And whats egregious about seeing it in the context of conventions is that it happens to kids. At her first company event, when she was 17, she and Stroming had oral sex, she said. At her first company event, when she was 17, she and Stroming had oral sex, she said. At BTF, this contact led to physical boundaries being blurred. In dance spaces, students are in frequent and close contact with their teachers, spending long hours training and rehearsing with them. 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. Two of the choreographers facing allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour are listed as employees on the companys website. Break the Floor has a fervent following. Studio Owners, please contact us to confirm pricing, discounts, and incentives. 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. A post shared by MYLES LAVALLE (@myleslavallee). You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Russell is known for a high level of professionalism in the entertainment industry. Professional dancers suffer a wide swath of sexual predation from irritating flirtation to full-out devastating attacks. 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. And whats egregious about seeing it in the context of conventions is that it happens to kids. Stroming picked up Lazzarini at the height of his fame to join the convention circuit, teaching hundreds of thousands of aspiring young dancers. Professional dancers suffer a wide swath of sexual predation from irritating flirtation to full-out devastating attacks. One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students. We have many different teams and departments who are in need of someone just like you! The number of employees ranges from 25 to 100. Lavallee also said that Wall gave him ecstasy that night. He said he must have passed out and has no recollection of sending the text. I took the word of this choreographer, and thought he was helping me build a dance career. One said Lazzarini groped him through a hole in his pants. 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. He referred reporters to his lawyer, who didnt respond. At 16, Hudson looked forward to the festive weekend gatherings. And so Schaufeld stayed quiet. Sign in. Break The Floor Productions General Information. 10 Mar, 2022, 01.17 PM IST. Afterwards, Schaufeld said Wallace told him never to say anything; it would be bad for both of their careers. 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.. I took the word of this choreographer, and thought he was helping me build a dance career. Three of them say these alleged advances happened when they were under 18. In the text conversation, Hicks told Lonetree, I have a blow job with your name on it. Lonetree brushed off Hickss propositions over text, the texts show. Can a dancer do the scholarship audition through a virtual event? One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students. Another dancer who says he reported his harassment to BTF management is Patrick Ellis, 26, from Baltimore, Md. Lonetree was 19. 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 said that he and Lonetree flirted with one another before the text in question. Ellis started working for BTF in merchandising, selling clothing at events in 2015 when he was 19. 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. A post shared by Break The Floor Productions (@breakthefloorprod). 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 . Stroming was three years older, she said, a magnetic 19-year-old running the whole show. Operator of dance entertainment company committed to creating a dance culture. 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. 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. The company currently specializes in the Entertainment area. Hudson alleges Meismer pushed him against a wall and performed oral sex on him. Thats what Gary Schaufeld says happened to 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. 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.. Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza and Morgan Bocknek. 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. 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 Productions uses 14 technology products and services including HTML5, jQuery, and Google Analytics, according to G2 Stack. 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. 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. 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.. Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. 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. 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. He called me his convention boyfriend, recalled Hudson. His mental health deteriorated. 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. At least four people removed from Break The Floor for alleged misconduct have continued to work around kids in other settings. Founders Gil Stroming. Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 16 years for rape, sexual assault I didnt really understand why communication was cut off. New York,NY . I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. 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. Im not trying to bring this company down. At least four people removed from Break The Floor for alleged misconduct have continued to work around kids in other settings. It was my church, he said, but now the whole dance scene feels dirty and tainted.. 24Seven 2021. 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. 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. 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 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. Any claims to the contrary are simply untrue., Nick Lazzarini: My Apology and Promise to Do Better. 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. Contact. To my family, friends, colleagues and, most importantly, to those who bravely stepped forward to share their truth: I am truly sorry. 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. The Break The Floor faculty can't wait to dance with you! 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. Break The Floor now draws around 300,000 dance students, some as . 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 didnt respond to the specific allegations. Travis has made some great dance routines and is a great dancer. JUMP, NUVO and 24 Seven will host a virtual event, specific to the event and city, and broadcast from our studios in Los Angeles. Through transparency, integrity, and professionalism, we believe we can become a model throughout the dance industry. Gil Stroming, who recently sold the company he founded more . 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. The next day Meismer was removed from NUVOs website and abruptly left the tour. This will be a real. Break The Floor now draws around 300,000 dance students, some as . Hudson said he was optimistic. 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.