In dance spaces, students are in frequent and close contact with their teachers, spending long hours training and rehearsing with them. A third said he and Lazzarini exchanged nude photos when he was 17. Break The Floor Productions is part of the Home Improvement & Hardware Retail industry, and located in California, United States. with photos from Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star 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. 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. A Toronto-born teen alleged a famous choreographer propositioned her for sex just hours after judging her at a 2012 Break the Floor convention. Break the Floor Productions LLC operates as a dance entertainment company. At least four people removed from Break The Floor for alleged misconduct have continued to work around kids in other settings. las vegas, nv. I just knew after that the company was bad news and I wanted out.. 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. Discover jobs. Legal Name Break The Floor Productions. Phone Number (706) 217-6462. Nowhere in the world of education should students feel they are underneath the predators, he said. In the next week, we will be releasing an FAQ that will deal with all other questions. 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. Check! The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Alumni and faculty have danced on stage with Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, at the Oscars and the Super Bowl. Who would give someone Ecstacy in their parents home? CODA aims to revolutionize the dance competition experience and is complimentary for every routine registered for JUMP, NUVO, 24 Seven and The Dance Awards. 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. At 16, Hudson looked forward to the festive weekend gatherings. july 8-15. hyatt regency orlando. However, Lavallee said Wall told him he had romantic feelings for him, and thought of him as his best friend. That same year, Lavallee alleges a 24-year-old dancer forced himself onto a 16-year-old Lavallee at a party. 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. Attendees squeeze into small ballrooms where choreographers teach classes. At 16, Hudson looked forward to the festive weekend gatherings. Website. 2.7. Arts Apr 20. Break The Floor Productions, LLC is one of the world's preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing touring theatrical productions, dance workshops, photo and video production, corporate events and apparel. Professional dancers suffer a wide swath of sexual predation from irritating flirtation to full-out devastating attacks. He called me his convention boyfriend, recalled Hudson. Lonetree now questions whether he was punished for speaking up. 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. 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. Break The Floor Productions. 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 . Which in fact, he wasnt, Hudson said in his video, viewed over 6,300 times. Saying Pennsylvania is in the midst of a workforce crisis, Gov. This option would also allow the dancers or studios attending the virtual workshop to still come to the venue for the competition portion of the event. 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. 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. 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. I believe if I had been taken seriously at the time I came forward with my experiences, this could have prevented another person from finding themselves in the same position that I was forced into, Ellis said. To get a job at Break The Floor Productions, browse currently open positions and apply for a job near you. It was my church, he said, but now the whole dance scene feels dirty and tainted.. Nowhere in the world of education should students feel they are underneath the predators, he said. That dancer now works for BTF as a choreographer. Contact. 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 . 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. Lilli Maples had taken classes with Gabriel since she was 10 years old. And so Schaufeld stayed quiet. 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.. Average hourly pay for Break The Floor Productions Av Technician: $21. break the floor Blogs, Comments and Archive News on Economictimes.com . Read More . 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. I could feel the relationship change because I basically rejected the offer. In his first 10 days as CEO, he said four people were let go.. Since then, Break The Floor has become one of the world's preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing touring theatrical productions, dance workshops, photo and video production, corporate events and apparel. 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. The next day Meismer was removed from NUVOs website and abruptly left the tour. The next day Meismer was removed from NUVOs website and abruptly left the tour. In 2019, Stroming quietly fired him after he posted, then quickly removed, a video of himself masturbating on Instagram, as the Star previously reported. What will the in-person events look like? Warning: This article includes accounts of alleged sexual harassment that some readers could find distressing. Hicks, meanwhile, continued to work at RADIX every season, through 2021. New York,NY . To my family, friends, colleagues and, most importantly, to those who bravely stepped forward to share their truth: I am truly sorry. 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. Read More. I loved his reality show All the Right Moves & had a crush on Travis, if true makes my crush go away. The next summer, Ellis said he approached Stroming at the Dance Awards, the biggest BTF event of the season, to tell him how Lazzarini had harassed him. He referred reporters to his lawyer, who didnt respond. . National News | But during a 2020 in-house training, a recording of which was reviewed by the AP and Star, Stroming addressed his own past misconduct. Afterwards, Schaufeld said Wallace told him never to say anything; it would be bad for both of their careers. Receive a full refund within 7 business days of the event. And five dancers are suing former Boston Ballet star Dusty Button and her husband, alleging sexual abuse and assault. He called me his convention boyfriend, recalled Hudson. 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 . Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a298e5fcfbebcbd 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. 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. I would not have stayed silent, said Wendy in a phone interview with the Star. These include Viewport Meta, IPhone / Mobile Compatible, and LetsEncrypt. But in January, as the AP and the Star were investigating allegations of sexual misconduct against him and others involved in the company, Stroming announced that he had sold Break the Floor and stepped down as CEO. Jackie Stroming's Phone Number and Email Last Update. It is one of the most exciting events of a young dancers life, recalled Keanu Uchida, a professional dancer from Ottawa. If the in-person event is unable to be held, studios and dancers may choose to: Attend the event virtually (for a discounted rate). I cant tell you how many times I thought about writing to Travis (Wall). 10 Mar, 2022, 01.17 PM IST. Break the Floor founder, celebrity dance instructors face sexual misconduct allegations as the prominent company's crisis deepens. Company Type For Profit. We are truly heartbroken that anyone has been subject to inappropriate behaviour by any person associated with Break The Floor, the statement read. [Winners] get the most attention and respect. But the secret ate away at him. BTFs website shows the company still employs Wall, who is currently scheduled to be part of a BTF-affiliated dance conventions 2021-2022 faculty. 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 didnt really understand why communication was cut off. Subscribe to our emails. 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. Alumni and faculty have danced on stage with Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, at the Oscars and the Super Bowl. - See show line-ups. Stroming picked up Lazzarini at the height of his fame to join the convention circuit, teaching hundreds of thousands of aspiring young dancers. I took the word of this choreographer, and thought he was helping me build a dance career. Break The Floor Productions, LLC uses Remarketing with Google Analytics to advertise on third party sites to you after you visited our Site. Specialties: Event Production Established in 2000. Glassdoor provides our best prediction for total pay in today's job market, along with other types of pay like cash bonuses, stock bonuses, profit sharing, sales commissions, and tips. Thats what Gary Schaufeld says happened to him. Operating Status Active. September 17, 2021. Its touring conventions will make numerous stops this year, from Miami to Vancouver and Calgary to Anchorage, Alaska. Dancers can take workshop classes at home or the studio may organize a watch and dance party at their studio. Ellis started working for BTF in merchandising, selling clothing at events in 2015 when he was 19. I just didnt know myself enough to understand how harmful it was, Hudson said. National News | BTF has undergone training and revised its code of conduct, the company said in a statement. Employers / Post Job. 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.. 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. Russell is known for a high level of professionalism in the entertainment industry. 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. 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. Description. Break the Floor calls itself one of the worlds preeminent dance companies, and its programs reach more than 300,000 dancers each year. 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. Lavallee said he made it clear he was not interested in a sexual relationship. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Instinct Magazine 2023 - All Rights Reserved. National News | For aspiring young dancers like Clarke, the companys events are an almost mandatory stop if they want to pursue dancing professionally. Meismer shushed him, he remembers, warning that someone was asleep in a nearby room. 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. . This might just be his lucky break into professional dance. Of the eight allegations made, Wall is only implicated in the one featured in this article- and it happened nearly fourteen years ago. 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. Seven sources say they saw Stroming interact with students in ways that appeared intimate and inappropriate. Not saying it definitely never happened, but I need more proof before Im willing to label Wall or anyone else a predator. High school student, convention boyfriend. Following his bosss instruction, Ellis went back to his tasks at BTF. Lindsey, from California, said he started exchanging text messages with the 34-year-old choreographer. agreed. 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. Touring to 16 amazing cities across America and Canada, Break The Floor's SUMMER JAM is a full workshop and competition experience featuring a creative mix of all BTF tours: Jump, NUVO, 24 Seven & Radix! All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! We understand that some studios and families might not yet feel comfortable attending the in-person workshop. Break The Floor Productions is a private company. 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. Break the Floor helped launch his career, but an alleged assault by one of its star dancers continues to haunt him. 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. Through transparency, integrity, and professionalism, we believe we can become a model throughout the dance industry. 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. 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. Our goal for this coming season is clear we are going to be holding all events, no matter what, GUARANTEED. Button taught at Radix conventions. Lazzarini denies subjecting anyone to unwanted sexual advances. 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. The company currently specializes in the Entertainment area. We remain committed to these initiatives and will continue to learn and be better.. Im not trying to bring this company down. Emmy-winning choreographer, So You Think You Can Dance breakout star, and Shaping Sounds co-founder Travis Wall has been removed from a tour with Break The Floor dance company as allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior that have surfaced are being investigated (via The Toronto Star). but trust us. Write a review. Company reviews. Stroming did not respond to questions about this incident. One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students. 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.. One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students. Check! Nico Lonetree (left) and Myles Lavallee are among eight dancers who allege they were subjected to sexual harassment or predatory behaviour from staff of the prominent dance company, Break the Floor. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, By Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza and Morgan Bocknek | Associated Press and Toronto Star. 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. Hamilton also said perpetrators in many youth-focused organizations use hotel rooms away from home to exploit the power imbalance between teachers and students. I just didnt know myself enough to understand how harmful it was, Hudson said. 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. Competition routines will be uploaded to our website and judged virtually. Get the latest business insights from Dun & Bradstreet. 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. Stroming was allegedly involved in a series of inappropriate relationships with students of the dance program he was running, according to more than a dozen former staff and students. 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 . Yet, I am blessed to be surrounded by the people I love and thank them for their patience and grace. I wish I would have known back at the time when it happened. His representatives at the MSA Agency also said they had no comment on his behalf. Break the Floor offers dance workshops, contests, touring theatrical productions, picture and video production, corporate events . 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. 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. But he was uncomfortable when a dance teacher, Mark Meismer, in his early 30s, repeatedly told him how attractive he was. Stroming was allegedly involved in a series of inappropriate relationships with students of the dance program he was running, according to more than a dozen former staff and students. I was definitely inappropriate myself in a lot of ways, he told his staff. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.