break the floor accusations

According to the Star, Wall told the outlet through his publicist that "the accusations against me are false," in response to the Star's initial story, but did not comment on being cut from Break the Floor's tour as a result of the accusation. Who's who in the break the floor investigation. The Star has spoken to a friend of Lindseys who said they saw the texts and photos Lindsey and Lazzarini exchanged. While not all of the complainants in this story were involved with Break the Floor at the time of the alleged incidents, those accused of wrongdoing have played key roles in growing the companys reach and popularity. By clicking accept, you agree to this use. 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. Wall has previously said "accusations against me are false." They provide amazing opportunities. The company also published a new code of conduct. They provide amazing opportunities. 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 performances led by elite dancers and choreographers known from Broadway, film and television. 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. just about 10 hours ago, the owner of BTF Gil, who has also been accused of abuse has stepped down. A third said he and Lazzarini exchanged nude photos when he was 17. 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. ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"captionPosition":"overlay","origImageSize":"1200x800","fullWindowGenericImage":false,"lastmodified":1650401372730,"forceoriginal":false,"caption":"Gary Schaufeld fell in love with tap dancing at seven years old. Discover short videos related to breakthefloor allegations on TikTok. The AP and Star have not seen these messages because Maples said theyd been deleted. On Oct. 1, BTF kicked off its fall season with an event in Toronto at an airport hotel. Emmy Award Winning Choreographer Travis Wall and SYTYCD Winner Nick Home - Break The Floor He said he found the work climate to be too sexualized to continue there. ", The day before, the company posted another statement on its Instagram account. "The dance community has long dealt with issues of inappropriate power dynamics as well as overt unacceptable behavior," Break the Floor said in a statement posted to Instagram Thursday. At BTF, this contact led to physical boundaries being blurred. Emmy Award winner Travis Wall taken off tour with Break the Floor dance "In. Six dancers, including Clarke, allege Lazzarini subjected them to unwanted sexual advances. When I began teaching dance, I did so with the singular goal of helping individuals discover, develop, and express their truest selves. Stroming did not respond to questions about this incident. The only reason I could think of was because we didnt take it further romantically.. "We take this very seriously and will take further action if necessary. Lavallee said Walls disappearance left him feeling unmoored and now feels he was being groomed for a sexual relationship. I took the word of this choreographer, and thought he was helping me build a dance career. So I think I always kind of accepted it as, it is what it is, you cant do anything about it. . Any claims to the contrary are simply untrue., Nick Lazzarini: My Apology and Promise to Do Better. Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. Due to the investigation, the dance company said it will be looking into the accusations. Break the Floor would not confirm if he was one of the four that were let go in the days after Stroming sold the company. Hudson alleges Meismer pushed him against a wall and performed oral sex on him. The Star/AP spoke to the dancers father, who said that in the years following, she told him about what happened with Stroming. "We are committed to being a serious voice in this conversation and will continue our diligent efforts to positively impact the dance industry," the company added. She says she didnt attend any auditions and returned home devastated. "Travis will not be traveling with BTF until we've had an opportunity to look into these allegations." BTF announced in a statement via Instagram. 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. This comes after the Toronto Star published a recent news story accusing him of s*xually questionable behavior. Lavallee also said that Wall gave him ecstasy that night. ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"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. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $(document).ready(function() {\n $('.SA_response-container').click(function() {\n $('.SA_hidden', this).toggle();\n });\n });\n ","wallHtmlBody":". Wall's publicist maintains that the accusations are entirely false. His mental health deteriorated. 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. 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. In light of this, over the last 18 months, we have made substantial strides to ensure BTR is a better and safer environment for everyone.". And everybody strives for that, obviously, because that leads to more opportunity and attention from the faculty, said Uchida. 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. Break the Floor faces new sexual misconduct allegations In 2019, Stroming quietly fired him after he posted, then quickly removed, a video that appears to show himself masturbating on Instagram, as the Star previously reported. : A Star investigation has found allegations of widespread sexual harassment and predatory behaviour at Break the Floor, a prominent company that tours Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Six of them have agreed to go public with their allegations. "The dance community has long dealt with issues of inappropriate power dynamics as well as overt unacceptable behavior," the company wrote. He vowed to make Break the Floor a safe space for the next generation of dancers the same goal, he said, that he had when he launched the dance company more than 20 years ago as a charismatic 19-year-old. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. Schaufeld said Wallace asked him to assist him at an event in Ontario, along with another female dancer, and they were sharing a room in an Ottawa hotel. Representatives for Wall and Break the Floor did not immediately respond to TheWraps request for comment Saturday. 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. Two-time Emmy-winning choreographer and So You Think You Can Dance star Travis Wall has been taken off of the Break the Floor dance company's tours after allegations of sexual misconduct and grooming were leveled at him by a then-underaged dancer with the company. Travis will not be traveling with BTF until weve had the opportunity for a third-party to look into these allegations, Break the Floor said in a statement shared in the dance companys Instagram Stories Friday. Lindsey alleges Lazzarini sent him nude photos of himself. presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution "The problem was not [the taking of his own life]. The ultimate goal is winning first place under the spotlight at the annual Dance Awards. 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. 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.. 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.. 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. One of those students, Myles Lavallee, accused Wall of beginning to groom him when Lavallee was 16 and Wall was around 20. Meismer did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Stroming started the company after he came to fame in the 1990s, performing in an off-Broadway show Tap Dogs, described in The New York Times as a beefcake tap-a-thon where six husky hoofers show off more than their fancy footwork.. Gil Stromings company capitalized on all of that studio growth, a dance industry that reached some $4 billion in value by 2021, employing more than 120,000 people, according to market research from analysts at IBISWorld. It just felt like the next step was for us to be in contact and kiss one another.. Seven sources say they saw Stroming interact with students in ways that appeared intimate and inappropriate. It is one of the most exciting events of a young dancers life, recalled Keanu Uchida, a professional dancer from Ottawa. 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 investigation by The Toronto Star into his alleged sexually inappropriate behavior. Instagram Wall is just one of several Break the Floor employees facing allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior from former staff and students. I apologize and sincerely regret that my actions have hurt people I cherish or has broken their trust. All of these sources spoke on the condition of anonymity in fear of retaliation and damage to their careers in the professional dance community. Stroming did not respond to questions about Elliss allegations. ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"It was my church, he said, but now the whole dance scene feels dirty and tainted.","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"captionPosition":"overlay","origImageSize":"960x1200","fullWindowGenericImage":false,"lastmodified":1650411169104,"forceoriginal":false,"caption":"Gary Schaufeld was a teenager in 2004 when he alleges a dance instructor pushed him up against a wall in an Ottawa, Ont., hotel room and forced oral sex on him. A joint investigation by the Toronto Star and the Associated Press has found alleged sexual misconduct stretches back to the dance companys early years, and involves some of its most prominent instructors and Stroming himself. In a series of text messages between Schaufeld and Wallace, reviewed by the Star/AP, Schaufeld laid out his accusations and Wallace said that although he couldnt remember anything, he couldnt be more sorry.. The problem was the three-year-old boy that was in the video with this guy. One night, Schaufeld said, Wallace pushed him up against the wall and forced oral sex on him. In his first 10 days as CEO, he said he let four people go because of credible allegations of misconduct. Stroming picked up Lazzarini at the height of his fame to join the convention circuit, teaching hundreds of thousands of aspiring young dancers. Break the Floor is investigating an allegation of sexually inappropriate behaviour raised in a Toronto Star investigation. Travis Wall Sexual Misconduct Accusation, Cut From Break the Floor 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 company's Instagram page on Friday "Travis will not be traveling with BTF until we've had the opportunity for a third-party to look into these allegations," going on to say "We take this very seriously and Meismer allegedly asked the young dancer, then 17, to come to his home. Meismer did not respond to repeated requests for comment. 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. "Travis will not be traveling with BTF until we've had the opportunity for a third-party to look into these allegations," Break the Floor said in a statement posted on Instagram Stories on Friday, according toThe Wrap. I could feel the relationship change because I basically rejected the offer. Travis Wall Dismissed From Tour After Sexual Misconduct Allegations Im not trying to bring this company down. So did his brother Jeff the companys chief production officer and mother Jackie, known within the company as the Chief Mom Officer.. As a result of the story, Break the Floor is bringing in a third party to launch an investigation into the accusation made against So You Think You Can Dance alum Wall. 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. Wall helped bring the first same-sex pairing to So You Think You Can Dance. Travis Wall Dismissed From Tour After Sexual Misconduct Allegations It was my church, he said, but now the whole dance scene feels dirty and tainted.. Btf Tv Mega dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say Geyser said the allegations have nothing to do with the current company, and that people involved with alleged misconduct no longer work for Break The Floor. In 2018, 14 years later, he decided to tell his family, and then confront Wallace directly. The Star's investigation found that eight former staff and students at Break the Floor alleged that company staff "initiated sexual conversations, propositioned them for sex, sent them nude photos, sexually harassed them at work or engaged in sexual relationships with them.". I was naive, and I was just letting it all happen, Lindsey said. Male Dancer Accuses Travis Wall of Sexual Misconduct and Grooming Donald Padgett. I then felt very embarrassed. My resolve is unwavering. For aspiring young dancers like Clarke, the companys events are an almost mandatory stop if they want to pursue dancing professionally. 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. 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. But the sexual climate behind closed doors is deplorable to me. Travis Wall is being accused of giving a minor crystal meth at a hotel party. Break the Floor has a fervent following. But after speaking with the Star/AP in February, Hudson went public and shared his experience in an emotional Instagram video, without naming Meismer. But during a 2020 in-house training, a recording of which was reviewed by the Star/AP, Stroming addressed his own past misconduct. 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., In a written statement he told AP/Star I have been very upfront that when I first started the company at 19, over 20 years ago, there were issues of inappropriateness., The reach of California-based Break The Floor Productions extends across the entertainment industry to some of the biggest names in music, television and social media. With stronger policies, he and his executive team would secure the sprawling organization that hosts as many as 300,000 aspiring dancers each year. One said Lazzarini groped him through a hole in his pants. Mega dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say That same year, Lavallee alleges a 24-year-old dancer forced himself onto a 16-year-old Lavallee at a party. Gabriel, when asked about Mapless accusation, said in a written statement that he had been drinking heavily that night to control fears about serious health problems in his family. Travis Wall taken off tour with Break the Floor dance company following Former DancerPalooza instructor, Eric Saradpon, has been charged by the Riverside County. But for many years the secret ate away at him. Nowhere in the world of education should students feel they are underneath the predators, he said. 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.. Hicks said he apologized to Lonetree and was reprimanded by Stroming. Once a dancer himself, Stroming said he was already making improvements. NSFW Travis Wall Allegations For those who don't know, the competitive dance world is exploding with allegations of s*xual grooming and overall predatory behavior at Break the Floor dance conventions. The Toronto Stars story, which was published Thursday, detailed widespread sexual harassment and predatory behavior at the North America-based Break the Floor. ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"In an interview with the Star/AP, Wallace denied Schaufelds allegations and said nothing physical ever transpired between them, though he said he remembered having an inappropriate attraction to Schaufeld. Lazzarini denies subjecting anyone to unwanted sexual advances. I was definitely inappropriate myself in a lot of ways, he told his staff. Male Dancer Accuses Travis Wall of Sexual Misconduct and Grooming He was a teenager in 2004, assisting a successful tap dancer named Danny Wallace, who was not with Break the Floor at the time. I believe that we are doing more than most organizations to combat this head on, he said. Travis Wall Scandal After Being Suspended From Break The Floor In dance studios, Hudson said Meismer would guide him into bathroom stalls for oral sex. Donald Padgett October 25 2021. Earlier this year, after Geyser took the helm as CEO, Break the Floor implemented procedures to protect children, including, among other things, a hotline, background checks for new staffers and a commitment to commission independent probes into allegations. If an event changes from in-person to virtual, the difference in fees will be . BTFs website shows the company still employs Wall, who is currently scheduled to be part of a BTF-affiliated dance conventions 2021-2022 faculty. Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. 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. Tennessee Rep. Scotty Campbell resigns after harassment violation A year or so later, shortly after her 18th birthday, Stroming flew the dancer out to New York, where he told her he had lined up dance auditions, she says. Travis Wall Removed From Dance Tour After Misconduct Allegation Stroming was three years older, she said, a magnetic 19-year old running the whole show. Many described an overtly sexual environment. "In. 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.. Two of the choreographers facing allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour are listed as employees on the companys website. About two decades ago, when she was a 20-year-old dance teacher accompanying her students to a Break the Floor event, she said she refused Gil Stromings $500 offer to join him in his hotel room. And so Schaufeld stayed quiet. Dancers accuse some of Break the Floor's famous choreographers of sexual harassment and grooming. Break the Floor cited new training that employees have been required to take along with a new and updated code of conduct. Includes allegations against Break the Floor founder Gil Stroming (referenced in 1 episode by Abby), as well as choreographers Mark Meismer (had Elliana as a regular assistant over the pandemic, taught the older girls choreography at ALDC LA) and Travis Wall (danced with Maddie on SYTYCD . 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. Company instructors have appeared on ABCs Dancing with the Stars, Lifetimes Dance Moms and Foxs So You Think You Can Dance.. I just didnt know myself enough to understand how harmful it was, Hudson said. He had been heading it uninterrupted for 22 years, presiding over its consistent growth, when a 2021 Star investigation revealed allegations of widespread sexual harassment and predatory behaviour by Break the Floor coaches over their younger students. This was in 2008, when Wall was at the height of his fame, having become a staple on television after placing second on So You Think You Can Dance. Wall has denied these allegations. Schaufeld stopped dancing years ago and has no plans to return to the studio. Mega dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say 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. During this time we have received training from Youth Protection Advocates in Dance, have introduced new tools for faculty education, have worked with Wade Robson on implementing a revised faculty and staff code of conduct, and have updated company policies and procedures all with a focus on safety at our events. 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. With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000 dancers annually, Break the Floor Productions is largely . He added new conventions and new locations, branching into Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada. He was inviting her to his hotel room. Ellis alleges that Stroming decided there was no sexual harassment because Lazzarini never touched his genitals. To order Thousands of hopefuls cram into hotel ballrooms across the continent for the chance to be discovered by a top choreographer and catapulted into the spotlight. As for the other allegation from the then-16-year old, Gabriel denied sending the photo, saying he would never engage in inappropriate behaviour that would ever lead to sending something like this to a teenager. TikTokWant more news, top stories, and videos? Thursday's testimony became heated, with Trump's accuser, E. Jean Carroll raising her voice at one point, and the judge scolding a Trump lawyer for asking questions that were "argumentative . Mega Dance Company Bred Culture of Sex, Silence, Dancers Say - US News Trump 'slammed' E. Jean Carroll before allegedly raping her - New York Post NASHVILLE, Tenn. - As lawmakers filed into the House chamber after a lunch break on Thursday, the desk of former state Rep. Scotty Campbell sat empty, the characteristic lawmaker name plate . He called me his convention boyfriend, recalled Hudson. He accepted a sought-after opportunity to assist Meismer as they toured various studios and conventions together. Lavallee said he did not tell Stroming or BTF staff about what he alleges happened with either Wall or the other choreographer, saying he thought his concerns would not be taken seriously. Hundreds of studios and schools from. Ellis started working for BTF in merchandising, selling clothing at events in 2015 when he was 19. Wall has previously said "accusations against me are false." Travis Wall Sexual Misconduct Accusation, Cut From Break the Floor Which in fact, he wasnt, Hudson said in his video, viewed over 6,300 times. We were doing hand massages, which just creeps me out now, he said. ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"In a series of text messages between Schaufeld and Wallace, reviewed by the Star/AP, Schaufeld laid out his accusations and Wallace said that although he couldnt remember anything, he couldnt be more sorry. ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"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. Check out the all NEW Advocate Channel! In hotel ballrooms across the United States and Canada, Break the Floor sells the dream of Hollywood fame to ambitious young dancers hoping to launch careers on television, in movies and on stage. For Myles Lavallee, that blurred student-teacher relationship began with BTF instructor Travis Wall. 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. 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. Since the accusations have come to light, Break the Floor has removed Travis Wall as a staff member for the time being. 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. Inside a Manhattan hotel, one of those choreographers Clarke idolized was now propositioning her for sex, she alleges. Hamilton also said perpetrators in many youth-focused organizations use hotel rooms away from home to exploit the power imbalance between teachers and students. 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 . Travis Wall Sexual Misconduct Accusation, Cut From Break the Floor In light of this, over the last 18 months, we have made substantial strides to ensure BTR is a better and safer environment for everyone. 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. This site uses cookies for analytics, personalized content, and ads. He said he felt punished for dodging the alleged sexual advances. I felt very invalidated, Ellis said. "The dance community has long dealt with issues of inappropriate power dynamics as well as overt unacceptable behavior," Break the Floor said in a statement posted to Instagram Thursday.

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