He is no longer with the company, according to Break The Floor. Any claims to the contrary are simply untrue., Nick Lazzarini: My Apology and Promise to Do Better. With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000 dancers annually, Break the Floor Productions is largely . Three of them say these alleged advances happened when they were under 18. Wallace did not respond to questions about those texts. At 16, Hudson looked forward to the festive weekend gatherings. 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. ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. U.S. Crime Twitter Human trafficking A woman tweeted Wednesday in a now viral thread that a man allegedly tried to break into her hotel room in Washington, D.C., at 1 a.m. on October 11. But at Meismers house, they didnt discuss work. One dance instructor, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of professional consequences, said she warns the children and teens she brings to conventions to be watchful and aware of the potential for abuse of power. Wallace was already a star in the dance world and would later go on to be hired by Gil Stroming to direct Break The Floors 24 Seven. Hudson said he was optimistic: This might just be his lucky break into professional dance. 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 are committed to being a serious voice in this conversation and. He added new conventions and new locations, branching into Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada. According to the Star, Wall told the outlet through his publicist that the accusations against me are false, in response to the Stars initial story, but did not comment on being cut from Break the Floors tour as a result of the accusation. He apologized and said that he himself was a victim of abuse as a teen, and that his texts to Maples were a one time ever brief exchange that he would never consciously have sent. He said the texts have been misinterpreted and taken out of context.. Break the Floor Sexual Abuse AP Article. Others shared specific allegations that choreographers used their positions of power to manipulate them into sexual situations. rights reserved. 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. 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 investigation by The Toronto Star into his alleged sexually inappropriate behavior. "We take this very seriously and will take further action if necessary. ","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. Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. Lavallee said Walls disappearance left him feeling unmoored and now feels he was being groomed for a sexual relationship. Two of the choreographers facing allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour are listed as employees on the companys website. Lavallee accused Wall of making sexual advances toward him then giving him ecstasy before Lavallee called a friend over to help him in the situation. To order To order copies of expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto 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.". His mental health deteriorated. Republication or distribution of this content is Stroming did not respond to questions about this incident. Lazzarini denies subjecting anyone to unwanted sexual advances. In the wake of the Stars first investigation, Stroming said the company has worked hard over the last year and a half to make Break the Floor a better and safer environment.. A former student, Myles Lavallee, told the paper that Wall started grooming him when he was 16 and Wall was 20. His representatives at MSA Agency also said they had no comment on his behalf. We are committed to being a serious voice in this conversation and will continue our diligent efforts to positively impact the dance industry.. Break the Floor is investigating an allegation of sexually inappropriate behaviour raised in a Toronto Star investigation. We take this very seriously and will take further action if necessary.. 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. Watch popular content from the following creators: (@americanpiefan), Rachel Daly(@rachelkdaly), (@americanpiefan), Break The Floor(@breakthefloor), Rachel Daly(@rachelkdaly) . So I think I always kind of accepted it as, it is what it is, you cant do anything about it. . TikTokWant more news, top stories, and videos? 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.. And so Schaufeld stayed quiet. 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. Lindsey, from California, said he started exchanging text messages with the 34-year-old choreographer. "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. Following his bosss instruction, Ellis went back to his tasks at BTF. As for the other allegation from the then-16-year old, Gabriel denied sending the photo, saying he would never engage in inappropriate behaviour that would ever lead to sending something like this to a teenager. Lazzarini has denied subjecting anyone to unwanted sexual advances. According to the Star, Wall told the outlet through his publicist that "the accusations against me are false," in response to the Star's initial story, but did not comment on being cut from Break the Floor's tour as a result of the accusation. This site uses cookies for analytics, personalized content, and ads. Instagram 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. "Travis will not be traveling with BTF until we've had the opportunity for a third-party to look into these allegations," Break the Floor said in a statement posted on Instagram Stories on Friday, according toThe Wrap. 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. One said Lazzarini groped him through a hole in his pants. Professional dancers suffer a wide swath of sexual predation from irritating flirtation to full out devastating attacks. 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. Meismer did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Ellis said Stroming peppered him with questions. He said he found the work climate to be too sexualized to continue there. 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. The Break the Floor dance company is parting ways with the dancer after he and others were accused of a range of sexually inappropriate conduct while on tour. Ellis recalled that on the last night of the dance season in May 2017, when Ellis was 21, Lazzarini kissed him while they were out at a club with other staff members. Hudson was still working with Meismer when he joined Break The Floors NUVO convention as part of its original lineup of instructors. Meismer was recently removed from NUVOs website and abruptly left the tour. Hundreds of studios and schools from. Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. At the New York event in 2012, Clarke said she turned down Lazzarinis request to join him in his hotel room. I just didnt know myself enough to understand how harmful it was, Hudson said. Schaufeld had fallen in love with tap at seven years old, and this opportunity offered a chance to raise his profile and learn from one of the best. 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. Since the accusations have come to light, Break the Floor has removed Travis Wall as a staff member for the time being. 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 was definitely inappropriate myself in a lot of ways, he told his staff. Lavallee said Wall flew him around the United States to help him teach choreography to youth in a dance studio and other conventions. Mapless mother, however, told the news organizations that she saw the photo when it appeared on shared photo albums on their familys home computer. His family has an INCREDIBLE amount of money. Former DancerPalooza instructor, Eric Saradpon, has been charged by the Riverside County. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use. Stroming declined interview requests and did not respond to the specific allegations. But during a 2020 in-house training, a recording of which was reviewed by the Star/AP, Stroming addressed his own past misconduct. Hamilton also said perpetrators in many youth-focused organizations use hotel rooms away from home to exploit the power imbalance between teachers and students. \"It was my church,\" he said, but now \"the whole dance scene feels dirty and tainted.\"","type":"genericimage","credit":"John 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night, Schaufeld said, Wallace pushed him up against the wall and forced oral sex on him. Break the Floor would not confirm if he was one of the four that were let go in the days after Stroming sold the company. The company also published a new code of conduct. 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. Updated: This article has been updated to include a comment that Break The Floor provided after the article published. One night, Schaufeld said, Wallace pushed him up against the wall and forced oral sex on him. He had been heading it uninterrupted for 22 years, presiding over its consistent growth, when a 2021 Star investigation revealed allegations of widespread sexual harassment and predatory behaviour by Break the Floor coaches over their younger students. In addition to competitions with cash prizes, Break The Floors conventions which cost between $200 to $350 USD per student offer dozens of workshops, under strobing lights and thumping music. Male Dancer Accuses Travis Wall of Sexual Misconduct and Grooming. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. The parents Cecilia Sheeren, Toni Carr, Vicki Oglesby, Jerry Walker and Jarneia Beacham accused studio manager Debra Green of misusing the funds they paid to send their daughters to the JUMP. Twitter He is no longer with the company, according to Break The Floor. The relationship did not progress further physically, Lavallee said. 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. Break the Floor, which tap dancer Gil Stroming founded, provides master classes for younger dancers. 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. New students poured into dance studios, along with a growing number of health and fitness aficionados. In dance studios, Hudson said Meismer would guide him into bathroom stalls for oral sex. But the sexual climate behind closed doors is deplorable to me. ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"Thats what Gary Schaufeld alleges happened to him. Wall has previously said "accusations against me are false." 11 74 101 Show this thread Morgan Bocknek @mobocks Oct 22, 2021 You can read the full investigation here: thestar.com Who's who in the break the floor investigation. He said that he and Lonetree flirted with one another before the text in question. Includes allegations against Break the Floor founder Gil Stroming (referenced in 1 episode by Abby), as well as choreographers Mark Meismer (had Elliana as a regular assistant over the pandemic, taught the older girls choreography at ALDC LA) and Travis Wall (danced with Maddie on SYTYCD . 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. "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. Another dancer who says he reported his harassment to BTF management is Patrick Ellis, 26, from Baltimore, Md. In the months that followed, Ellis said he began accepting Lazzarinis advances, once making out in the choreographers hotel room during a work break. Sexual abuse pervades the dance world, according to child advocates and industry leaders. just about 10 hours ago, the owner of BTF Gil, who has also been accused of abuse has stepped down.