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A28 u.s. news
Diahuebs 21 aPRiL 2022

Mega dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say

described in The New York that stretches back to the A year or so later, shortly af-
Times as a “beefcake tap-a- dance company’s early years, ter her 18th birthday, Strom-
thon.” and involves Stroming him- ing flew the dancer to New
self. York, where he told her he
Break The Floor now draws had lined up potentially ca-
around 300,000 dance stu- Stroming was allegedly in- reer-launching dance audi-
dents, some as young as 5, volved in a series of inappro- tions, she says. That night,
to packed hotel ballrooms priate relationships with stu- they had sex in his apartment.
across the U.S. and Canada dents of the dance program The next morning, Stroming
for weekend workshops and he was running, according left abruptly for Las Vegas
competitions. to more than a dozen former and handed her $40 for a cab
staff and students. ride back to the airport. She
But in January, as the AP and says she didn’t attend any au-
the Star were investigating Of these sources, four say he ditions, and returned home
allegations of sexual miscon- sometimes brought young devastated.
duct against him and others Break the Floor participants
(AP) — Every year, one of with dozens of former and involved in the company, to parties or company events, In a written statement, he
the world’s leading dance current staff and students. Stroming announced that he where they were introduced told the AP and Star, “I have
competition companies had sold Break the Floor and as his girlfriend. Seven been very upfront that when
sells the dream of Holly- Break the Floor’s reach ex- stepped down as CEO. sources say they saw Strom- I first started the company at
wood fame to hundreds tends across the entertain- ing interact with students 19, over 20 years ago, there
of thousands of ambitious ment industry to some of The new owner, Russell in ways that appeared inti- were issues of inappropriate-
young dancers hoping to the biggest names in music, Geyser, said the allegations mate and inappropriate. One ness.” He didn’t respond to
launch careers on televi- television and social media. have nothing to do with the staff member said Stroming the specific allegations.
sion, in movies and on Alumni and faculty have current company, and that showed him a nude photo of
stage. danced on stage with Lady people involved with pur- one of the students. While not all of the complain-
Gaga and Taylor Swift, at the ported misconduct no longer ants in this story were in-
But behind the bright lights Oscars and the Super Bowl. work for Break The Floor. All of these sources spoke on volved with Break the Floor
and pulsing music, some Company instructors have In his first 10 days as CEO, the condition of anonym- at the time of the alleged in-
dancers say they were sexu- appeared on “Dancing with he said four people were “let ity in fear of retaliation and cidents, the instructors and
ally assaulted, harassed and the Stars,” “Dance Moms” go.” damage to their careers in the executives accused of wrong-
manipulated by the com- and “So You Think You Can tight-knit professional dance doing have played key roles
pany’s powerful founder and Dance.” When COVID-19 A Toronto-born teen alleged community. in growing the company’s
famous teachers and cho- lockdowns suspended in- a famous choreographer revenue and popularity.
reographers, according to a person workshops, Break the propositioned her for sex just One dancer said she met
joint investigation by The Floor enlisted social media hours after judging her at a Stroming when she was a One dance instructor said
Associated Press and the To- superstar Charli D’Amelio, 2012 Break the Floor con- 16-year-old high school ju- she warns the children and
ronto Star. whose TikTok account has vention. An Ottawa dancer nior attending one of Break teens she brings to conven-
around 10.5 billion likes, to working as an assistant for the Floor’s first events with tions today to be watchful
The problems date back to record instructional videos. the company said the same her parents. Stroming was and aware of the potential for
the founding of Los Angeles- choreographer groped him in three years older, she said, a abuse of power. About two
based Break The Floor Pro- The company was launched public. magnetic 19-year-old run- decades ago, when she was a
ductions; as the company has 22 years ago by a charis- ning the whole show. At her dance teacher accompanying
grown into an industry pow- matic dancer, Gil Stroming, An ongoing investigation by first company event, when her students to a Break the
erhouse, its leaders perpetu- who came to fame in the the Star in partnership with she was 17, she and Stroming Floor event, she said she re-
ated a culture of sex and si- 1990s, performing in the off- the AP now has uncovered had oral sex, she said. fused Stroming’s $500 offer
lence, according to interviews Broadway show “Tap Dogs,” alleged sexual misconduct to join him in his hotel room.

Kentucky abortion clinics in limbo after new law’s passage

(AP) — Frustration is nationwide. a judge’s decision on whether not making exceptions for tions pending a ruling from
building among abortion to temporarily block the law pregnancies caused by rape the judge but continues to
rights groups in Kentucky, Effective immediately, the while the case is litigated. or incest and for the lack of provide other services, in-
where a restrictive new new law bans abortions after Many of the women affected funding to carry out new re- cluding health screenings,
law has thrown the state’s 15 weeks of pregnancy, re- are young and poor, advo- porting requirements. He birth control and initial ap-
only two remaining clinics placing the state’s previous cates say. also raised doubts about its pointments for pregnant
into limbo. 20-week limit — a restric- constitutionality. women. But officials worry
tion that four other states also “The mood is one of anger that the law will discourage
The clinics, both in the state’s have passed. and frustration,” said Meg A Planned Parenthood clinic women who need help from
largest city of Louisville, say Sasse Stern, abortion fund di- in Louisville has halted abor- reaching out.
they were forced to halt abor- It also places strict new con- rector with Kentucky Health
tions because officials haven’t ditions on medication abor- Justice Network, a statewide
had time to write guidelines tions, requiring women to be reproductive justice group.
for complying with the law, examined by a doctor before “These people know what
which the Republican-dom- receiving abortion pills. And they need. They knew as
inated legislature passed a it contains new reporting soon as they made their de-
week ago over the veto of requirements for providers. cision. And they know they
Democratic Gov. Andy Bes- Noncompliance can result in should be able to get this
hear. stiff fines and felony penal- care. It is safe, it is common
ties. and it should be accessible.”
Advocates say the situation
foreshadows what could hap- Attorneys for the clinics have Supporters of Kentucky’s
pen in Republican-leaning filed federal lawsuits seeking new law say the goal is to
states across the country if the to overturn the law. In the protect women’s health and
U.S. Supreme Court ends up meantime, women in Ken- strengthen oversight.
overturning Roe v. Wade, the tucky are being forced to ei-
landmark 1973 decision that ther travel out of state to end But in his veto, the gover-
established a right to abortion their pregnancies or wait for nor faulted the measure for