“In light of alleged personal misconduct on tour, and the resulting media attention, Travis Wall & Break the Floor have chosen to step away from performing together while the company continues its review,” a statement released to Pitchfork on Saturday said.
But the brand isn’t going dark just yet, with the company vowing to “continue our positive efforts in our own ongoing communities” and find new tour dates for the company.
The allegations were levelled at Break the Floor from Dave Marley, a breakdance pioneer and the nephew of Bob Marley, who told Pitchfork in an email: “My mother and I were both present at the recent Break the Floor tour. While there were no bullying or sexual harassment issues during the event itself, I have witnessed Travis’s behaviour since, and I think it is an extremely dangerous dynamic.”
Wall told Pitchfork in a statement: “Unfortunately, at some point during my Break the Floor tour, it became painfully clear that we were no longer on the same page as a company. In no way did I intend to hurt anyone. At this time, I am taking a step back from [the] Break the Floor touring experience to focus on my personal growth.”
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This isn’t the first time Wall’s reputation has been mired in controversy. Back in 2009, the 27-year-old was dropped by his dance company Mass Appeal, following allegations of sexual harassment and “unwanted physical contact”. A former employee, Brian Jones, told the New York Post that he used to party with Wall at his New York home and that the dancer called him an “unwashed rag” and made inappropriate comments, one of which included saying: “Why can’t I kiss you?”
After a formal complaint to Mass Appeal’s management board, Wall was terminated as manager. The company later hired a prosecutor to “conduct an independent, third-party investigation”.
This time, Break the Floor wasn’t victims in the case. In a statement, a spokesperson for the dance company said that members of the dance company were contacted and there was “additional unprofessional conduct” as part of the investigation. The statement also said that Broken Nation, Break the Floor’s label, had been contacted by Marley and his lawyers “seeking additional information in the matter”.
“Break the Floor is taking this opportunity to re-investigate all the allegations brought to the company and in concert with Break the Floor’s and Marley’s decision to step away from performing together for the duration of this review,” the statement said.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Break the Floor co-founder Enrique Lamar spoke of “disappointing people” who have seen the tour.
“I do understand if a lot of people were like, ‘Why would you bring back Break the Floor?’” Lamar said. “But at the same time, I feel like Travis is a good kid. He made a bad decision and a bad move and I feel like a big part of him taking the hiatus is him taking the consequences and understanding that.”
But Break the Floor company is moving forward with their next project: Break The Floor VII’s World Tour.