Break the Floor is investigating an allegation of sexually inappropriate behaviour raised in a Toronto Star investigation. But during a 2020 in-house training, a recording of which was reviewed by the Star/AP, Stroming addressed his own past misconduct. 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. 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.. I cant tell you how many times I thought about writing to Travis (Wall). 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. I apologize and sincerely regret that my actions have hurt people I cherish or has broken their trust. Two of the choreographers facing allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour are listed as employees on the companys website. 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. I wish I would have known back at the time when it happened. Seven sources say they saw Stroming interact with students in ways that appeared intimate and inappropriate. Lavallee said they exchanged numbers, and over a few texts and calls, he agreed to become Walls dance assistant. ","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. All I would need to do is say [five] words: I know what you did. . Wall cut off ties with Lavallee, which Lavallee said was due to him not accepting Wall's advances. 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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. The relationship did not progress further physically, Lavallee said. Hundreds of studios and schools from. Company instructors have appeared on ABCs Dancing with the Stars, Lifetimes Dance Moms and Foxs So You Think You Can Dance.. Another told the Star Lazzarini texted her a nude selfie when she was 16. But at Meismers house, they didnt discuss work. After the Stars October 2021 story published, dancers came forward with more than 15 additional accusations, about Stroming and Break The Floor faculty. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. 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., In a written statement he told AP/Star I have been very upfront that when I first started the company at 19, over 20 years ago, there were issues of inappropriateness., The reach of California-based Break The Floor Productions extends across the entertainment industry to some of the biggest names in music, television and social media. In the past, Break The Floors policies and procedures did not focus on these issues as closely as they could have. Geyser said the allegations have nothing to do with the current company, and that people involved with alleged misconduct no longer work for Break The Floor. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. Travis Wall Dismissed From Tour After Sexual Misconduct Allegations Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star 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 Wall Sexual Misconduct Accusation, Cut From Break the Floor to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about Travis Wall Sexual Misconduct Accusation, Cut From Break the Floor But for many years the secret ate away at him. To get anywhere, like here, you have to do whatever the teachers said, you know what I mean? Former DancerPalooza instructor, Eric Saradpon, has been charged by the Riverside County. https://t.co/213nsiNJ73 Morgan Bocknek (@mobocks) October 21, 2021 Woman Claims Man Attempted to Break Into Her Hotel Room at 1 - Newsweek 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. Hed toured with Britney Spears, Madonna and Paula Abdul. Hudson is now a famous dancer, with a resume that spans mega tours with P!nk, Lady Gaga and Kylie Minogue, and appearances in more than a dozen films including La La Land and FAME. For 17 years, he kept to himself about what happened with Meismer. 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. Hudson alleges Meismer pushed him against a wall and performed oral sex on him. Discover short videos related to breakthefloor allegations on TikTok. Lavallee said he made it clear he was not interested in a sexual relationship. We are truly heartbroken that anyone has been subject to inappropriate behaviour by any person associated with Break The Floor, the statement read. Six dancers, including Clarke, allege Lazzarini subjected them to unwanted sexual advances. After this investigation published, BTF issued a statement saying it fired the choreographer following this incident because of concerns about this type of behaviour., 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.. Ellis alleges that Stroming decided there was no sexual harassment because Lazzarini never touched his genitals. Warning: This article includes accounts of alleged sexual misconduct that some readers could find distressing. 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. "We take this very seriously and will take further action if necessary. Discover breakthefloor allegations 's popular videos | TikTok Since the accusations have come to light, Break the Floor has removed Travis Wall as a staff member for the time being. His representatives at MSA Agency also said they had no comment on his behalf. 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. 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. Hicks said he apologized to Lonetree and was reprimanded by Stroming. The AP and Star have not seen these messages because Maples said theyd been deleted. ","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. 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. In the years that followed, Hudson said Meismer continued to pursue him for sex. 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. Gil Stromings company capitalized on all of that studio growth, a dance industry that reached some $4 billion in value by 2021, employing more than 120,000 people, according to market research from analysts at IBISWorld. With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 300,000 dancers annually, Break the Floor Productions is largely . 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. . 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. So the boy was playing on the floor with these toys, like not even . To order copies of Hudson was still working with Meismer when he joined Break The Floors NUVO convention as part of its original lineup of instructors. He accepted a sought-after opportunity to assist Meismer as they toured various studios and conventions together. One dancer alleges he was 16 when Wall gave him ecstasy and methamphetamine, and now believes Wall was grooming him for a sexual relationship. I just knew after that the company was bad news and I wanted out.. [Winners] get the most attention and respect. Alumni and faculty have danced onstage with Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, at the Oscars and the Super Bowl. That night, they had sex in his apartment. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. ","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. Representatives for Wall and Break the Floor did not immediately respond to TheWrap's request for comment Saturday. Im not trying to bring this company down. That dancer now works for BTF as a choreographer. Six of them have agreed to go public with their allegations. After he turned 18, he engaged in a consensual sexual relationship with Lazzarini. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto "We are committed to being a serious voice in this conversation and. He referred reporters to his lawyer, who did not respond. 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. Representatives for Wall and Break the Floor did not immediately respond to TheWraps request for comment Saturday. 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. Keanu Uchida, photographed in Montreal, said many student dancers at Break the Floor endured inappropriate sexual advances from their instructors. I apologize and sincerely regret that my actions have hurt people I cherish or has broken their trust., In a later response, after being presented with an additional accusation that he sent nude photos to a teenage dancer, Lazzarini added: I have never subjected anyone to unwanted sexual advances. rights reserved. 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.". 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. HE WAS INVITING HER TO HIS HOTEL ROOM. This comes after the Toronto Star published a recent news story accusing him of s*xually questionable behavior. My resolve is unwavering. The response from Trump who. Many described an overtly sexual environment. Stroming picked up Lazzarini at the height of his fame to join the convention circuit, teaching hundreds of thousands of aspiring young dancers. ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"Wallace did not respond to questions about those texts. Looking back, Lindsey feels he had been groomed. Break the Floor helped launch his career, but his alleged assault by a dancer who went on to play a key role at the company continues to haunt him. The Toronto Stars story, which was published Thursday, detailed widespread sexual harassment and predatory behavior at the North America-based Break the Floor. In 2019, according to multiple sources, Lazzarini accidentally posted to Instagram a video that appears to show himself masturbating. In dance spaces, students are in frequent and close contact with their teachers, spending long hours training and rehearsing with them. Break the Floor has a fervent following. Lavallee also said that Wall gave him ecstasy that night. Stroming declined interview requests and did not respond to the specific allegations. 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 take this very seriously and will take further action if necessary.. Travis Wall Dismissed From Tour After Sexual Misconduct Allegations The Star reviewed the text messages. 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 of sexual misconduct and grooming were leveled at him by a then-underaged dancer with the company. I totally feel like I was a headache [for Stroming], Lonetree said. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. A few months later, without warning, Lavallee said, Wall cut off communication with him in the middle of one weekend and didnt show up to one of their scheduled teaching sessions. ","type":"text","isParagraph":true,"isHeading":false},{"text":"Afterwards, Schaufeld said Wallace told him never to say anything; it would be bad for both of their careers. 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Dancers say they were sexually harassed or groomed by famous choreographers and the dance company failed to protect them, Choreographer Nick Lazzarini pulled from dance company tour following Star investigation, The CEO of Break the Floor where famous dance coaches were accused of sexual misconduct says he is selling the company, This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only.