This is quite common in the industry and is used to cover the time and expense Studio Owners incur while organizing, registering and attending these events. Travis Wall Dismissed From Tour After Sexual Misconduct Allegations 185.120.77.169 The Company encompasses dance workshops, competitions, touring theatrical and video . Of the eight allegations made, Wall is only implicated in the one featured in this article- and it happened nearly fourteen years ago. Snapshot; Why Join Us . 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. 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. I didnt know how inappropriate that was.. 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. Specialties: Event Production Established in 2000. 2023 www.detroitnews.com. The new owner, Russell Geyser, said the allegations have nothing to do with the current company, and that people involved with purported misconduct no longer work for Break The Floor. In his first 10 days as CEO, he said four people were let go.. A post shared by MYLES LAVALLE (@myleslavallee). Will Conventions & Competitions be happening? 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. He said he felt punished for dodging the alleged sexual advances. Break the Floor has a fervent following. I was definitely inappropriate myself in a lot of ways, he told his staff. 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. Click to reveal The action you just performed triggered the security solution. This might just be his lucky break into professional dance. Dancers say leading company bred culture of sex, silence - The Mercury News Hamilton also said perpetrators in many youth-focused organizations use hotel rooms away from home to exploit the power imbalance between teachers and students. Greater Los Angeles Area Event Planner Break the Floor Productions Jan 2012 - Aug 2019 7 years 8 months. Still, he accepted a sought-after opportunity to assist Meismer as they toured various studios and conventions together. Schaufeld stopped dancing years ago and has no plans to return to the studio. A Star investigation has found allegations of widespread sexual harassment and predatory behaviour by BTF coaches over their younger students, where dancers say their complaints of inappropriate conduct have been dismissed by the companys owner, letting the problem fester for years. 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. 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. 550 Los Angeles, CA 90038 818.432.1234 info@breakthefloor.com. 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. A year later, Hudson stayed with Meismer when he joined Break The Floors fledgling NUVO convention as part of its original lineup of instructors. The OFFICIAL TikTok for Break the Floor Productions! With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000 dancers annually, Break the Floor Productions is largely . Awards ceremonies will be broadcast live immediately following the competition. 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. Hotel lobbies, colourfully decorated, are lined with vendors selling clothes and videos. Inside a Manhattan hotel, one of those choreographers Clarke idolized was now propositioning her for sex, she alleges. Break The Floor Productions - Crunchbase Company Profile & Funding I could feel the relationship change because I basically rejected the offer. Our dance studio friends are finding it hard to plan for the new season. 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. 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. with photos from Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star 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. Lilli Maples had taken classes with Gabriel since she was 10 years old. 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. - See all classes with helpful filters. Lilli Maples had taken classes with Gabriel since she was 10 years old. In the next week, we will be releasing an FAQ that will deal with all other questions. JUMP, NUVO and 24 Seven will host a virtual event, specific to the event and city, and broadcast from our studios in Los Angeles. To get a job at Break The Floor Productions, browse currently open positions and apply for a job near you. Influential dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say Keanu Uchida, photographed in Montreal, said many student dancers at Break the Floor endured inappropriate sexual advances from their instructors. Its the opposite of a zero tolerance policy, Ellis said. 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). The AP and the Star haven't seen these messages because Maples said theyd been deleted. Sexual abuse pervades the dance world, according to child advocates and industry leaders. The incentive is a tax credit designed to help address complaints from school boards, police departments and hospitals about the growing . Break The Floor Productions LLC Company Profile | Los Angeles, CA june 24-july 1. the venetian/palazzo. The next morning, Stroming left abruptly for Las Vegas and handed her $40 for a cab ride back to the airport. We could have and should have done better. One said Lazzarini groped him through a hole in his pants. Now is the time for continued open dialogue, soul searching, and decisive action towards making amends. All I would need to do is say [five] words: I know what you did. . Break The Floor Productions LLC. Mom Chief & Officer at Break The Floor Productions . One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students. Sign in. 5446 Satsuma Ave, N Hollywood, California, 91601, United States. 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. However, Lavallee said Wall told him he had romantic feelings for him, and thought of him as his best friend. He also noted that he was not in a position of authority but in a first-year, entry-level position. 15 reviews. Shapiro aims tax break at police officers, teachers, nurses 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. Break The Floor Productions. On planes, Meismer would grope him in his seat, Hudson alleges. But at Meismers house, they didnt discuss work. Dancers can take workshop classes at home or the studio may organize a watch and dance party at their studio. Thank you. An Ottawa dancer working as an assistant for the company said the same choreographer groped him in public. 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. 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 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. Lavallee said Wall flew him around the United States to help him teach choreography to youth in a dance studio and other conventions. Read More. 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. Our goal for this coming season is clear we are going to be holding all events, no matter what, GUARANTEED. 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. Mega dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say 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. 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. And so Schaufeld stayed quiet. We know this season will look a little different for now. Break The Floor Productions 5446 Satsuma Ave North Hollywood, CA 91601 jam . But at Meismers house, they didnt discuss work. Hicks, who was working as the convention announcer, was in his early 30s. Break The Floor Productions Salaries - Glassdoor Yet, I am blessed to be surrounded by the people I love and thank them for their patience and grace. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. Breaking the silence: Dancers accuse choreographers of sexual 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). Another dancer who says he reported his harassment to BTF management is Patrick Ellis, 26, from Baltimore, Md. In the fall of 2008, Wall was teaching a course near Lavallees house in Arizona, and Lavallees parents invited Wall to stay overnight, Lavallee said. Lindsey alleges Lazzarini sent him nude photos of himself. All of our in-person events will now have a virtual option. Reviews from Break The Floor Productions employees about Break The Floor Productions culture, salaries, benefits, work-life balance, management, job security, and more. I just knew after that the company was bad news and I wanted out.. 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. 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. The Stars prior investigation uncovered allegations that Lazzarini had subjected at least six dancers to unwanted sexual advances at Break The Floor events. 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. Website. Performance & security by Cloudflare. They provide amazing opportunities. Meismer shushed him, he remembers, warning that someone was asleep in a nearby room. After Maples showed the screenshots to friends who shared them on social media, Gabriel sent her a message threatening to ruin her career, she said. Saying Pennsylvania is in the midst of a workforce crisis, Gov. 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. After all, Meismer was already an icon; he had toured with Britney Spears, Madonna and Paula Abdul. Ellis said Stroming peppered him with questions. Stroming picked up Lazzarini at the height of his fame to join the convention circuit, teaching hundreds of thousands of aspiring young dancers. I could feel the relationship change because I basically rejected the offer., In a statement, Lazzarini apologized to those who bravely stepped forward to share their truth.. 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. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Sexual abuse pervades the dance world, according to child advocates and industry leaders. 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 Productions 6555 Barton Ave., Ste. Dancers repeatedly described feeling sexualized in their learning space, and multiple dancers said they felt leered at by some choreographers who would message them compliments on their appearance, sometimes immediately following classes. Hudson said he was optimistic. Break the Floor helped launch his career, but an alleged assault by one of its star dancers continues to haunt him. Break The Floor Productions LLC - Company Profile and News My Break The Floor | Photo & Video This might just be his lucky break into professional dance. 24Seven 2021. Break the Floor dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say 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. Thats what Gary Schaufeld says happened to him. 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. Lavallee said they exchanged numbers, and over a few texts and calls, he agreed to become Walls dance assistant. 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. Break The Floor Productions - Tech Stack, Apps, Patents & Trademarks Meismer didnt respond to repeated requests for comment. Hudson said he was optimistic. Once you get a positive response, make sure to find out about the interview process at Break The Floor Productions and prepare for tough questions. Lets be responsible journalists, shall we? Break The Floor Productions. That dancer now works for BTF as a choreographer. The Open Database Of The Corporate World. 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. 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. Following his bosss instruction, Ellis went back to his tasks at BTF. October 25 2021 2:20 PM EST. 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. join our mailing list 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. 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. Can a dancer do the scholarship audition through a virtual event? 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. If an event changes from in-person to virtual, the difference in fees will be refunded within 7 business days of the event. Two of the choreographers facing allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour are listed as employees on the companys website. I totally feel like I was a headache [for Stroming], Lonetree said. He added new conventions, and new locations, branching into Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada. Follow. Operating Status Active. Operator of dance entertainment company committed to creating a dance culture. Break The Floor Productions is a Music & Music Related Services, and Media & Internet company located in New York, New York with $2.40 Million in revenue and 62 employees. Gil Stroming, who recently sold the company he founded more . I loved his reality show All the Right Moves & had a crush on Travis, if true makes my crush go away. Earlier this year, after Geyser took the helm as CEO, Break The Floor published a new code of conduct. break the floor: Latest News & Videos, Photos about break the floor Here's what we know about the sexual assault allegations filed against He worked at a convention in Minneapolis, Minn., where he alleges a 31-year-old Lazzarini groped him. Lavallee also said that Wall gave him ecstasy that night. Follow Break The Floor Productions on Instagram. 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. In 2018, 14 years later, he decided to tell his family, and confront Wallace directly. Our model gets smarter over time as more people share salaries on Glassdoor. By Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza, Associated Press, Morgan Bocknek, Toronto Star . He is no longer with the company, according to Break The Floor. Whenever I worked with a struggling student, I always reassured them that confronting our shortcomings is not a showing of weakness, it is the beginning of strength. As I National News | In dance spaces, students are in frequent and close contact with their teachers, spending long hours training and rehearsing with them. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Ellis alleges that Stroming decided there was no sexual harassment because Lazzarini never touched his genitals. In 2019, Stroming quietly fired him after he posted, then quickly removed, a video of himself masturbating on Instagram, as the Star previously reported. Break The Floor's Summer Jam 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. As a student I was in inappropriate relationships with teachers, and vice versa, and just looking back I was like, oh wow, I think a lot of us dont even realize at first the power that we have in the dance world.. 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.. He said he must have passed out and has no recollection of sending the text. JUMP/NUVO/24SEVEN/TDA.Watch the latest video from Break The Floor (@breakthefloor). Still, he accepted a sought-after opportunity to assist Meismer as they toured various studios and conventions together. Find salaries. The Break The Floor faculty can't wait to dance with you! This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. 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. Attendees squeeze into small ballrooms where choreographers teach classes. Any claims to the contrary are simply untrue., Nick Lazzarini: My Apology and Promise to Do Better. Stroming did not respond to questions about Elliss allegations. Break The Floor (@breakthefloor) | TikTok it's worth it! BTFs website shows the company still employs Wall, who is currently scheduled to be part of a BTF-affiliated dance conventions 2021-2022 faculty. 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. National News | If the in-person event is unable to be held, studios and dancers may choose to: Attend the event virtually (for a discounted rate). Which in fact, he wasnt, Hudson said in his video, viewed over 6,300 times. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, By Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza and Morgan Bocknek | Associated Press and Toronto Star. 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. Break The Floor now draws around 300,000 dance students, some as . Studio Owners, please contact us to confirm pricing, discounts, and incentives. I would not have stayed silent, said Wendy in a phone interview with the Star. 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.
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