","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"Wallace did not respond to questions about those texts. 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. His representatives at MSA Agency also said they had no comment on his behalf. In 2019, according to multiple sources, Lazzarini accidentally posted to Instagram a video that appears to show himself masturbating. 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.. Dancers accuse some of Break the Floor's famous choreographers of sexual harassment and grooming. Travis Wall Dismissed From Tour After Sexual Misconduct Allegations Break the Floor cited new training that employees have been required to take along with a new and updated code of conduct. Im not trying to bring this company down. Emmy winning choreographer Travis Wall has been suspended from Break the Floor dance companys traveling tours amid an investigation into an accusation of sexually inappropriate behavior made against him in a story published by the Toronto Star. Many students endured inappropriate sexual advances or comments from their instructors, Uchida said. ", The day before, the company posted another statement on its Instagram account. Wall helped bring the first same-sex pairing to So You Think You Can Dance. 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. For aspiring young dancers like Clarke, the company's events are an almost mandatory stop if they want to pursue dancing professionally. Lindsey, from California, said he started exchanging text messages with the 34-year-old choreographer. Break the Floor faces new sexual misconduct allegations So the boy was playing on the floor with these toys, like not even . Male Dancer Accuses Travis Wall of Sexual Misconduct and Grooming TikTokWant more news, top stories, and videos? One of those students, Myles Lavallee, accused Wall of beginning to groom him when Lavallee was 16 and Wall was around 20. 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. But for many years the secret ate away at him. ","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. During this time we have received training from Youth Protection Advocates in Dance, have introduced new tools for faculty education, have worked with Wade Robson on implementing a revised faculty and staff code of conduct, and have updated company policies and procedures all with a focus on safety at our events. 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. \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":". Hicks, meanwhile, continued to work at RADIX every season, through 2021. 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 Break the Floor faces new sexual misconduct allegations | The Star Break the Floor Sexual Abuse AP Article. 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. 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. One dancer alleges he was 16 when Wall gave him ecstasy and methamphetamine, and now believes Wall was grooming him for a sexual relationship. Break the Floor CEO Stroming says he is stepping down | The Star He referred reporters to his lawyer, who did not respond. All In the months that followed, Ellis said he began accepting Lazzarinis advances, once making out in the choreographers hotel room during a work break. Accusation was leveled against SYTYCD alum in Toronto Star report about widespread sexual harassment at the dance company, (Editors note: This story has been updated to reflect that Wall was not cut from Break the Floors tours, but suspended pending investigation.). 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. Hundreds of studios and schools from. The only reason I could think of was because we didnt take it further romantically. Watch popular content from the following creators: (@americanpiefan), Rachel Daly(@rachelkdaly), (@americanpiefan), Break The Floor(@breakthefloor), Rachel Daly(@rachelkdaly) . BTF TV. Hicks, who was working as the convention announcer, was in his early 30s. Ellis alleges that Stroming decided there was no sexual harassment because Lazzarini never touched his genitals. Meismer did not respond to repeated requests for comment. If an event changes from in-person to virtual, the difference in fees will be . ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. 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. Now is the time for continued open dialogue, soul searching, and decisive action towards making amends. Lazzarini would laugh and smile and would play it lighthearted so as to not take on the full responsibility of what he was doing, said Ellis. 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. Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. 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. 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. Another told the Star Lazzarini texted her a nude selfie when she was 16. But as his company grew, the alleged sexual misconduct continued. Im not a monster but I feel like one, Wallace wrote, adding that he has a lot of hazy memories and a huge list of regrets/mistakes from that time period. The company also published a new code of conduct. I cant tell you how many times I thought about writing to Travis (Wall). I then felt very embarrassed. It banned inviting students to hotel rooms and said instructors shouldnt call students their daughter or son., The code of conduct also requires educators to report any suspected child abuse: If you witness anything concerning, it is your duty to report it to the appropriate authorities., Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"Schaufeld stopped dancing years ago and has no plans to return to the studio. 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. "The problem was not [the taking of his own life]. Afterwards, Schaufeld said Wallace told him never to say anything; it would be bad for both of their careers. Travis Wall taken off tour with Break the Floor dance company following Break the Floor calls itself one of the worlds preeminent dance companies, and its programs reach more than 300,000 dancers each year. \"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. 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. But after speaking with the Star/AP in February, Hudson went public and shared his experience in an emotional Instagram video, without naming Meismer. The relationship did not progress further physically, Lavallee 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. Then, in early February, amid a flurry of new allegations against Break the Floor instructors on social media, Stroming disappeared from the companys website. We could have and should have done better. But as Stroming grew the company from a dance convention into an industry powerhouse, he also allegedly perpetuated a culture of sexual misconduct and silence, where dancers were assaulted, harassed and manipulated, according to interviews with dozens of former and current staff and students. Lavallee said they exchanged numbers, and over a few texts and calls, he agreed to become Walls dance assistant. "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. Break the Floor is investigating an allegation of sexually inappropriate behaviour raised in a Toronto Star investigation. HE WAS INVITING HER TO HIS HOTEL ROOM. Dancer Nico Lonetree, of Saint Paul, Minn., alleges he was propositioned for oral sex by BTF employee Vincent Hicks via texts while they both worked at the RADIX BTF dance convention on Feb. 11, 2017, in Houston, Texas. Mega dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say Mapless mother, however, told the news organizations that she saw the photo when it appeared on shared photo albums on their familys home computer. 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.. 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. Travis Wall Scandal After Being Suspended From Break The Floor 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. In dance studios, Hudson said Meismer would guide him into bathroom stalls for oral sex. Break the Floor cited new training that employees have been required to take along with a new and updated code of conduct. 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. And whats egregious about seeing it in the context of conventions is that it happens to kids. 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. Lonetree now questions whether he was punished for speaking up. For aspiring young dancers like Clarke, the companys events are an almost mandatory stop if they want to pursue dancing professionally. 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.". Wall is just one of several Break the Floor employees facing allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior from former staff and students. This was in 2008, when Wall was at the height of his fame, having become a staple on television after placing second on So You Think You Can Dance. Wall has denied these allegations. Myles Lavallee is one of eight former staffers and students in a . Mega dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say Travis Wall Sexual Misconduct Accusation, Cut From Break the Floor Republication or distribution of this content is Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. Lazzarinis next job, teaching students at the Titans of Dance convention, ended in October, 2021, shortly after the Star published that story. But for many years the secret ate away at him. Two dancers said they complained about sexual harassment on the job to Stroming directly. One, who says he was groped, said Stroming told him that wasnt actually sexual harassment because the young dancer had recoiled before Lazzarini allegedly almost touched his genitals. Through a publicist, Wall told the Star that the accusations against him were false. One night, Schaufeld said, Wallace pushed him up against the wall and forced oral sex on him. So I think I always kind of accepted it as, it is what it is, you cant do anything about it. . The Star/AP spoke to the dancers father, who said that in the years following, she told him about what happened with Stroming. Break the Floor dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say 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.. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about I would not have stayed silent, said Wendy in a phone interview with the Star. Lilli Maples had taken classes with Gabriel since she was 10 years old. At the New York event in 2012, Clarke said she turned down Lazzarinis request to join him in his hotel room. In a series of text messages between Schaufeld and Wallace, reviewed by the Star/AP, Schaufeld laid out his accusations and Wallace said that although he couldnt remember anything, he couldnt be more sorry.. I just didnt know myself enough to understand how harmful it was, Hudson said. A joint investigation by the Toronto Star and the Associated Press has found alleged sexual misconduct stretches back to the dance companys early years, and involves some of its most prominent instructors and Stroming himself. In 2018, 14 years later, he decided to tell his family, and then confront Wallace directly. I didnt know how inappropriate that was.. 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. Home - Break The Floor 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.. 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. The CEO of Break the Floor where famous dance coaches were accused of sexual misconduct says he is selling the company A Star investigation found allegations of widespread sexual harassment. One staff member said Stroming showed him a nude photo of one of the students.
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