A year later, Hudson stayed with Meismer when he joined Break The Floors fledgling NUVO convention as part of its original lineup of instructors. I wish I would have known back at the time when it happened. - And more! Break The Floor Productions, LLC uses Remarketing with Google Analytics to advertise on third party sites to you after you visited our Site. break the floor Blogs, Comments and Archive News on Economictimes.com . He said he must have passed out and has no recollection of sending the text. But during a 2020 in-house training, a recording of which was reviewed by the AP and Star, Stroming addressed his own past misconduct. After all, Meismer was already an icon; he had toured with Britney Spears, Madonna and Paula Abdul. Competition routines will be uploaded to our website and judged virtually. agreed. Following his bosss instruction, Ellis went back to his tasks at BTF. In the years that followed, Hudson said Meismer continued to pursue him for sex. 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. Gabriel who has performed with Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Beyonc and more was recently removed from the JUMP faculty. Dancers can take workshop classes at home or the studio may organize a watch and dance party at their studio. Thank you. Ellis said Stroming peppered him with questions. 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 . 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 . Break The Floor Productions is actively using 50 technologies for its website, according to BuiltWith. 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. Lavallee also revealed to The Star that Wall gave him ecstasy that night, and we were doing hand massages, which just creeps me out now. Lavallee told the Star he invited a friend to come over to divert where he felt the night was going and a few months later, Wall ceased all communication with him and didnt show up for a scheduled teaching session. Find top employees, contact details and business statistics at RocketReach. Lindsey, from California, said he started exchanging text messages with the 34-year-old choreographer. But at Meismers house, they didnt discuss work. I loved his reality show All the Right Moves & had a crush on Travis, if true makes my crush go away. orlando, fl. Allegations of sexual misconduct first hit the dance company in October, when the Toronto Starrevealed allegationsof widespread sexual harassment and predatory behavior by Break the Floor instructors. Hicks, who was working as the convention announcer, was in his early 30s. 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. It just felt like the next step was for us to be in contact and kiss one another.. 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. BREAK THE FLOOR LIVE is now April 18-19! With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000+ dancers annually, Break The Floor Productions is largely . That dancer now works for BTF as a choreographer. 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. 3 min read. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Instinct Magazine 2023 - All Rights Reserved. Professional dancers suffer a wide swath of sexual predation from irritating flirtation to full-out devastating attacks. Jackie Stroming is a Mom Chief & Officer at Break The Floor Productions based in N Hollywood, California. 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.. Break The Floor Productions. CODA aims to revolutionize the dance competition experience and is complimentary for every routine registered for JUMP, NUVO, 24 Seven and The Dance Awards. <style>.g-image--loading{display:none;}</style> We could have and should have done better, he said. After he turned 18, he engaged in a consensual sexual relationship with Lazzarini. 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. A third said he and Lazzarini exchanged nude photos when he was 17. 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. 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. 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. 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. A typical convention weekend lasts from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon and features dance classes with some of the world's leading dance educators. How? 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 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. At the New York event in 2012, Clarke said she turned down Lazzarinis request to join him in his hotel room. 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. Click to reveal Our dance studio friends are finding it hard to plan for the new season. 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.. Man convicted of California rapes that attorney blamed on defendants twin A post shared by MYLES LAVALLE (@myleslavallee). 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. Description. How much do Break The Floor Productions employees make? 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. Emmy winning choreographer Travis Wall has been suspended from Break the Floor dance company's traveling tours amid an investigation into an accusation of sexually inappropriate behavior made . The biggest problem facing the dance industry (and everything, quite frankly) is uncertainty. 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.. In 2018, 14 years later, he decided to tell his family, and confront Wallace directly. I didnt really understand why communication was cut off. Im not trying to bring this company down. Still, he accepted a sought-after opportunity to assist Meismer as they toured various studios and conventions together. 185.120.77.169 Lavallee said they exchanged numbers, and over a few texts and calls, he agreed to become Walls dance assistant. Break The Floor Productions 6555 Barton Ave., Ste. 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). 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 . Start of main content. 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. Hicks said he apologized to Lonetree and was reprimanded by Stroming. 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.. We could have and should have done better. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Hours earlier, the Toronto-born teen performed before a panel of judges that included the choreographer, Nick Lazzarini, a luminary in the dance world and first-ever winner of the TV show So You Think You Can Dance.. Still, he accepted a sought-after opportunity to assist Meismer as they toured various studios and conventions together. FREE Shipping. At BTF, this contact led to physical boundaries being blurred. break the floor Latest Breaking News, Pictures, Videos, and Special Reports from The Economic Times. 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. 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. CODA is Break The Floor's innovative online system of style specific score sheets, video tutorials, data analytics and judge training. Maples mother, however, told the news organizations that she saw the photos when they appeared on shared photo albums on their familys home computer. At 16, Hudson looked forward to the festive weekend gatherings. Through transparency, integrity, and professionalism, we believe we can become a model throughout the dance industry. October 25 2021 2:20 PM EST. 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. Thats what Gary Schaufeld says happened to him. Break the Floor is the largest producer of dance conventions in the world with three dance conventions, JUMP, NUVO and 24 Seven Dance . Russell Geyser is the new CEO of Break the Floor Productions. Afterwards, Schaufeld said Wallace told him never to say anything; it would be bad for both of their careers. 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. She says she didnt attend any auditions, and returned home devastated. Seven sources say they saw Stroming interact with students in ways that appeared intimate and inappropriate. 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. Follow Break The Floor Productions on Instagram. The next morning, Stroming left abruptly for Las Vegas and handed her $40 for a cab ride back to the airport. Lavallee also said that Wall gave him ecstasy that night. Lets be responsible journalists, shall we? We have many different teams and departments who are in need of someone just like you! Stroming declined repeated interview requests. 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. Dharma Productions shared the news of filming start on the project on the banner's social media handles. 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. Stroming did not respond to questions about Elliss allegations. Ellis said it was this moment where he realized he had to leave the company. Who's who in the break the floor investigation. 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. 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. The dance world, its not like its different than any other world, its just that theyve been able to keep their secrets longer.. The number of employees ranges from 25 to 100. 550 Los Angeles, CA 90038 818.432.1234 info@breakthefloor.com. Professional dancers suffer a wide swath of sexual predation from irritating flirtation to full-out devastating attacks. - Interactive venue and exhibit hall map. Lilli Maples had taken classes with Gabriel since she was 10 years old. One said Lazzarini groped him through a hole in his pants. 324 Brickyard Rd, Dalton, Georgia, 30721, United States. I was definitely inappropriate myself in a lot of ways, he told his staff. 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. Etc. Three of these dancers were under 18. Studio Owners, please contact us to confirm pricing, discounts, and incentives. The Break The Floor faculty can't wait to dance with you! National News | 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 . Updated: This article has been updated to include a comment that Break The Floor provided after the article published. 24 SEVEN Dance Convention is a dance workshop and competition that tours to 27 cities in the United States each season. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. Break The Floor now draws around 300,000 dance students, some as . 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. Another dancer who says he reported his harassment to BTF management is Patrick Ellis, 26, from Baltimore, Md. 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. Break the Floor helped launch his career, but an alleged assault by one of its star dancers continues to haunt him. Flat-rate shipping on all physical store items anywhere in the US! 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 . Hicks, meanwhile, continued to work at RADIX every season, through 2021. Sexual abuse pervades the dance world, according to child advocates and industry leaders. National News | 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.