break the floor productions break the floor productions

Another dancer who says he reported his harassment to BTF management is Patrick Ellis, 26, from Baltimore, Md. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Instinct Magazine 2023 - All Rights Reserved. Meismer asked the young dancer, then 17, to come to his home. 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. With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 100,000+ dancers annually, Break The Floor Productions is largely . Which in fact, he wasnt, Hudson said in his video, viewed over 6,300 times. 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. 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. To surprise him, Hudson said Meismer would buy them matching outfits. Upload your resume. Travis has made some great dance routines and is a great dancer. Studio Owners, please contact us to confirm pricing, discounts, and incentives. 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 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. I totally feel like I was a headache [for Stroming], Lonetree said. With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000+ dancers annually, Break The Floor Productions is largely . We know this season will look a little different for now. National News | 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. But at Meismers house, they didnt discuss work. Im not trying to bring this company down. Learn More About 24 Seven! 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. - See all classes with helpful filters. I wish I would have known back at the time when it happened. 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.. 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. CODA is Break The Floor's innovative online system of style specific score sheets, video tutorials, data analytics and judge training. It was my church, he said, but now the whole dance scene feels dirty and tainted.. 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. For aspiring young dancers like Clarke, the companys events are an almost mandatory stop if they want to pursue dancing professionally. In dance studios, Hudson says Meismer would guide him into bathroom stalls for oral sex. Which in fact, he wasnt, Hudson said in his video, viewed over 6,300 times. We will be limiting attendance, working with our venue partners to increase ballroom space and implementing health procedures and guidelines to be able to offer the safest environment for our attendees. 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.. Any claims to the contrary are simply untrue., Nick Lazzarini: My Apology and Promise to Do Better. 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). That dancer now works for BTF as a choreographer. Break The Floors Health & Safety Protocols can be found here: https://www.breakthefloor.com/safety. Our goal for this coming season is clear we are going to be holding all events, no matter what, GUARANTEED. . In 2019, Stroming quietly fired him after he posted, then quickly removed, a video of himself masturbating on Instagram, as the Star previously reported. A post shared by Break The Floor Productions (@breakthefloorprod). In dance spaces, students are in frequent and close contact with their teachers, spending long hours training and rehearsing with them. How? Allegations and Scandal Update. 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. 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. 2023 www.detroitnews.com. 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. Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza and Morgan Bocknek. In the years that followed, Hudson said Meismer continued to pursue him for sex. We could have and should have done better. 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. 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. I didnt know how inappropriate that was.. Hamilton also said perpetrators in many youth-focused organizations use hotel rooms away from home to exploit the power imbalance between teachers and students. 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. Break The Floor (@breakthefloor) on TikTok | 2M Likes. Hamilton also said perpetrators in many youth-focused organizations use hotel rooms away from home to exploit the power imbalance between teachers and students. Three of these dancers were under 18. At her first company event, when she was 17, she and Stroming had oral sex, she said. All rights reserved. Man convicted of California rapes that attorney blamed on defendants twin 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. I apologize and sincerely regret that my actions have hurt people I cherish or has broken their trust. Can a dancer do the scholarship audition through a virtual event? Lonetree said he recounted the alleged exchange to Stroming. On planes, Meismer would grope him in his seat, Hudson alleges. Dancers say leading company bred culture of, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Los Gatos: Hundreds still without power as Black Road repair project finishes early, Dancers say leading company bred culture of sex, silence, California teacher who gave birth to child fathered by student hit with another sexual abuse lawsuit, Ghislaine Maxwells appeals arguments mirror earlier claims, Man convicted of California rapes that attorney blamed on defendants twin, San Jose firefighter claims sexual abuse, racism, swastikas drove her out, Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 16 years for rape, sexual assault. Warning: This article includes accounts of alleged sexual harassment that some readers could find distressing. With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000 dancers annually, Break the Floor Productions is largely . So I think I always kind of accepted it as, it is what it is, you cant do anything about it. . 2.7 out of 5 stars. break the floor Blogs, Comments and Archive News on Economictimes.com . Break The Floor Productions. Start of main content. 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 . Gabriel who has performed with Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Beyonc and more was recently removed from the JUMP faculty. 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. Break the Floor Productions Jan 2015 - Aug 2019 4 years 8 months. 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. 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. Updated: This article has been updated to include a comment that Break The Floor provided after the article published. Learn how to leverage transparent company data at scale. New App with lots of helpful features. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Break the Floor helped launch his career, but an alleged assault by one of its star dancers continues to haunt him. Ellis said Stroming peppered him with questions. 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. Break the Floor has a fervent following. The next morning, Stroming left abruptly for Las Vegas and handed her $40 for a cab ride back to the airport. But the sexual climate behind closed doors is deplorable to me. 550 Los Angeles, CA 90038 818.432.1234 info@breakthefloor.com. Lawyers for Saradpon and the Buttons didn't respond to requests for comment. with photos from Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star His mental health deteriorated. After all, Meismer was already an icon; he had toured with Britney Spears, Madonna and Paula Abdul. 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. 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. Its touring conventions will make numerous stops this year, from Miami to Vancouver and Calgary to Anchorage, Alaska. 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. I was definitely inappropriate myself in a lot of ways, he told his staff. 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. Our model gets smarter over time as more people share salaries on Glassdoor. Break the Floor founder, celebrity dance instructors face sexual misconduct allegations as the prominent company's crisis deepens. What will the in-person events look like? Thats what Gary Schaufeld says happened to him. Write a review. Break The Floor now draws around 300,000 dance students, some as . National News | 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. The only reason I could think of was because we didnt take it further romantically.. A post shared by Travis Wall (@traviswall). On planes, Meismer would grope him in his seat, Hudson alleges. Each of them has since left the company amid allegations of sexual misconduct. 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. 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. I took the word of this choreographer, and thought he was helping me build a dance career. Stroming picked up Lazzarini at the height of his fame to join the convention circuit, teaching hundreds of thousands of aspiring young dancers. 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. A third said he and Lazzarini exchanged nude photos when he was 17. The only reason I could think of was because we didnt take it further romantically. In the months that followed, Ellis said he began accepting Lazzarinis advances, once making out in the choreographers hotel room during a work break. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, By Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza and Morgan Bocknek | Associated Press and Toronto Star. 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. He stopped eating and sleeping, and suffered from panic attacks, he said. I just didnt know myself enough to understand how harmful it was, Hudson said. I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. For Myles Lavallee, that blurred student-teacher relationship began with BTF instructor Travis Wall. 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. 2.7. The relationship did not progress further physically, Lavallee said. And so Schaufeld stayed quiet. 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. Stroming picked up Lazzarini at the height of his fame to join the convention circuit, teaching hundreds of thousands of aspiring young dancers. One said Lazzarini groped him through a hole in his pants. 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. 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. 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. - See show line-ups. Gil Stroming founded the excellent company named Break The Floor Productions in 1999 and has since grown it into one of the most famous dance entertainment companies in the world. 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 called me his convention boyfriend, recalled Hudson. Read More. Free and open company data on California (US) company BREAK THE FLOOR PRODUCTIONS LLC (company number 201329710098), 5446 SATSUMA AVE, NORTH HOLLYWOOD, 91601. His representatives at the MSA Agency also said they had no comment on his behalf. (Please note: Some fall cities have a registration deadline of only 14 days prior). Company reviews. Dancers can take workshop classes at home or the studio may organize a watch and dance party at their studio. New York,NY . Ellis alleges that Stroming decided there was no sexual harassment because Lazzarini never touched his genitals. 11/20/2022 12:38 PM. Click to reveal An exclusive Star investigation has found allegations of widespread sexual harassment and predatory behaviour by Break the Floor (a big part of the dance community of North America) coaches over . That same year, Lavallee alleges a 24-year-old dancer forced himself onto a 16-year-old Lavallee at a party. 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 . Im not trying to bring this company down. Lawyers for Saradpon and the Buttons didnt respond to requests for comment. 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. Schaufeld stopped dancing years ago and has no plans to return to the studio. If an event changes from in-person to virtual, the difference in fees will be . He was inviting her to his hotel room. He also noted that he was not in a position of authority but in a first-year, entry-level position.