Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. Warning: This article includes accounts of alleged sexual misconduct that some readers could find distressing. Travis Wall is being accused of giving a minor crystal meth at a hotel party. Another dancer who says he reported his harassment to BTF management is Patrick Ellis, 26, from Baltimore, Md. Since the accusations have come to light, Break the Floor has removed Travis Wall as a staff member for the time being. 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 calls itself one of the worlds preeminent dance companies, and its programs reach more than 300,000 dancers each year. I believe that we are doing more than most organizations to combat this head on, he said. On Oct. 1, BTF kicked off its fall season with an event in Toronto at an airport hotel. 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. One said Lazzarini groped him through a hole in his pants. 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.". Six of them have agreed to go public with their allegations. Ellis said Stroming peppered him with questions. Male Dancer Accuses Travis Wall of Sexual Misconduct and Grooming 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.. Lonetree said he recounted the alleged exchange to Stroming. 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. So I think I always kind of accepted it as, it is what it is, you cant do anything about it. . At least four people removed from Break The Floor for alleged misconduct have continued to work with students in other settings. Hamilton also said perpetrators in many youth-focused organizations use hotel rooms away from home to exploit the power imbalance between teachers and students. His representatives at MSA Agency also said they had no comment on his behalf. Advocate on your favorite social platforms!Facebook "The dance community has long dealt with issues of inappropriate power dynamics as well as overt unacceptable behavior," the company wrote. I could feel the relationship change because I basically rejected the offer., In a statement, Lazzarini apologized to those who bravely stepped forward to share their truth.. This comes after the Toronto Star published a recent news story accusing him of s*xually questionable behavior. He said he found the work climate to be too sexualized to continue there. All of these sources spoke on the condition of anonymity in fear of retaliation and damage to their careers in the professional dance community. We remain committed to these initiatives and will continue to learn and be better.. 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. Wall is just one of several Break the Floor employees facing allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior from former staff and students. For Myles Lavallee, that blurred student-teacher relationship began with BTF instructor Travis Wall. To order copies of 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. Lavallee said he made it clear he was not interested in a sexual relationship. Nowhere in the world of education should students feel they are underneath the predators, he said. I was frozen in my own skin, I didnt know what to do, Schaufeld said. It is one of the most exciting events of a young dancers life, recalled Keanu Uchida, a professional dancer from Ottawa. At BTF, this contact led to physical boundaries being blurred. 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. Influential dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say - PBS In 2018, 14 years later, he decided to tell his family, and then confront Wallace directly. Former DancerPalooza instructor, Eric Saradpon, has been charged by the Riverside County. ","title":"Get more stories like this one in your inbox"},{"text":"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. Susan Kao illustration with photos from Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images, John Lamparski/Getty Images, Broderick Baumann and ngel Vasquez, VIDEO OF BTF EVENT, OCT. 14, 2018: NICO LONETREE/@NICOGOOFS. It just felt like the next step was for us to be in contact and kiss one another.. Travis Wall taken off tour with Break the Floor dance - The Star ","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. Thank you. He said he had never done drugs of any kind before. By clicking accept, you agree to this use. 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. With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000 dancers annually, Break the Floor Productions is largely . Per the Star, 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.. Uchida, who was working as a dance assistant for BTF, alleges Lazzarini groped him in public without his consent before and after their relationship, and made derogatory, as well as racist comments about him in front of his peers and boss. Im not trying to bring this company down. Finally, 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. Be sure to follow I didnt really understand why communication was cut off. Wall, an Emmy-award winner, was also removed from a BTF tour following the Stars earlier reporting. Lonetree was 19. After all, Meismer was already an icon. 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. And so Schaufeld stayed quiet. Lazzarini has denied subjecting anyone to unwanted sexual advances. 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. 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 . ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"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. 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. He stopped eating and sleeping, and suffered from panic attacks, he said. She says she didnt attend any auditions and returned home devastated. Travis Wall Scandal After Being Suspended From Break The Floor confront my own shortcomings, I vow to take every step necessary to turn them into the very strengths I will use to help empower and protect others. 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. "The problem was not [the taking of his own life]. The dance world, its not like its different than any other world, its just that theyve been able to keep their secrets longer.","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"Hamilton also said perpetrators in many youth-focused organizations use hotel rooms away from home to exploit the power imbalance between teachers and students. Photos: Break the Floor, Joe Corrigan/Getty Images, Jason Kempin/Getty Images, Beau Campbell, Miss Toto Rodgers, KiLeigh Williams, ngel Vasquez, Lee Gumbs, Broderick Baumann. 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. https://t.co/213nsiNJ73 Morgan Bocknek (@mobocks) October 21, 2021 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. "In the past, Break The Floor's policies and procedures did not focus on these issues as closely as they could have. We take this very seriously and will take further action if necessary.. This investigation, in partnership with the Associated Press, has found the alleged misconduct goes even deeper, and involves some of those responsible for turning Break the Floor into a dance industry empire. ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"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. ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"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. Soon after, Lavallee, then 16, attended a hotel-room party in California where he said Wall, who was around 20, gave him crystal meth a highly addictive stimulant so he could stay awake for his flight back home to Arizona. Inside a Manhattan hotel, one of those choreographers Clarke idolized was now propositioning her for sex, she alleges. 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. Stroming started the company after he came to fame in the 1990s, performing in an off-Broadway show Tap Dogs, described in The New York Times as a beefcake tap-a-thon where six husky hoofers show off more than their fancy footwork.. 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. I was definitely inappropriate myself in a lot of ways, he told his staff. Mega dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say Misha Gabriel 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. 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. To surprise him, Hudson said Meismer would buy them matching outfits. Meismer did not respond to repeated requests for comment. And so Schaufeld stayed quiet. 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.. Male Dancer Accuses Travis Wall of Sexual Misconduct and Grooming. Click this link right now: https://advocatechannel.com, 26 Things Gay Sex Workers Want You to Know, 36 Pics of Inhibitions and Shirts Coming Off at Hebro's Jewbilee Party, 11 Homoerotic Ads, Covers From 20th Century Gay Artist J.C. Leyendecker, 21 Trans Icons You Should Know on Transgender Day of Visibility, 12 Photos Celebrating the Earth and the Male Form by Steven Menendez, Gay Model and Social Media Influencer Jeff Thomas Dead at 35, 30 LGBTQ+ Religious Saints Throughout History, Trans Flight Attendant Kayleigh Scott Has Died, Right-Wing Drag Queen Lady MAGA USA Now a 'Costume Artist', Montana Governor Signs Gender-Affirming Care Ban Despite Nonbinary Son's Pleas, Easterseals Highlights Alarming Accessibility Gaps for Disabled Americans, Hannah Gadsby's New Netflix Show Is 'Something Special', Bernie Wagenblast, the Voice of New York City Subways, Comes Out as Transgender, Montana Governor's Nonbinary Son Lobbies Against Anti-LGBTQ+ Bills, Tennessees Ban on Gender-Affirming Care Challenged by Department of Justice, 12 Lesbians Who've Made U.S. 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. Former Break The Floor instructors have been accused of abusing young dancers in other settings. Of these sources, four say Stroming sometimes brought young Break the Floor participants to parties or company events, where they were introduced as his girlfriend. In the years that followed, Hudson said Meismer continued to pursue him for sex. An Ottawa dancer working as an assistant for the company said the same choreographer, then 31, groped him in public. New students poured into dance studios, along with a growing number of health and fitness aficionados. Looking back, Lindsey feels he had been groomed. In 2018, 14 years later, he decided to tell his family, and then confront Wallace directly. Others did make allegations about BTF staff to owner and CEO Stroming, but their concerns were dismissed, allege two former staffers who say they were harassed on the job. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about 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.

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