Alumni and faculty have danced on stage with Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, at the Oscars and the Super Bowl. 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. If an event changes from in-person to virtual, the difference in fees will be . 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. Jackie Stroming is a Mom Chief & Officer at Break The Floor Productions based in N Hollywood, California. 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 hosts conventions in cities across North America, putting on events in hotel ballrooms every weekend over the course of a six-month season. 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. Hudson said he was optimistic. Lavallee caught the attention of Wall an Emmy winner and So You Think You Can Dance runner-up who was judging his performance at a BTF competition in the summer of 2008, Lavallee said. 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). Break The Floor is a rapid growth company and are always looking for great new people to join our team! On Oct. 1, BTF kicked off its fall season with an event in Toronto at an airport hotel. 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. Its the opposite of a zero tolerance policy, Ellis said. Clarke was competing that July 2012 day at a New York City event put on by Break the Floor, a prominent company that tours Canada, the United States and Mexico hosting dance schools and putting on . Meismer asked the young dancer, then 17, to come to his home. In the next week, we will be releasing an FAQ that will deal with all other questions. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. 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, according to interviews with dozens of former and current staff and students. Saying Pennsylvania is in the midst of a workforce crisis, Gov. 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. Break the Floor calls itself one of the worlds preeminent dance companies, and its programs reach more than 300,000 dancers each year. My resolve is unwavering. Meismer shushed him, he remembers, warning that someone was asleep in a nearby room. 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. We and our third party vendors, like Google, use first party cookies (such as the Google Analytics cookie) and third party cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) to inform, optimize and serve ads based . 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. It was founded by Gil Stroming (Tap Dancer) in 1999, and today it is one of the most important dance companies in the world, encompassing traveling theater productions, dance workshops, photo and video production, corporate clothing events, real estate production rental studios, software . But he was uncomfortable when a dance teacher, Mark Meismer, in his early 30s, repeatedly told him how attractive he was. 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. 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. Afterwards, Schaufeld said Wallace told him never to say anything; it would be bad for both of their careers. Three of them say these alleged advances happened when they were under 18. 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 . 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. Meismer didnt respond to repeated requests for comment. Break The Floor Productions. Write a review. After all, Meismer was already an icon; he had toured with Britney Spears, Madonna and Paula Abdul. 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. 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.. 550 Los Angeles, CA 90038 818.432.1234 info@breakthefloor.com. So I think I always kind of accepted it as, it is what it is, you cant do anything about it. . Im not trying to bring this company down. And whats egregious about seeing it in the context of conventions is that it happens to kids. That night, they had sex in his apartment. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Lonetree now questions whether he was punished for speaking up. Break the Floor Productions Jan 2015 - Aug 2019 4 years 8 months. 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 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. Break The Floor now draws around 300,000 dance students, some as . Stroming declined repeated interview requests. . 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 . 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. An Ottawa dancer working as an assistant for the company said the same choreographer groped him in public. Who's who in the break the floor investigation. 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. 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.. Which in fact, he wasnt, Hudson said in his video, viewed over 6,300 times. I totally feel like I was a headache [for Stroming], Lonetree said. To my family, friends, colleagues and, most importantly, to those who bravely stepped forward to share their truth: I am truly sorry. Email. The creative type? At 16, Hudson looked forward to the festive weekend gatherings. 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. A few months later, without warning, Lavallee said, Wall cut off communication with him in the middle of one weekend and didnt show up to one of their scheduled teaching sessions. Break the Floor Productions LLC operates as a dance entertainment company. 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. If an event changes from in-person to virtual, the difference in fees will be refunded within 7 business days of the event. Break The Floors Health & Safety Protocols can be found here: https://www.breakthefloor.com/safety. 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 How much do Break The Floor Productions employees make? Hudson alleges Meismer pushed him against a wall and performed oral sex on him. Find top employees, contact details and business statistics at RocketReach. JUMP is proud to integrate CODA into all its competition. Lonetree said he recounted the alleged exchange to Stroming. Meismer didn't respond to repeated requests for comment. Website. He said he must have passed out and has no recollection of sending the text. This story was reported in partnership with the Toronto Star. We are working on our competition entry limits for each event and will announce them soon. In summer 2018, about two years after Ellis approached Stroming about Lazzarinis conduct, 17-year-old Zeke Lindsey met Lazzarini and began taking his classes. 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. In his first 10 days as CEO, he said four people were let go.. 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 only reason I could think of was because we didnt take it further romantically.. A post shared by Travis Wall (@traviswall). All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! The whole story seems fishy. We understand that some studios and families might not yet feel comfortable attending the in-person workshop. 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.. Film Production. Learn More About 24 Seven! 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. 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. 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. Location. I was definitely inappropriate myself in a lot of ways, he told his staff. 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. Check! California teacher who gave birth to child fathered by student hit with another sexual abuse lawsuit 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. Seven sources say they saw Stroming interact with students in ways that appeared intimate and inappropriate. 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. Uchida is now volunteering with BTF to help further revise the dance companys code of conduct. About us. He is no longer with the company, according to Break The Floor. 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. His picture and profile disappeared from the website, though there was no formal announcement of his departure. Button taught at Radix conventions. 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 . - And more! This will be a real. Start of main content. That dancer now works for BTF as a choreographer. 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. . Ellis started working for BTF in merchandising, selling clothing at events in 2015 when he was 19. Russell Geyser is the new CEO of Break the Floor Productions. Break the Floor has a fervent following. Receive a full refund within 7 business days of the event. A third said he and Lazzarini exchanged nude photos when he was 17. Break The Floor Productions 5446 Satsuma Ave North Hollywood, CA 91601 jam . For aspiring young dancers like Clarke, the companys events are an almost mandatory stop if they want to pursue dancing professionally. Now is the time for continued open dialogue, soul searching, and decisive action towards making amends. Im not trying to bring this company down. Lonetree was 19. 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. In the months that followed, Ellis said he began accepting Lazzarinis advances, once making out in the choreographers hotel room during a work break. 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. And five dancers are suing former Boston Ballet star Dusty Button and her husband, alleging sexual abuse and assault. The number of employees ranges from 25 to 100. 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. 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. Will Conventions & Competitions be happening? The incentive is a tax credit designed to help address complaints from school boards, police departments and hospitals about the growing . I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. Maples mother, however, told the news organizations that she saw the photos when they appeared on shared photo albums on their familys home computer. Entering a BTF event is like walking into a carnival. Break the Floor is the largest producer of dance conventions in the world with three dance conventions, JUMP, NUVO and 24 Seven Dance . All I would need to do is say [five] words: I know what you did. . 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. Who would give someone Ecstacy in their parents home? Reviews from Break The Floor Productions employees about Break The Floor Productions culture, salaries, benefits, work-life balance, management, job security, and more. 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 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. 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. He said he had never done drugs of any kind before. 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. Schaufeld stopped dancing years ago and has no plans to return to the studio. 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. He added new conventions, and new locations, branching into Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada. The dance world, its not like its different than any other world, its just that theyve been able to keep their secrets longer.. I cant tell you how many times I thought about writing to Travis (Wall). 24Seven 2021. When I began teaching dance, I did so with the singular goal of helping individuals discover, develop, and express their truest selves. A year later, Hudson stayed with Meismer when he joined Break The Floors fledgling NUVO convention as part of its original lineup of instructors. His representatives at the MSA Agency also said they had no comment on his behalf. He apologized and said he himself was a victim of abuse as a teen, and that his texts to Maples were a one time ever brief exchange.. Find salaries. His mental health deteriorated. Operating Status Active. Lindsey said he eventually sent nude photos back when he was 17. In dance studios, Hudson says Meismer would guide him into bathroom stalls for oral sex. 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The ultimate goal is winning first place under the spotlight at the annual Dance Awards. Six of them have agreed to go public with their allegations. Stroming was three years older, she said, a magnetic 19-year-old running the whole show. The next day Meismer was removed from NUVOs website and abruptly left the tour. In 2018, 14 years later, he decided to tell his family, and confront Wallace directly. Wall did not respond to detailed questions sent by The Star, and said only the accusations against me are false, in a statement through a publicist. We are committed to making studios and families feel confident and secure when registering for our events. We are truly heartbroken that anyone has been subject to inappropriate behaviour by any person associated with Break The Floor, the statement read. His mental health deteriorated. Sexual abuse pervades the dance world, according to child advocates and industry leaders. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, By Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza and Morgan Bocknek | Associated Press and Toronto Star. We could have and should have done better, he said. 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. Description. One of those dancers was Patrick Ellis, who alleges that he told Break the Floors CEO, Gil Stroming, that Lazzarini had stuffed his hand up through a hole in Elliss pants and tried to fondle him. (US Only) 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. Allegations of sexual misconduct first hit the dance company in October, when the Toronto Star revealed allegations of widespread sexual harassment and predatory behavior by Break the Floor instructors. Its headquarters is located at New York, New York, USA. National News | 11/20/2022 12:38 PM. Two of the choreographers facing allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour are listed as employees on the companys website. At BTF, this contact led to physical boundaries being blurred. In a statement, BTF Productions said, For some time, we have taken substantial steps to ensure BTF is the safe and comfortable environment that our attendees and employees deserve and expect.. Upload your resume. Now 25, Uchida grew up attending BTF conventions. 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 might just be his lucky break into professional dance. But during a 2020 in-house training, a recording of which was reviewed by the AP and Star, Stroming addressed his own past misconduct. However, Lavallee said Wall told him he had romantic feelings for him, and thought of him as his best friend. Another said Lazzarini texted her a nude selfie when she was 16. Allegations and Scandal Update. Ghislaine Maxwells appeals arguments mirror earlier claims He said he felt punished for dodging the alleged sexual advances. Contact. He said he found the work climate to be too sexualized to continue there. Three of these dancers were under 18. j***@breakthefloor.com. Average hourly pay for Break The Floor Productions Av Technician: $21. Following his bosss instruction, Ellis went back to his tasks at BTF. 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. 2.7. But at Meismers house, they didnt discuss work. Earlier this year, after Geyser took the helm as CEO, Break The Floor published a new code of conduct. 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. 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. 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. The Stars prior investigation uncovered allegations that Lazzarini had subjected at least six dancers to unwanted sexual advances at Break The Floor events. I would not have stayed silent, said Wendy in a phone interview with the Star. Meismer asked the young dancer, then 17, to come to his home. He worked at a convention in Minneapolis, Minn., where he alleges a 31-year-old Lazzarini groped him. New App with lots of helpful features. National News | 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. Break the Floors reach extends across the entertainment industry to some of the biggest names in music, television and social media. Break the Floor Productions is one of the world's preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing dance conventions, touring theatrical productions, software, photo and video . Take a look at our available positions: 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. On all orders over $100! 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. High school student, convention boyfriend. Lavallee said he made it clear he was not interested in a sexual relationship. Lilli Maples had taken classes with Gabriel since she was 10 years old. We remain committed to these initiatives and will continue to learn and be better.. Break The Floor (@breakthefloor) on TikTok | 2M Likes. With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 100,000+ dancers annually, Break The Floor Productions is largely . Check! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Instinct Magazine 2023 - All Rights Reserved. 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. Learn how to leverage transparent company data at scale. Lindsey alleges Lazzarini sent him nude photos of himself. The only reason I could think of was because we didnt take it further romantically. Here is how it will work: JUMP, NUVO & 24 Seven will be planning all events, in-person, for the upcoming season. At least four people removed from Break The Floor for alleged misconduct have continued to work around kids in other settings. October 25 2021 2:20 PM EST. 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 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. The AP and the Star haven't seen these messages because Maples said theyd been deleted. He was inviting her to his hotel room. I just knew after that the company was bad news and I wanted out.. 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. Related Articles Lawyers for Saradpon and the Buttons didn't respond to requests for comment. And so Schaufeld stayed quiet. He referred reporters to his lawyer, who didnt respond. Break The Floor Productions. An Ottawa dancer working as an assistant for the company said the same choreographer groped him in public. I felt very invalidated, Ellis said. 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. This might just be his lucky break into professional dance. Break The Floor Productions is part of the Home Improvement & Hardware Retail industry, and located in California, United States. It is one of the most exciting events of a young dancers life, recalled Keanu Uchida, a professional dancer from Ottawa. 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. While for some of the dancers in this story the sexual interactions were, at the time, consensual, they now feel a power imbalance pressured them into relationships with leaders of the dance world who are many years older than them. Break The Floor now draws around 300,000 dance students, some as . Free and open company data on California (US) company BREAK THE FLOOR PRODUCTIONS LLC (company number 201329710098), 5446 SATSUMA AVE, NORTH HOLLYWOOD, 91601.
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