break the floor productions

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). Another said Lazzarini texted her a nude selfie when she was 16. In 2019, Stroming quietly fired him after he posted, then quickly removed, a video of himself masturbating on Instagram, as the Star previously reported. 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. We could have and should have done better. Im not trying to bring this company down. Break the Floor helped launch his career, but an alleged assault by one of its star dancers continues to haunt him. Break the Floor helped launch his career, but an alleged assault by one of its star dancers continues to haunt him. On planes, Meismer would grope him in his seat, Hudson alleges. Now is the time for continued open dialogue, soul searching, and decisive action towards making amends. The ultimate goal is winning first place under the spotlight at the annual Dance Awards. Lets be responsible journalists, shall we? I was naive, and I was just letting it all happen, Lindsey said. 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. Lavallee said Wall flew him around the United States to help him teach choreography to youth in a dance studio and other conventions. Break The Floor Productions uses 14 technology products and services including HTML5, jQuery, and Google Analytics, according to G2 Stack. Hotel lobbies, colourfully decorated, are lined with vendors selling clothes and videos. In summer 2018, about two years after Ellis approached Stroming about Lazzarinis conduct, 17-year-old Zeke Lindsey met Lazzarini and began taking his classes. 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. 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.. These include Viewport Meta, IPhone / Mobile Compatible, and LetsEncrypt. 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. Break The Floor now draws around 300,000 dance students, some as . Email. Im not trying to bring this company down. I didnt really understand why communication was cut off. 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.. 2.7 out of 5 stars. Its headquarters is located at New York, New York, USA. One said Lazzarini groped him through a hole in his pants. It was my church, he said, but now the whole dance scene feels dirty and tainted.. Stroming was three years older, she said, a magnetic 19-year-old running the whole show. Of the eight allegations made, Wall is only implicated in the one featured in this article- and it happened nearly fourteen years ago. Founders Gil Stroming. 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. Break The Floor Productions 5446 Satsuma Ave North Hollywood, CA 91601 jam . Description. We understand that some studios and families might not yet feel comfortable attending the in-person workshop. And everybody strives for that, obviously, because that leads to more opportunity and attention from the faculty, said Uchida. With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000+ dancers annually, Break The Floor Productions is largely . Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a298e5fcfbebcbd Find company research, competitor information, contact details & financial data for Break The Floor Productions LLC of Los Angeles, CA. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Stroming picked up Lazzarini at the height of his fame to join the convention circuit, teaching hundreds of thousands of aspiring young dancers. A third said he and Lazzarini exchanged nude photos when he was 17. 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. It just felt like the next step was for us to be in contact and kiss one another.. In 2019, according to multiple sources, Lazzarini accidentally posted to Instagram a video that appears to show himself masturbating. This story was reported in partnership with the Toronto Star. But the secret ate away at him. To my family, friends, colleagues and, most importantly, to those who bravely stepped forward to share their truth: I am truly sorry. . 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. 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 . 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. We have many different teams and departments who are in need of someone just like you! 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. He added new conventions, and new locations, branching into Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada. Attendees squeeze into small ballrooms where choreographers teach classes. JUMP is proud to integrate CODA into all its competition. Contact Email info@breakthefloor.com. Its touring conventions will make numerous stops this year, from Miami to Vancouver and Calgary to Anchorage, Alaska. Three of them say these alleged advances happened when they were under 18. 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 dance spaces, students are in frequent and close contact with their teachers, spending long hours training and rehearsing with them. We are truly heartbroken that anyone has been subject to inappropriate behaviour by any person associated with Break The Floor, the statement read. Receive up-to-date schedules and info when attending any of the Break The Floor events: JUMP, NUVO, 24 Seven, The Dance Awards, DancerPalooza and Dance Teacher Summit! <style>.g-image--loading{display:none;}</style> He worked at a convention in Minneapolis, Minn., where he alleges a 31-year-old Lazzarini groped him. To get anywhere, like here, you have to do whatever the teachers said, you know what I mean? One said Lazzarini groped him through a hole in his pants. . The dance world, its not like its different than any other world, its just that theyve been able to keep their secrets longer.. A post shared by Break The Floor Productions (@breakthefloorprod). For payroll inquiries: payroll@breakthefloor.com For accounting inquiries: accounting@breakthefloor.com For human resources: hr@breakthefloor.com For general information about our dance programs: info@breakthefloor.com He referred reporters to his lawyer, who didnt respond. 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. 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. But behind the bright lights and pulsing music, some dancers say they were sexually assaulted, harassed and manipulated by the companys powerful founder and famous teachers and choreographers, according to a joint investigation by The Associated Press and the Toronto Star. Keanu Uchida, photographed in Montreal, said many student dancers at Break the Floor endured inappropriate sexual advances from their instructors. 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 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. October 25 2021 2:20 PM EST. Each of them has since left the company amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Ellis said it was this moment where he realized he had to leave the company. Break The Floor Productions. I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. When I began teaching dance, I did so with the singular goal of helping individuals discover, develop, and express their truest selves. In a written statement, he told the AP and Star, I have been very upfront that when I first started the company at 19, over 20 years ago, there were issues of inappropriateness. He didn't respond to the specific allegations. Which in fact, he wasnt, Hudson said in his video, viewed over 6,300 times. His picture and profile disappeared from the website, though there was no formal announcement of his departure. 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. Lindsey alleges Lazzarini sent him nude photos of himself. 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. 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.. Our goal for this coming season is clear we are going to be holding all events, no matter what, GUARANTEED. In an interview earlier this year with the AP and the Star, Wallace denied Schaufelds allegations and said nothing sexual or physical ever transpired between them, though he said he remembered having an inappropriate attraction to Schaufeld. I loved his reality show All the Right Moves & had a crush on Travis, if true makes my crush go away. In 2018, 14 years later, he decided to tell his family, and confront Wallace directly. 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 . JUMP/NUVO/24SEVEN/TDA.Watch the latest video from Break The Floor (@breakthefloor). Start of main content. The Break The Floor faculty can't wait to dance with you! Allegations and Scandal Update. In dance studios, Hudson says Meismer would guide him into bathroom stalls for oral sex. Allegations of sexual misconduct first hit the dance company in October, when the Toronto Star revealed allegations of widespread sexual harassment and predatory behavior by Break the Floor instructors. Mom Chief & Officer at Break The Floor Productions . He is no longer with the company, according to Break The Floor. Hicks said he apologized to Lonetree and was reprimanded by Stroming. 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. The next morning, Stroming left abruptly for Las Vegas and handed her $40 for a cab ride back to the airport. Alumni and faculty have danced on stage with Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, at the Oscars and the Super Bowl. 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 is a private company. (Please note: Some fall cities have a registration deadline of only 14 days prior). His representatives at the MSA Agency also said they had no comment on his behalf. The combination of hyper-sexual dance content and the close contact between adult teachers and the young dancers creates an atmosphere ripe for abuse, said Jamal Story, a professional dancer who is co-chair of the National Dance Committee for The Screen Actors Guild American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). On planes, Meismer would grope him in his seat, Hudson alleges. But the sexual climate behind closed doors is deplorable to me. Break the Floor has a fervent following. I just didnt know myself enough to understand how harmful it was, Hudson said. Button taught at Radix conventions. Our model gets smarter over time as more people share salaries on Glassdoor. The annual revenue of Break The Floor Productions varies between 25M and 100M. In dance studios, Hudson says Meismer would guide him into bathroom stalls for oral sex. 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. 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. He said that he and Lonetree flirted with one another before the text in question. That dancer now works for BTF as a choreographer. Lavallee charges that in 2008, Wall made sexual advances on him when the two stayed at Lavalees parents home overnight while teaching a dance course close by. He said he must have passed out and has no recollection of sending the text. Lavallee caught the attention of Wall an Emmy winner and So You Think You Can Dance runner-up who was judging his performance at a BTF competition in the summer of 2008, Lavallee said. Three of these dancers were under 18. Our dance studio friends are finding it hard to plan for the new season. 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. A year later, Hudson stayed with Meismer when he joined Break The Floors fledgling NUVO convention as part of its original lineup of instructors. Break The Floor Productions is part of the Home Improvement & Hardware Retail industry, and located in California, United States. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Another dancer who says he reported his harassment to BTF management is Patrick Ellis, 26, from Baltimore, Md. 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. We view this situation as an opportunity to expand our vision to bring the excitement of dance to everyone, all over the world, no matter the circumstance. The incentive is a tax credit designed to help address complaints from school boards, police departments and hospitals about the growing . She says she didnt attend any auditions, and returned home devastated. 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. A post shared by MYLES LAVALLE (@myleslavallee). We are committed to making studios and families feel confident and secure when registering for our events. Meismer didn't respond to repeated requests for comment. After all, Meismer was already an icon; he had toured with Britney Spears, Madonna and Paula Abdul. Seven sources say they saw Stroming interact with students in ways that appeared intimate and inappropriate. To get a job at Break The Floor Productions, browse currently open positions and apply for a job near you. Phone Number 818.432.1234. 3 min read. The alleged victims story is shaky at best. Film Production. 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. 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. New App with lots of helpful features. Lavallee called a friend to come over to divert where he said he felt the night was leading. 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. 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. At BTF, this contact led to physical boundaries being blurred. Legal Name Break The Floor Productions. But the secret ate away at him. Find salaries. 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. At her first company event, when she was 17, she and Stroming had oral sex, she said. Entering a BTF event is like walking into a carnival. - And more! 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. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. Lonetree now questions whether he was punished for speaking up. Still, he accepted a sought-after opportunity to assist Meismer as they toured various studios and conventions together. Schaufeld stopped dancing years ago and has no plans to return to the studio. Break The Floor Productions LLC. It is one of the most exciting events of a young dancers life, recalled Keanu Uchida, a professional dancer from Ottawa. About us. I apologize and sincerely regret that my actions have hurt people I cherish or has broken their trust. 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. 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. Break The Floor Productions General Information. Lindsey, from California, said he started exchanging text messages with the 34-year-old choreographer. He said he found the work climate to be too sexualized to continue there. Following his bosss instruction, Ellis went back to his tasks at BTF. Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. 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.. Ghislaine Maxwells appeals arguments mirror earlier claims Looking to travel? Schaufeld stopped dancing years ago and has no plans to return to the studio. Russell Geyser is the new CEO of Break the Floor Productions. 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. www.floorproductionsllc.com. break the floor Blogs, Comments and Archive News on Economictimes.com . At least four people removed from Break The Floor for alleged misconduct have continued to work around kids in other settings. 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. I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. Hamilton also said perpetrators in many youth-focused organizations use hotel rooms away from home to exploit the power imbalance between teachers and students. San Jose firefighter claims sexual abuse, racism, swastikas drove her out A Toronto-born teen alleged a famous choreographer propositioned her for sex just hours after judging her at a 2012 Break the Floor convention. For aspiring young dancers like Clarke, the companys events are an almost mandatory stop if they want to pursue dancing professionally. 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. 2023 www.detroitnews.com. Break the Floor calls itself one of the worlds preeminent dance companies, and its programs reach more than 300,000 dancers each year. 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. Break the Floor Productions is one of the world's preeminent dance entertainment companies, encompassing dance conventions, touring theatrical productions, software, photo and video production and apparel.Break the Floor is the largest producer of dance conventions in the world with three dance conventions, JUMP, NUVO and 24 Seven Dance . If an event changes from in-person to virtual, the difference in fees will be refunded within 7 business days of the event. Emmy winning choreographer Travis Wall has been cut from Break the Floor dance company's traveling tours amid an investigation into an accusation of . Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 16 years for rape, sexual assault And so Schaufeld stayed quiet. 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. Hudson said he was optimistic. 24 SEVEN Dance Convention is a dance workshop and competition that tours to 27 cities in the United States each season. The Stars prior investigation uncovered allegations that Lazzarini had subjected at least six dancers to unwanted sexual advances at Break The Floor events. Follow. 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 . Gil Stroming, who recently sold the company he founded more . Its the opposite of a zero tolerance policy, Ellis said. 10 Mar, 2022, 01.17 PM IST. 11/20/2022 12:38 PM. A year later, Hudson stayed with Meismer when he joined Break The Floors fledgling NUVO convention as part of its original lineup of instructors. 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. He apologized and said he himself was a victim of abuse as a teen, and that his texts to Maples were a one time ever brief exchange.. Stroming was three years older, she said, a magnetic 19-year-old running the whole show. Company reviews. His mental health deteriorated. In the fall of 2008, Wall was teaching a course near Lavallees house in Arizona, and Lavallees parents invited Wall to stay overnight, Lavallee said. 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. FREE Shipping. National News | All of our in-person events will now have a virtual option. 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. Break the Floor founder, celebrity dance instructors face sexual misconduct allegations as the prominent company's crisis deepens. I was definitely inappropriate myself in a lot of ways, he told his staff. The Star has spoken to a friend of Lindseys who said they saw the texts and photos Lindsey and Lazzarini exchanged. 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. On Oct. 1, BTF kicked off its fall season with an event in Toronto at an airport hotel. We and our third party vendors, like Google, use first party cookies (such as the Google Analytics cookie) and third party cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) to inform, optimize and serve ads based . Meismer asked the young dancer, then 17, to come to his home. Now 25, Uchida grew up attending BTF conventions. I just knew after that the company was bad news and I wanted out.. 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. At 16, Hudson looked forward to the festive weekend gatherings. 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. Reviews from Break The Floor Productions employees about Pay & Benefits. The number of employees ranges from 25 to 100. agreed. 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. Founded Date 1999. In his first 10 days as CEO, he said four people were let go.. 185.120.77.169 For Myles Lavallee, that blurred student-teacher relationship began with BTF instructor Travis Wall. 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. Snapshot; Why Join Us . New York,NY . 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. Follow Break The Floor Productions on Instagram. Yet, I am blessed to be surrounded by the people I love and thank them for their patience and grace. 15 reviews. She says she didnt attend any auditions, and returned home devastated. He also noted that he was not in a position of authority but in a first-year, entry-level position. Stroming did not respond to questions about Elliss allegations. 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. join our mailing list 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. But the sexual climate behind closed doors is deplorable to me. 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.

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