Break the Floor offers dance workshops, contests, touring theatrical productions, picture and video production, corporate events . After all, Meismer was already an icon; he had toured with Britney Spears, Madonna and Paula Abdul. To get anywhere, like here, you have to do whatever the teachers said, you know what I mean? 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. Dancers repeatedly described feeling sexualized in their learning space, and multiple dancers said they felt leered at by some choreographers who would message them compliments on their appearance, sometimes immediately following classes. Hicks, who was working as the convention announcer, was in his early 30s. 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. 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. . In his first 10 days as CEO, he said four people were let go.. October 25 2021 11:10 AM EST. Break The Floor Productions - Tech Stack, Apps, Patents & Trademarks 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 calls itself one of the worlds preeminent dance companies, and its programs reach more than 300,000 dancers each year. 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. 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. Email. 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 On Oct. 1, BTF kicked off its fall season with an event in Toronto at an airport hotel. Website. We could have and should have done better. Professional dancers suffer a wide swath of sexual predation from irritating flirtation to full-out devastating attacks. Jackie Stroming Email & Phone Number - Break Th.. | ZoomInfo 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 . 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. 15 reviews. He was inviting her to his hotel room. 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. 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. Etc. An exclusive Star investigation has found allegations of widespread sexual harassment and predatory behaviour by Break the Floor (a big part of the dance community of North America) coaches over . 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. National News | Here's what we know about the sexual assault allegations filed against 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. BREAK THE FLOOR LIVE is now April 18-19! 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. Gabriel who has performed with Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Beyonc and more was recently removed from the JUMP faculty. Famous Break the Floor instructors accused of sexual harassment | The Star 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. www.floorproductionsllc.com. Break The Floor Productions | LinkedIn JUMP, NUVO and 24 Seven will host a virtual event, specific to the event and city, and broadcast from our studios in Los Angeles. To surprise him, Hudson said Meismer would buy them matching outfits. Break the Floor Productions is one of the world's preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing dance conventions, touring theatrical productions, software, photo and video . He added new conventions, and new locations, branching into Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada. He called me his convention boyfriend, recalled Hudson. All of our in-person events will now have a virtual option. 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. 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.. I just knew after that the company was bad news and I wanted out.. Break The Floor is a rapid growth company and are always looking for great new people to join our team! Professional dancers suffer a wide swath of sexual predation from irritating flirtation to full-out devastating attacks. 2.7 out of 5 stars. Sign in. BTFs website shows the company still employs Wall, who is currently scheduled to be part of a BTF-affiliated dance conventions 2021-2022 faculty. 24 SEVEN Dance Convention is a dance workshop and competition that tours to 27 cities in the United States each season. 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 . Hudson alleges Meismer pushed him against a wall and performed oral sex on him. Another dancer who says he reported his harassment to BTF management is Patrick Ellis, 26, from Baltimore, Md. For more than 30 years, Russell has been CEO of numerous companies and run a portfolio of investments in theatrical film production, sports lending, film finance and lending, media buying, and . agreed. 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. In 2019, according to multiple sources, Lazzarini accidentally posted to Instagram a video that appears to show himself masturbating. 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 . Lazzarini denies subjecting anyone to unwanted sexual advances. He said he must have passed out and has no recollection of sending the text. 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.. Gil Stroming - Chief Exe.. - Break The Floor Productions | ZoomInfo Break the Floor Productions - New York, NY - Yelp 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. He said he must have passed out and has no recollection of sending the text. Dancers say leading company bred culture of, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Los Gatos: Hundreds still without power as Black Road repair project finishes early, Dancers say leading company bred culture of sex, silence, California teacher who gave birth to child fathered by student hit with another sexual abuse lawsuit, Ghislaine Maxwells appeals arguments mirror earlier claims, Man convicted of California rapes that attorney blamed on defendants twin, San Jose firefighter claims sexual abuse, racism, swastikas drove her out, Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 16 years for rape, sexual assault. I could feel the relationship change because I basically rejected the offer. 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). I wish I would have known back at the time when it happened. At her first company event, when she was 17, she and Stroming had oral sex, she said. 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 . Read More. Three of these dancers were under 18. 2.7. 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. 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. 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. Travis Wall Dismissed From Tour After Sexual Misconduct Allegations You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. The company currently specializes in the Entertainment area. las vegas, nv. Break The Floor's Summer Jam A post shared by MYLES LAVALLE (@myleslavallee). Ellis alleges that Stroming decided there was no sexual harassment because Lazzarini never touched his genitals. 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. Lavallee said Wall flew him around the United States to help him teach choreography to youth in a dance studio and other conventions. 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. How? The biggest problem facing the dance industry (and everything, quite frankly) is uncertainty. Jackie Stroming's Phone Number and Email Last Update. Meismer shushed him, he remembers, warning that someone was asleep in a nearby room. Lavallee called a friend to come over to divert where he said he felt the night was leading. He is no longer with the company, according to Break The Floor. The annual revenue of Break The Floor Productions varies between 25M and 100M. Attendees squeeze into small ballrooms where choreographers teach classes. He called me his convention boyfriend, recalled Hudson. His representatives at the MSA Agency also said they had no comment on his behalf. Contact Email info@breakthefloor.com. He stopped eating and sleeping, and suffered from panic attacks, he said. 324 Brickyard Rd, Dalton, Georgia, 30721, United States. 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. Contact. Break The Floor Productions. We know this season will look a little different for now. break the floor Blogs, Comments and Archive News on Economictimes.com . But during a 2020 in-house training, a recording of which was reviewed by the AP and Star, Stroming addressed his own past misconduct. What if we plan on it and they are cancelled again? 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. 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. Its touring conventions will make numerous stops this year, from Miami to Vancouver and Calgary to Anchorage, Alaska. The largest room is reserved for the main stage, where at many events, aspiring dancers perform showcases and compete for the title of best dancer.. But he was uncomfortable when a dance teacher, Mark Meismer, in his early 30s, repeatedly told him how attractive he was. 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! This will be a real. Teens who win titles at BTF events are invited back to work on the convention circuit as dance assistants for choreographers on the BTF roster, known internally as faculty.. The ultimate goal is winning first place under the spotlight at the annual Dance Awards. 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.. Button taught at Radix conventions. 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. 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. Now is the time for continued open dialogue, soul searching, and decisive action towards making amends. National News | Legal Name Break The Floor Productions. Influential dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say - See all classes with helpful filters. Breaking the silence: Dancers accuse choreographers of sexual His picture and profile disappeared from the website, though there was no formal announcement of his departure. Find top employees, contact details and business statistics at RocketReach. 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.. New York,NY . His mental health deteriorated. I cant tell you how many times I thought about writing to Travis (Wall). Break The Floor Productions is actively using 50 technologies for its website, according to BuiltWith. I felt very invalidated, Ellis said. That night, they had sex in his apartment. She says she didnt attend any auditions, and returned home devastated. 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. 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. Check! 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. Break The Floor Productions Salaries - Glassdoor In the years that followed, Hudson said Meismer continued to pursue him for sex. For aspiring young dancers like Clarke, the companys events are an almost mandatory stop if they want to pursue dancing professionally. Thats what Gary Schaufeld says happened to him. Im not trying to bring this company down. The Company encompasses dance workshops, competitions, touring theatrical and video . If an event changes from in-person to virtual, the difference in fees will be . 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. Break the Floor has a fervent following. He won the best dancer title in 2014 and worked for BTF for two years as a dance assistant, travelling across Canada and the United States. And so Schaufeld stayed quiet. One said Lazzarini groped him through a hole in his pants. The Stars prior investigation uncovered allegations that Lazzarini had subjected at least six dancers to unwanted sexual advances at Break The Floor events. The problems date back to the founding of Los Angeles-based Break The Floor Productions, whose alumni and faculty have danced on stage with Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, at the Oscars and Super Bowl . In the next week, we will be releasing an FAQ that will deal with all other questions. Meismer asked the young dancer, then 17, to come to his home. Reviews from Break The Floor Productions employees about Pay & Benefits. Eventually, Lazzarini began to avoid her at dance conventions, Clarke said, and this made her anxious, as she feared he was in a position to impede her career. with photos from Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star Ellis started working for BTF in merchandising, selling clothing at events in 2015 when he was 19. When I began teaching dance, I did so with the singular goal of helping individuals discover, develop, and express their truest selves. Description. <style>.g-image--loading{display:none;}</style> Seven sources say they saw Stroming interact with students in ways that appeared intimate and inappropriate. Looking to travel? Russell Geyser is the new CEO of Break the Floor Productions. Break The Floor Productions Pay & Benefits reviews - Indeed Sexual abuse pervades the dance world, according to child advocates and industry leaders. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Dancers can take workshop classes at home or the studio may organize a watch and dance party at their studio. After this investigation published, BTF issued a statement saying it fired the choreographer following this incident because of concerns about this type of behaviour., After receiving questions regarding the allegations, Lazzarini sent text messages to three of the dancers who spoke to the Star, saying to one, I will do my best to be a better person and apologizing to another, Im so so sorry I ever made you feel uncomfortable.. The next morning, Stroming left abruptly for Las Vegas and handed her $40 for a cab ride back to the airport. 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.. Travis Wall Cut From Break the Floor Dance Company Tour Amid - Yahoo! The only reason I could think of was because we didnt take it further romantically. Gil Stroming, who recently sold the company he founded more . The ultimate goal is winning first place under the spotlight at the annual Dance Awards. With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000 dancers annually, Break the Floor Productions is largely . 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. Take a look at our available positions: Here is how it will work: JUMP, NUVO & 24 Seven will be planning all events, in-person, for the upcoming season. Write a review. Average hourly pay for Break The Floor Productions Av Technician: $21. Looking back, Lindsey feels he had been groomed. Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza and Morgan Bocknek. At least four people removed from Break The Floor for alleged misconduct have continued to work around kids in other settings. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Instinct Magazine 2023 - All Rights Reserved. 2023 www.detroitnews.com. Two of the choreographers facing allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour are listed as employees on the companys website. Break The Floor - Apps on Google Play I just didnt know myself enough to understand how harmful it was, Hudson said. Break the Floor Productions Jan 2015 - Aug 2019 4 years 8 months. The televised dance shows brought fame to dancers Nick Lazzarini, Travis Wall and Misha Gabriel, who became big name attractions as Break The Floor instructors. Meismer asked the young dancer, then 17, to come to his home. 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. We could have and should have done better, he said. 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. - See show line-ups. Discover jobs. 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. 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. Button taught at Radix conventions. I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. We were doing hand massages, which just creeps me out now, he said. 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. I was naive, and I was just letting it all happen, Lindsey said. I didnt really understand why communication was cut off. 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. Photos: Break the Floor, Joe Corrigan/Getty Images, Jason Kempin/Getty Images, Beau Campbell, Miss Toto Rodgers, KiLeigh Williams, ngel Vasquez, Lee Gumbs, Broderick Baumann. Mom Chief & Officer at Break The Floor Productions . Uchida is now volunteering with BTF to help further revise the dance companys code of conduct. Break The Floor LIVE | Virtual Dance Convention - YouTube This might just be his lucky break into professional dance. Break The Floor Productions, LLC was formed in 1999 by Gil Stroming with the rock-tap show Break The Floor. july 8-15. hyatt regency orlando. The next day Meismer was removed from NUVOs website and abruptly left the tour. Parents sue Tomball dance studio - Chron He said he felt punished for dodging the alleged sexual advances. I didnt really understand why communication was cut off. Male Dancer Accuses Travis Wall of Sexual Misconduct and Grooming Ghislaine Maxwells appeals arguments mirror earlier claims Thats what Gary Schaufeld says happened to him. The alleged victims story is shaky at best. Mega dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say At 16, Hudson looked forward to the festive weekend gatherings. 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. Greater Los Angeles Area Event Planner Break the Floor Productions Jan 2012 - Aug 2019 7 years 8 months. In addition to competitions with cash prizes, Break The Floor conventions which cost between around $200 to $350 per student offer dozens of workshops, under strobing lights and thumping music. To get a job at Break The Floor Productions, browse currently open positions and apply for a job near you. Lavallee also said that Wall gave him ecstasy that night. Break The Floor now draws around 300,000 dance students, some as . Afterwards, Schaufeld said Wallace told him never to say anything; it would be bad for both of their careers. The incentive is a tax credit designed to help address complaints from school boards, police departments and hospitals about the growing .
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