His picture and profile disappeared from the website, though there was no formal announcement of his departure. 550 Los Angeles, CA 90038 818.432.1234 info@breakthefloor.com. If an event changes from in-person to virtual, the difference in fees will be refunded within 7 business days of the event. Follow. Russell is known for a high level of professionalism in the entertainment industry. Phone Number (706) 217-6462. His mental health deteriorated. Break The Floor - Apps on Google Play Once you get a positive response, make sure to find out about the interview process at Break The Floor Productions and prepare for tough questions. Stroming declined repeated interview requests. 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. That same year, Lavallee alleges a 24-year-old dancer forced himself onto a 16-year-old Lavallee at a party. And five dancers are suing former Boston Ballet star Dusty Button and her husband, alleging sexual abuse and assault. 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. 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. A post shared by Break The Floor Productions (@breakthefloorprod). Male Dancer Accuses Travis Wall of Sexual Misconduct and Grooming j***@breakthefloor.com. We know this season will look a little different for now. Afterwards, Schaufeld said Wallace told him never to say anything; it would be bad for both of their careers. I didnt really understand why communication was cut off. Will Conventions & Competitions be happening? National News | Headquarters Regions Greater Los Angeles Area, West Coast, Western US. Uchida is now volunteering with BTF to help further revise the dance companys code of conduct. I totally feel like I was a headache [for Stroming], Lonetree said. 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. The next day Meismer was removed from NUVOs website and abruptly left the tour. It was my church, he said, but now the whole dance scene feels dirty and tainted.. These include Viewport Meta, IPhone / Mobile Compatible, and LetsEncrypt. But the secret ate away at him. 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.. Warning: This article includes accounts of alleged sexual harassment that some readers could find distressing. 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. Break The Floor Productions 5446 Satsuma Ave North Hollywood, CA 91601 jam . 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. Emmy winning choreographer Travis Wall has been cut from Break the Floor dance company's traveling tours amid an investigation into an accusation of . I took the word of this choreographer, and thought he was helping me build a dance career. One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students. The number of employees ranges from 25 to 100. 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. 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. Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza and Morgan Bocknek. JUMP is proud to integrate CODA into all its competition. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. And everybody strives for that, obviously, because that leads to more opportunity and attention from the faculty, said Uchida. 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 . I then felt very embarrassed. New York,NY . Operating Status Active. An Ottawa dancer working as an assistant for the company said the same choreographer groped him in public. Jackie Stroming is a Mom Chief & Officer at Break The Floor Productions based in N Hollywood, California. Break The Floor Productions LLC. BTFs website shows the company still employs Wall, who is currently scheduled to be part of a BTF-affiliated dance conventions 2021-2022 faculty. One of those dancers was Patrick Ellis, who alleges that he told Break the Floors CEO, Gil Stroming, that Lazzarini had stuffed his hand up through a hole in Elliss pants and tried to fondle him. The dance world, its not like its different than any other world, its just that theyve been able to keep their secrets longer.. I didnt really understand why communication was cut off. 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. Specialties: Event Production Established in 2000. I loved his reality show All the Right Moves & had a crush on Travis, if true makes my crush go away. 165.8K Followers. 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 . On Oct. 1, BTF kicked off its fall season with an event in Toronto at an airport hotel. 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. A third said he and Lazzarini exchanged nude photos when he was 17. 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. Meismer didnt respond to repeated requests for comment. All I would need to do is say [five] words: I know what you did. . So I think I always kind of accepted it as, it is what it is, you cant do anything about it. . 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. Break The Floor Productions: Contact Details and Business Profile Break The Floor Productions 6555 Barton Ave., Ste. Legal Name Break The Floor Productions. Three of these dancers 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, according to interviews with dozens of former and current staff and students. Lindsey, from California, said he started exchanging text messages with the 34-year-old choreographer. 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).Break The Floor puts on performances and hosts dance schools across the United States & has said that . I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. NUVO Dance Convention If the in-person event is unable to be held, studios and dancers may choose to: Attend the event virtually (for a discounted rate). Hudson alleges Meismer pushed him against a wall and performed oral sex on him. 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. Gabriel, another famous dancer and choreographer, allegedly sent a nude photo on Snapchat to a 16-year-old dancer who says she was so horrified she threw her phone across the room. Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. Greater Los Angeles Area Event Planner Break the Floor Productions Jan 2012 - Aug 2019 7 years 8 months. Lonetree was 19. 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. Check! 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. Break the Floor helped launch his career, but an alleged assault by one of its star dancers continues to haunt him. Read More. The ultimate goal is winning first place under the spotlight at the annual Dance Awards. 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. Break the Floor Productions is one of the worlds preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing touring theatrical productions, dance workshops, photo and video production, corporate events and apparel. Here's what we know about the sexual assault allegations filed against 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. 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! join our mailing list Meismer shushed him, he remembers, warning that someone was asleep in a nearby room. He stopped eating and sleeping, and suffered from panic attacks, he 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 . I didnt know how inappropriate that was.. Hamilton also said perpetrators in many youth-focused organizations use hotel rooms away from home to exploit the power imbalance between teachers and students. Refund Policy for the 2020-2021 Season: If an in-person event is unable to be held on the originally advertised dates, and the studio decides not to attend the event virtually, Break The Floor will issue a FULL REFUND within 7 days of the scheduled event date. I could feel the relationship change because I basically rejected the offer. It was my church, he said, but now the whole dance scene feels dirty and tainted.. Still, he accepted a sought-after opportunity to assist Meismer as they toured various studios and conventions together. 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. In dance studios, Hudson says Meismer would guide him into bathroom stalls for oral sex. 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.. 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. After all, Meismer was already an icon; he had toured with Britney Spears, Madonna and Paula Abdul. Mega dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say Performance & security by Cloudflare. I dont know in which ways more to be accountable, in which ways more to apologize, or in which ways more to make it right, Hicks said. Sami Levinbook - Director of Venue Sourcing - Break The Floor But he was uncomfortable when a dance teacher, Mark Meismer, in his early 30s, repeatedly told him how attractive he was. Alumni and faculty have danced on stage with Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, at the Oscars and the Super Bowl. They provide amazing opportunities. Lonetree said he recounted the alleged exchange to Stroming. 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. By Juliet Linderman, Martha Mendoza, Associated Press, Morgan Bocknek, Toronto Star . He was inviting her to his hotel room. 3 min read. Updated: This article has been updated to include a comment that Break The Floor provided after the article published. He added new conventions, and new locations, branching into Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada. I wish I would have known back at the time when it happened. Break the Floor Dance Company Investigation Famous Break the Floor instructors accused of sexual harassment | The Star Earlier this year, after Geyser took the helm as CEO, Break The Floor published a new code of conduct. 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. 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. One said Lazzarini groped him through a hole in his pants. Break The Floor Productions. 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. The AP and the Star havent seen these messages because Maples said theyd been deleted. JUMP/NUVO/24SEVEN/TDA.Watch the latest video from Break The Floor (@breakthefloor). 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. In the years that followed, Hudson said Meismer continued to pursue him for sex. Lavallee also said that Wall gave him ecstasy that night. Write a review. Take a look at our available positions: 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 dance spaces, students are in frequent and close contact with their teachers, spending long hours training and rehearsing with them. Mega dance competition company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say Many students endured inappropriate sexual advances or comments from their instructors, Uchida said. We could have and should have done better, he said. Break The Floor Productions Email Format & Employee Directory | ContactOut And whats egregious about seeing it in the context of conventions is that it happens to kids. Break The Floor Productions AV Technician Hourly Pay An Ottawa dancer working as an assistant for the company said the same choreographer groped him in public. But at Meismers house, they didnt discuss work. Description. 2023 www.detroitnews.com. Subscribe to our emails. Lavalee stated that he felt he was being groomed for a sexual relationship and that he was now being punished for dodging the alleged sexual advances. He said he had never done drugs of any kind before. 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. Break The Floor Productions Pay & Benefits reviews - Indeed With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000+ dancers annually, Break The Floor Productions is largely . 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. Of the eight allegations made, Wall is only implicated in the one featured in this article- and it happened nearly fourteen years ago. Seven sources say they saw Stroming interact with students in ways that appeared intimate and inappropriate. The Company encompasses dance workshops, competitions, touring theatrical and video . I didnt know how inappropriate that was.. 2.7. Maples mother, however, told the news organizations that she saw the photos when they appeared on shared photo albums on their familys home computer. Hamilton also said perpetrators in many youth-focused organizations use hotel rooms away from home to exploit the power imbalance between teachers and students. . Inside a Manhattan hotel, one of those choreographers Clarke idolized was now propositioning her for sex, she alleges. At her first company event, when she was 17, she and Stroming had oral sex, she said.