He added new conventions, and new locations, branching into Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada. 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. In 2019, Stroming quietly fired him after he posted, then quickly removed, a video of himself masturbating on Instagram, as the Star previously reported. The annual revenue of Break The Floor Productions varies between 25M and 100M. 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. Ghislaine Maxwells appeals arguments mirror earlier claims Headquarters Regions Greater Los Angeles Area, West Coast, Western US. Contact. However, Lavallee said Wall told him he had romantic feelings for him, and thought of him as his best friend. 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 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. Operator of dance entertainment company committed to creating a dance culture. This story was reported in partnership with the Toronto Star. That dancer now works for BTF as a choreographer. The next morning, Stroming left abruptly for Las Vegas and handed her $40 for a cab ride back to the airport. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Lonetree said he recounted the alleged exchange to Stroming. Check! Several individuals have recently stepped forward to publicly express their feelings of hurt or betrayal based on interactions they had with me between 2012 and 2020. On all orders over $100! (US Only) Phone Number (706) 217-6462. Employers / Post Job. 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 . It has been humbling. JUMP, NUVO and 24 Seven will host a virtual event, specific to the event and city, and broadcast from our studios in Los Angeles. Will Conventions & Competitions be happening? After he turned 18, he engaged in a consensual sexual relationship with Lazzarini. 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. Break The Floor now draws around 300,000 dance students, some as . But he was uncomfortable when a dance teacher, Mark Meismer, in his early 30s, repeatedly told him how attractive he was. 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 . Find company research, competitor information, contact details & financial data for Break The Floor Productions LLC of Los Angeles, CA. We were doing hand massages, which just creeps me out now, he said. I just knew after that the company was bad news and I wanted out.. Jeremy Hudson, now a professional dancer, came of age on the convention circuit and won Outstanding Dancer of the Year at the first JUMP Nationals in 2004. Schaufeld stopped dancing years ago and has no plans to return to the studio. Lindsey, from California, said he started exchanging text messages with the 34-year-old choreographer. Contact Email [email protected]. All of our in-person events will now have a virtual option. Hudson said he was optimistic. 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.. The whole story seems fishy. It just felt like the next step was for us to be in contact and kiss one another.. Emmy winning choreographer Travis Wall has been cut from Break the Floor dance company's traveling tours amid an investigation into an accusation of . 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 . Break The Floor Productions. 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. The biggest problem facing the dance industry (and everything, quite frankly) is uncertainty. Lonetree now questions whether he was punished for speaking up. At least four people removed from Break The Floor for alleged misconduct have continued to work around kids in other settings. 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. The lawsuit and its disturbing allegations have rocked the ballet world, one populated by young dancers most of them girls who train under exacting instructors in hopes of reaching the top . Hudson alleges Meismer pushed him against a wall and performed oral sex on him. He said he must have passed out and has no recollection of sending the text. 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. Two of the choreographers facing allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour are listed as employees on the companys website. 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. In 2019, according to multiple sources, Lazzarini accidentally posted to Instagram a video that appears to show himself masturbating. june 24-july 1. the venetian/palazzo. Lawyers for Saradpon and the Buttons didnt respond to requests for comment. His mental health deteriorated. JUMP/NUVO/24SEVEN/TDA.Watch the latest video from Break The Floor (@breakthefloor). She says she didnt attend any auditions, and returned home devastated. I felt very invalidated, Ellis said. Hicks said he apologized to Lonetree and was reprimanded by Stroming. I was definitely inappropriate myself in a lot of ways, he told his staff. But at Meismers house, they didnt discuss work. A Toronto-born teen alleged a famous choreographer propositioned her for sex just hours after judging her at a 2012 Break the Floor convention. He was a teen in 2004, assisting a successful tap dancer named Danny Wallace, who wasn't with Break the Floor at the time, but would go on to run one of its subsidiary conventions. Click to reveal A post shared by Break The Floor Productions (@breakthefloorprod). 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. Website. 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. CODA aims to revolutionize the dance competition experience and is complimentary for every routine registered for JUMP, NUVO, 24 Seven and The Dance Awards. The company provides dance workshops and competitions, touring theatrical productions, photo and video production, corporate events and apparel along with a broad range of business prospects to its customers. Receive up-to-date schedules and info when attending any of the Break The Floor events: JUMP, NUVO, 24 Seven, The Dance Awards, DancerPalooza and Dance Teacher Summit! Schaufeld stopped dancing years ago and has no plans to return to the studio. Sign in. Gabriel who has performed with Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Beyonc and more was recently removed from the JUMP faculty. 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. Our goal for this coming season is clear we are going to be holding all events, no matter what, GUARANTEED. but trust us. The ultimate goal is winning first place under the spotlight at the annual Dance Awards. If an event changes from in-person to virtual, the difference in fees will be refunded within 7 business days of the event. He said that he and Lonetree flirted with one another before the text in question. 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 . 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 Productions 6555 Barton Ave., Ste. 15 reviews. CODA is Break The Floor's innovative online system of style specific score sheets, video tutorials, data analytics and judge training. These include Viewport Meta, IPhone / Mobile Compatible, and LetsEncrypt. 185.120.77.169 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Instinct Magazine 2023 - All Rights Reserved. Afterwards, Schaufeld said Wallace told him never to say anything; it would be bad for both of their careers. Mom Chief & Officer at Break The Floor Productions . Each of them has since left the company amid allegations of sexual misconduct. To get anywhere, like here, you have to do whatever the teachers said, you know what I mean? 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. 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.. 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. Studio Owners, please contact us to confirm pricing, discounts, and incentives. And everybody strives for that, obviously, because that leads to more opportunity and attention from the faculty, said Uchida. October 25 2021 2:20 PM EST. In the years that followed, Hudson said Meismer continued to pursue him for sex. 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. I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. 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. Thank you. As I embark on a path of repentance, I will use the platform I have been given to do better in the future and to help others get it right too. I was naive, and I was just letting it all happen, Lindsey said. He also noted that he was not in a position of authority but in a first-year, entry-level position. 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. I apologize and sincerely regret that my actions have hurt people I cherish or has broken their trust. 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.. And five dancers are suing former Boston Ballet star Dusty Button and her husband, alleging sexual abuse and assault. Uchida is now volunteering with BTF to help further revise the dance companys code of conduct. Of the eight allegations made, Wall is only implicated in the one featured in this article- and it happened nearly fourteen years ago. 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.. What if we plan on it and they are cancelled again? 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. 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.. 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. it's worth it! Snapshot; Why Join 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 . His mental health deteriorated. The only reason I could think of was because we didnt take it further romantically.. One said Lazzarini groped him through a hole in his pants. Yet, I am blessed to be surrounded by the people I love and thank them for their patience and grace. 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. One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students. 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. confront my own shortcomings, I vow to take every step necessary to turn them into the very strengths I will use to help empower and protect others. Headquarters. Stroming did not respond to specific questions, though told the Star that the dance company did not have fully thought out policies and procedures regarding this and, over the last year and a half we have worked very hard to make BTF a better and safer environment for everyone.. 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. National News | 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. 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. Earlier this year, after Geyser took the helm as CEO, Break The Floor published a new code of conduct. 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. That night, they had sex in his apartment. - See show line-ups. Through transparency, integrity, and professionalism, we believe we can become a model throughout the dance industry. (Please note: Some fall cities have a registration deadline of only 14 days prior). Who would give someone Ecstacy in their parents home? 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. At 16, Hudson looked forward to the festive weekend gatherings. 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. The Stars prior investigation uncovered allegations that Lazzarini had subjected at least six dancers to unwanted sexual advances at Break The Floor events. 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. Allegations and Scandal Update. 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 didn't respond to the specific allegations. Entering a BTF event is like walking into a carnival. 5446 Satsuma Ave, N Hollywood, California, 91601, United States. 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. Break the Floor (who is bringing in a third party to launch an investigation into the accusation lobbied against Wall) said in a story on the companys Instagram page on Friday Travis will not be traveling with BTF until weve had the opportunity for a third-party to look into these allegations,going on to say We take this very seriously and will take further action if necessary.For his own part, Wall told the Star through his publicist thatthe accusations against me are false, but has not commented on on being cut from Break the Floors tour due to the accusations. Finally, 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. Break The Floor Productions, LLC was formed in 1999 by Gil Stroming with the rock-tap show Break The Floor. Founders Gil Stroming. So I think I always kind of accepted it as, it is what it is, you cant do anything about it. . With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000 dancers annually, Break the Floor Productions is largely responsible for the transformation of dance entertainment. 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. With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000+ dancers annually, Break The Floor Productions is largely . 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. Check! Which in fact, he wasnt, Hudson said in his video, viewed over 6,300 times. 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 Susan Kao illustration with photos from Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images, John Lamparski/Getty Images, Broderick Baumann and ngel Vasquez, VIDEO OF BTF EVENT, OCT. 14, 2018: NICO LONETREE/@NICOGOOFS. Check! Keanu Uchida, photographed in Montreal, said many student dancers at Break the Floor endured inappropriate sexual advances from their instructors. 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.. Follow Break The Floor Productions on Instagram. I wish I would have known back at the time when it happened. 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. 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. The Star has spoken to a friend of Lindseys who said they saw the texts and photos Lindsey and Lazzarini exchanged. 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. Lawyers for Saradpon and the Buttons didn't respond to requests for comment. Another said Lazzarini texted her a nude selfie when she was 16. - And 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 . 10 Mar, 2022, 01.17 PM IST. j***@breakthefloor.com. He was inviting her to his hotel room. Can a dancer do the scholarship audition through a virtual event? We are committed to making studios and families feel confident and secure when registering for our events. Ellis said Stroming peppered him with questions. 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. I was definitely inappropriate myself in a lot of ways, he told his staff. 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. Hicks, meanwhile, continued to work at RADIX every season, through 2021. At BTF, this contact led to physical boundaries being blurred. He stopped eating and sleeping, and suffered from panic attacks, he said. 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. The Break The Floor faculty can't wait to dance with you!