000. 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. \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":". Lindsey, from California, said he started exchanging text messages with the 34-year-old choreographer. 3 min read. 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. 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! 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. Receive up-to-date schedules and info when attending any of the Break The Floor events: JUMP, NUVO, 24 Seven, The Dance Awards, DancerPalooza and Dance Teacher Summit! He referred reporters to his lawyer, who didnt respond. 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. Lonetree now questions whether he was punished for speaking up. With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000 dancers annually, Break the Floor Productions is largely . He referred reporters to his lawyer, who didn't respond. july 8-15. hyatt regency orlando. 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. Influential dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say. Soon after, Lavallee, then 16, attended a hotel-room party in California where he said Wall, who was around 20, gave him crystal meth a highly addictive stimulant so he could stay awake for his flight back home to Arizona. The company provides dance workshops and competitions, touring theatrical productions, photo and video production, corporate events and apparel along with a broad range of business prospects to its customers. We are working on our competition entry limits for each event and will announce them soon. Stroming did not respond to questions about this incident. Six of them have agreed to go public with their allegations. BREAK THE FLOOR LIVE is now April 18-19! Inside a Manhattan hotel, one of those choreographers Clarke idolized was now propositioning her for sex, she alleges. Professional dancers suffer a wide swath of sexual predation from irritating flirtation to full-out devastating attacks. Sexual abuse pervades the dance world, according to child advocates and industry leaders. The largest room is reserved for the main stage, where at many events, aspiring dancers perform showcases and compete for the title of best dancer.. And everybody strives for that, obviously, because that leads to more opportunity and attention from the faculty, said Uchida. Check! All of these sources spoke on the condition of anonymity in fear of retaliation and damage to their careers in the tight-knit professional dance community. 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. The only reason I could think of was because we didnt take it further romantically.. Its touring conventions will make numerous stops this year, from Miami to Vancouver and Calgary to Anchorage, Alaska. Following his bosss instruction, Ellis went back to his tasks at BTF. One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students. The next morning, Stroming left abruptly for Las Vegas and handed her $40 for a cab ride back to the airport. 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. However, Lavallee said Wall told him he had romantic feelings for him, and thought of him as his best friend. (US Only) Get the latest business insights from Dun & Bradstreet. 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 . 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.. Break the Floor Productions is one of the worlds preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing touring theatrical productions, dance workshops, photo and video production, corporate events and apparel. A post shared by Travis Wall (@traviswall). She says she didnt attend any auditions, and returned home devastated. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. While for some of the dancers in this story the sexual interactions were, at the time, consensual, they now feel a power imbalance pressured them into relationships with leaders of the dance world who are many years older than them. Meismer shushed him, he remembers, warning that someone was asleep in a nearby room. By Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza, Associated Press, Morgan Bocknek, Toronto Star . Read More . At 16, Hudson looked forward to the festive weekend gatherings. And so Schaufeld stayed quiet. They provide amazing opportunities. We remain committed to these initiatives and will continue to learn and be better.. 185.120.77.169 With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000+ dancers annually, Break The Floor Productions is largely . About us. Break the Floor calls itself one of the worlds preeminent dance companies, and its programs reach more than 300,000 dancers each year. 2.7. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. The only reason I could think of was because we didnt take it further romantically. 24Seven 2021. They provide amazing opportunities. 2.7 out of 5 stars. It just felt like the next step was for us to be in contact and kiss one another.. Gabriel who has performed with Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Beyonc and more was recently removed from the JUMP faculty. Break the Floors reach extends across the entertainment industry to some of the biggest names in music, television and social media. 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.. Break the Floor Productions Jan 2015 - Aug 2019 4 years 8 months. This story was reported as a partnership between The Associated Press and the Toronto Star, 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.. 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. break the floor Latest Breaking News, Pictures, Videos, and Special Reports from The Economic Times. 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 . It was my church, he said, but now the whole dance scene feels dirty and tainted.. Company reviews. A typical convention weekend lasts from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon and features dance classes with some of the world's leading dance educators. Break the Floor helped launch his career, but an alleged assault by one of its star dancers continues to haunt him. 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. 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. The next day Meismer was removed from NUVOs website and abruptly left the tour. 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. This might just be his lucky break into professional dance. 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. Meismer didnt respond to repeated requests for comment. New York,NY . break the floor Blogs, Comments and Archive News on Economictimes.com . Here is how it will work: JUMP, NUVO & 24 Seven will be planning all events, in-person, for the upcoming season. 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. Break the Floor offers dance workshops, contests, touring theatrical productions, picture and video production, corporate events . Lawyers for Saradpon and the Buttons didnt respond to requests for comment. Hudson alleges Meismer pushed him against a wall and performed oral sex on him. 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. Travis has made some great dance routines and is a great dancer. A third said he and Lazzarini exchanged nude photos when he was 17.