YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. After the Stars October 2021 story published, dancers came forward with more than 15 additional accusations, about Stroming and Break The Floor faculty. We could have and should have done better, he 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. But the sexual climate behind closed doors is deplorable to me. Another told the Star Lazzarini texted her a nude selfie when she was 16. Lavallee said he did not tell Stroming or BTF staff about what he alleges happened with either Wall or the other choreographer, saying he thought his concerns would not be taken seriously. He was a teenager in 2004, assisting a successful tap dancer named Danny Wallace, who was not with Break the Floor at the time. Travis Wall is being accused of giving a minor crystal meth at a hotel party. To order \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $(document).ready(function() {\n $('.SA_response-container').click(function() {\n $('.SA_hidden', this).toggle();\n });\n });\n ","wallHtmlBody":". 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. 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 have dedicated my life to creating happiness and joy in this world through dance and feel terrible that anything I might have done could have caused anyone to feel sad or hurt, he said. 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. As a result of the story, Break the Floor is bringing in a third party to launch an investigation into the accusation made against So You Think You Can Dance alum Wall. The Star reviewed the text messages. however he still holds a major position in the company, and it is rumoured that he is paying off news networks and social media workers to remove/not write negative posts about him. A Star investigation has found allegations of widespread sexual harassment and predatory behaviour by BTF coaches over their younger students, where dancers say their complaints of inappropriate conduct have been dismissed by the companys owner, letting the problem fester for years. He said he found the work climate to be too sexualized to continue there. Lavallee also said that Wall gave him ecstasy that night. A year or so later, shortly after her 18th birthday, Stroming flew the dancer out to New York, where he told her he had lined up dance auditions, she says. Many described an overtly sexual environment. 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. 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. In hotel ballrooms across the United States and Canada, Break the Floor sells the dream of Hollywood fame to ambitious young dancers hoping to launch careers on television, in movies and on stage. 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. 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. Carroll came out with her accusations against Trump in a book titled "What Do We Need Men For?" and in an excerpt of the tome published in New York Magazine in 2019. Lavallee said he made it clear he was not interested in a sexual relationship. A Toronto-born teen alleged a famous choreographer propositioned her for sex just hours after judging her at a 2012 Break the Floor convention. In light of this, over the last 18 months, we have made substantial strides to ensure BTR is a better and safer environment for everyone. Warning: This article includes accounts of alleged sexual harassment that some readers could find distressing. The dance world, its not like its different than any other world, its just that theyve been able to keep their secrets longer.. It just felt like the next step was for us to be in contact and kiss one another.. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8, allegations of widespread sexual harassment and predatory behaviour. ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"Marci A. Hamilton, a University of Pennsylvania professor who founded CHILD USA and is the author of Justice Denied: What America Must Do to Protect its Children, said dance is one of the last forums where adults have unsupervised access to younger students. Mapless mother, however, told the news organizations that she saw the photo when it appeared on shared photo albums on their familys home computer. Former DancerPalooza instructor, Eric Saradpon, has been charged by the Riverside County. He stopped eating and sleeping, and suffered from panic attacks, he said. ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"Wallace did not respond to questions about those texts. He said the fact that the sale occurred at the time of mounting allegations was a coincidence. But during a 2020 in-house training, a recording of which was reviewed by the Star/AP, Stroming addressed his own past misconduct. The Toronto Stars story, which was published Thursday, detailed widespread sexual harassment and predatory behavior at the North America-based Break the Floor. Lazzarini denies subjecting anyone to unwanted sexual advances. 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. But the sexual climate behind closed doors is deplorable to me. Lonetree was 19. Ellis started working for BTF in merchandising, selling clothing at events in 2015 when he was 19. Break the Floor has a fervent following. The AP and Star have not seen these messages because Maples said theyd been deleted. Lazzarinis next job, teaching students at the Titans of Dance convention, ended in October, 2021, shortly after the Star published that story. Its the opposite of a zero tolerance policy, Ellis said. Ellis said it was this moment where he realized he had to leave the company. 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. In the. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. These alleged relationships took place between 2000, a little after Stroming launched the company, and around 2008, when Stroming would have been in his late 20s. Instagram He is no longer with the company, according to Break The Floor. Accept. 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. Alumni and faculty have danced onstage with Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, at the Oscars and the Super Bowl. I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. Break the Floor dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. That dancer now works for BTF as a choreographer. Break the Floor, which tap dancer Gil Stroming founded, provides master classes for younger dancers. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. Hundreds of studios and schools from. Uchida is now volunteering with BTF to help further revise the dance companys code of conduct. 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.. Former DancerPalooza instructor, Eric Saradpon, has been charged by the Riverside County. The Star/AP spoke to the dancers father, who said that in the years following, she told him about what happened with Stroming. The dance community has long dealt with issues of inappropriate power dynamics as well as overt unacceptable behavior, Break the Floor said in a statement posted to Instagram Thursday. The ultimate goal is winning first place under the spotlight at the annual Dance Awards. I believe that we are doing more than most organizations to combat this head on, he said. And whats egregious about seeing it in the context of conventions is that it happens to kids. Wall is just one of several Break the Floor employees facing allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior from former staff and students. In 2019, Stroming quietly fired him after he posted, then quickly removed, a video that appears to show himself masturbating on Instagram, as the Star previously reported. Break the Floor cited new training that employees have been required to take along with a new and updated code of conduct. When allegations of sexual misconduct hit the world-famous dance company Break the Floor last fall, CEO Gil Stroming tried to calm the tight-knit community of dancers and their parents. While not all of the complainants in this story were involved with Break the Floor at the time of the alleged incidents, those accused of wrongdoing have played key roles in growing the companys reach and popularity. A former student, Myles Lavallee, told the paper that Wall started grooming him when he was 16 and Wall was 20. 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. ISLA CLARKE Ex-BTF Student NICK LAZZARINI Ex-BTF staff Representatives for Wall and Break the Floor did not immediately respond to TheWraps request for comment Saturday. Yet, I am blessed to be surrounded by the people I love and thank them for their patience and grace. Others shared specific allegations that choreographers used their positions of power to manipulate them into sexual situations. Stroming declined interview requests and did not respond to the specific allegations. We take this very seriously and will take further action if necessary.. Lazzarini noticed a tear in Elliss pants and he just shoved his hand up my pants, to which I quickly reacted because I was already embarrassed and didnt need a hand grabbing my genitalia, alleged Ellis. It was my church, he said, but now the whole dance scene feels dirty and tainted.. Wall cut off ties with Lavallee, which Lavallee said was due to him not accepting Wall's advances. Schaufeld said Wallace asked him to assist him at an event in Ontario, along with another female dancer, and they were sharing a room in an Ottawa hotel. The Star's investigation found that eight former staff and students at Break the Floor alleged that company staff "initiated sexual conversations, propositioned them for sex, sent them nude photos, sexually harassed them at work or engaged in sexual relationships with them.". After all, Meismer was already an icon. Gabriel, when asked about Mapless accusation, said in a written statement that he had been drinking heavily that night to control fears about serious health problems in his family. For aspiring young dancers like Clarke, the company's events are an almost mandatory stop if they want to pursue dancing professionally. Break the Floor faces new sexual misconduct allegations Hours earlier, the Toronto-born teen performed before a panel of judges that included the choreographer, Nick Lazzarini, a luminary in the dance world and first-ever winner of the TV show So You Think You Can Dance.. Male Dancer Accuses Travis Wall of Sexual Misconduct and Grooming In 2018, 14 years later, he decided to tell his family, and then confront Wallace directly. Lavallee told 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 diffuse the situation, and a few months later, Wall cut off communication with Lavallee, which Lavallee believes was a direct result of him avoiding a sexual relationship with Wall. Emmy Award Winning Choreographer Travis Wall and SYTYCD Winner Nick ","heading":"","fullWindow":false,"fullBleed":false,"showFullBleedOnMobile":false,"headColor":"","type":"html5mobile","textColor":"","mobileImageUrl":"","bgColor":"","imageUrl":"","registeredOnly":false,"linkUrl":"","aodaTitle":"Jeremy Hudson Instagram post","internalScroll":false,"displayStyle":"small-up"},{"text":"Meismer was recently removed from NUVOs website and abruptly left the tour. Mega Dance Company Bred Culture of Sex, Silence, Dancers Say - US News with photos from Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star Influential dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. Be sure to follow Professional dancers suffer a wide swath of sexual predation from irritating flirtation to full out devastating attacks. So the boy was playing on the floor with these toys, like not even . Now 25, Uchida grew up attending BTF conventions. Travis Wall Cut From Break the Floor Dance Company Tour Amid Sexual 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. Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. They provide amazing opportunities. Break the Floor is investigating an allegation of sexually inappropriate behaviour raised in a Toronto Star investigation. About five years later, Lavallee, who now works as a professional dancer and choreographer, told his mother, Wendy, about everything that happened between him and the two older choreographers. Wall has previously said "accusations against me are false." His representatives at MSA Agency also said they had no comment on his behalf. Thousands of. Hundreds of studios and schools from smaller communities bring teams of dancers to the events, branded by Stroming as JUMP, NUVO, 24 Seven, RADIX and DancerPalooza. presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution He was a teenager in 2004, assisting a successful tap dancer named Danny Wallace, who was not with Break the Floor at the time. I wish I would have known back at the time when it happened. 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 . But he said he felt uncomfortable when a dance teacher, Mark Meismer, then in his early 30s, repeatedly told him how attractive he was. Dance organizations create wide opportunities for adults to single out a child, groom them and then get them alone to sexually abuse them, she said. The only reason I could think of was because we didnt take it further romantically. Discover breakthefloor allegations 's popular videos | TikTok SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, AFI Honors Rust Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins With Scholarship Fund for Women Filmmakers, 13 New Fall TV Shows Ranked by Premiere Viewers, From Grand Crew to CSI: Vegas (Photos). His mental health deteriorated. One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students. To my family, friends, colleagues and, most importantly, to those who bravely stepped forward to share their truth: I am truly sorry. Lonetree said he recounted the alleged exchange to Stroming. He vowed to make Break the Floor a safe space for the next generation of dancers the same goal, he said, that he had when he launched the dance company more than 20 years ago as a charismatic 19-year-old. 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. By the mid-2000s, dance exploded into the mainstream with the debuts of popular television shows So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With The Stars. They brought fame to dancers Nick Lazzarini, the first-ever winner of Americas Favorite Dancer in 2005, Travis Wall and Misha Gabriel, who would all later become big-name attractions as Break The Floor instructors. Hotel lobbies, colourfully decorated, are lined with vendors selling clothes and videos. His family has an INCREDIBLE amount of money. In the years that followed, Hudson said Meismer continued to pursue him for sex. Break the Floor is investigating an allegation of sexually inappropriate behaviour raised in a Toronto Star investigation.