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. 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 . 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. Mom Chief & Officer at Break The Floor Productions . Sexual abuse pervades the dance world, according to child advocates and industry leaders. 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. Learn More About 24 Seven! October 25 2021 2:20 PM EST. Professional dancers suffer a wide swath of sexual predation from irritating flirtation to full-out devastating attacks. las vegas, nv. So I think I always kind of accepted it as, it is what it is, you cant do anything about it. . 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. 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. One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students. National News | A post shared by Break The Floor Productions (@breakthefloorprod). He is no longer with the company, according to Break The Floor. Break The Floor Productions, LLC uses Remarketing with Google Analytics to advertise on third party sites to you after you visited our Site. For payroll inquiries: payroll@breakthefloor.com For accounting inquiries: accounting@breakthefloor.com For human resources: hr@breakthefloor.com For general information about our dance programs: info@breakthefloor.com 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. 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 he was uncomfortable when a dance teacher, Mark Meismer, in his early 30s, repeatedly told him how attractive he was. june 24-july 1. the venetian/palazzo. 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. I felt very invalidated, Ellis said. A post shared by MYLES LAVALLE (@myleslavallee). 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.. At 16, Hudson looked forward to the festive weekend gatherings. 2023 www.detroitnews.com. The number of employees ranges from 25 to 100. Please know, the Break The Floor team is committed to bringing you the safest, most organized and exceptional events in the dance industry. Others did make allegations about BTF staff to owner and CEO Stroming, but their concerns were dismissed, allege two former staffers who say they were harassed on the job. Updated: This article has been updated to include a comment that Break The Floor provided after the article published. And so Schaufeld stayed quiet. Lonetree was 19. Who's who in the break the floor investigation. He said he must have passed out and has no recollection of sending the text. Its the opposite of a zero tolerance policy, Ellis said. The whole story seems fishy. 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. The creative type? Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, By Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza and Morgan Bocknek | Associated Press and Toronto Star. Russell Geyser is the new CEO of Break the Floor Productions. Another said Lazzarini texted her a nude selfie when she was 16. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. New App with lots of helpful features. Related Articles Another said Lazzarini texted her a nude selfie when she was 16. 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. Saying Pennsylvania is in the midst of a workforce crisis, Gov. BREAK THE FLOOR LIVE is now April 18-19! 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. Another dancer who says he reported his harassment to BTF management is Patrick Ellis, 26, from Baltimore, Md. Company reviews. 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. 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. Gabriel who has performed with Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Beyonc and more was recently removed from the JUMP faculty. Read More . But after speaking with the AP and the Star in February, Hudson went public and shared his experience in an emotional Instagram video, without naming Meismer. 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. 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.. When I began teaching dance, I did so with the singular goal of helping individuals discover, develop, and express their truest selves. Flat-rate shipping on all physical store items anywhere in the US! 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. 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. Follow Break The Floor Productions on Instagram. Still, he accepted a sought-after opportunity to assist Meismer as they toured various studios and conventions together. 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. Break The Floor Productions is part of the Home Improvement & Hardware Retail industry, and located in California, United States. To get a job at Break The Floor Productions, browse currently open positions and apply for a job near you. 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.. 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. Who is Floor Productions. Lilli Maples had taken classes with Gabriel since she was 10 years old. Of the eight allegations made, Wall is only implicated in the one featured in this article- and it happened nearly fourteen years ago. We could have and should have done better. If the in-person event is unable to be held, studios and dancers may choose to: Attend the event virtually (for a discounted rate). This allows a dancer or studio to take class from home or at the studio (at the discounted virtual fee). And five dancers are suing former Boston Ballet star Dusty Button and her husband, alleging sexual abuse and assault. 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. I dont know in which ways more to be accountable, in which ways more to apologize, or in which ways more to make it right, Hicks said. A typical convention weekend lasts from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon and features dance classes with some of the world's leading dance educators. I could feel the relationship change because I basically rejected the offer. My resolve is unwavering. Stroming did not respond to questions about Elliss allegations. it's worth it! Headquarters Regions Greater Los Angeles Area, West Coast, Western US. Break the Floor Productions is one of the world's preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing dance conventions, touring theatrical productions, software, photo and video . I believe if I had been taken seriously at the time I came forward with my experiences, this could have prevented another person from finding themselves in the same position that I was forced into, Ellis said. Get the latest business insights from Dun & Bradstreet. Receive a full refund within 7 business days of the event. The only reason I could think of was because we didnt take it further romantically. 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.. 24 SEVEN Dance Convention is a dance workshop and competition that tours to 27 cities in the United States each season. 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.
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