If you needed more proof, the Attorney General's Office of NY investigated them for violating labor laws. Here is the official press release: Here is the full settlement agreement: Here are a few highlights, directly from the document, which is signed by Safi Thomas, Yvonne Chow, Porshia Derival and Yasmine Fequiere. 5. Each program was run by H+ members, who were responsible for obtaining sponsors and were required to spend a significant amount of time running events but were not paid for the work they performed. 6. Overall, members performed extensive work for the benefit of the company, including teaching classes, attending think tank sessions, planning and staffing all H+ events, attending rehearsals, performing in H+ exhibitions and shows, setting up and cleaning up at H+ exhibitions and shows, recruiting sponsors, and assisting in various other administrative tasks. 7. No H + member was paid for any of the work they were required to perform for the benefit of H+. 8. H+ sells tickets to its performances but does not compensate any of the performers or members who provide costumes, create sets, design choreography, lead rehearsals, sell tickets, set up or clean up. 9. Despite being told that H+ is an educational institution, no member has ever graduated from the program and Thomas does not help any dancers obtain paid jobs outside of H+. 10. Company profits are used to pay the living expenses of the "artistic echelon," a term Thomas uses to refer to himself and the other people with leadership roles in the company. The members of the Artistic Echelon are Safi Thomas, Porshia Derival, Yvonne Chow, Yasmine Fequiere all of whom live together in an apartment paid for with H+ funds. Because Thomas and the other members of the "artistic echelon" were the primary beneficiaries of all H+ members' labor, the members were misclassified by H+ as apprentices and students. The members should have been classified as employees instead. 12. Thomas made women uncomfortable, including by lecturing them about their sexuality and personal relationships and encouraging them to be more sexually available, including towards him. 13. There was no anti-discrimination or anti-harassment policy at H+ at any time, and there was no complaint process to receive and review allegations of discrimination or harassment. 14. Over the course of its investigation, the OAG interviewed numerous former employees who were misclassified as members of the Respondents; issued a subpoena to the Respondents; reviewed documents provided by the Respondents; identified approximately twenty potential claimants; and took sworn testimony from Mr. Thomas. 15. Mr. Thomas and H+ do not contest the findings contained within this AOD. 16. Based on the foregoing, the OAG has concluded that Respondents engaged in persistent and repeated illegality in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. 203 et seq. ("FLSA") and New York Labor Law§§ 191, 652(1). 17. Based on the foregoing, the OAG has concluded that Respondents singled out women for worse treatment than men based on their gender. Respondents engaged in persistent and repeated illegality in violation of the New York State Human Rights Law. N.Y. Exec. L. § 296 et seq. etc etc, you should check out the full doc. Chow continues Thomas legacy with her company which targets asian youth and was started while under Thomas wing for over 10 years where she helped him cover up his behavior by gaslighting female students that came forward, among many other things. None of these four people have issued a public apology for their behavior, and no public acknowledgment indicates they have not changed. they continue their social media lives like nothing has happened. They've been held responsible by the AG office but they have not held themselves responsible and this throws a shadow on any future work any of these four people (Safi Thomas, Yvonne Chow, Yasmine Fequiere and Porshia Derival) do in the future. My best advice is DON'T ASSOCIATE WITH THEM.
Feb 2024
STAY CLEAR OF THIS PLACE! I attended a drop in session and was treated horribly. Im not a professional dancer. I was hoping for a fun dance session but was lectured and berated by the instructor for not keeping up with the choreography. He humiliated me in front of everyone. This place was very unwelcoming. I will never return.
Jan 2024
This non profit is awesome. I attended the program 2019 to 2020, and I flew all the way from West cost. And traveled from New Jersey to Manhattan for several months. If you don't believe in hard work, then you might want to evaluate your dance experience. I've been a dancer for 10 years. And this program was just what I needed. Going to beginners class is way different from attending the summer classes. Because the folks that are 1 star this non profit don't know what dance is. This is 5 star. The conditioning and training is not for the weak hearted you got too be strong. 2 hour stretching then 6 hours of dance rehearsal. I wouldn't trade the experience. Because i learned so much and how to really challenge my mind body and spirit. The teachers and students are amazing. They work so hard. Trying to make a change for dancers in new york. Giving them the self care and assistance individuals need.
If you needed more proof, the Attorney General's Office of NY investigated them for violating labor laws. Here is the official press release: Here is the full settlement agreement: Here are a few highlights, directly from the document, which is signed by Safi Thomas, Yvonne Chow, Porshia Derival and Yasmine Fequiere. 5. Each program was run by H+ members, who were responsible for obtaining sponsors and were required to spend a significant amount of time running events but were not paid for the work they performed. 6. Overall, members performed extensive work for the benefit of the company, including teaching classes, attending think tank sessions, planning and staffing all H+ events, attending rehearsals, performing in H+ exhibitions and shows, setting up and cleaning up at H+ exhibitions and shows, recruiting sponsors, and assisting in various other administrative tasks. 7. No H + member was paid for any of the work they were required to perform for the benefit of H+. 8. H+ sells tickets to its performances but does not compensate any of the performers or members who provide costumes, create sets, design choreography, lead rehearsals, sell tickets, set up or clean up. 9. Despite being told that H+ is an educational institution, no member has ever graduated from the program and Thomas does not help any dancers obtain paid jobs outside of H+. 10. Company profits are used to pay the living expenses of the "artistic echelon," a term Thomas uses to refer to himself and the other people with leadership roles in the company. The members of the Artistic Echelon are Safi Thomas, Porshia Derival, Yvonne Chow, Yasmine Fequiere all of whom live together in an apartment paid for with H+ funds. Because Thomas and the other members of the "artistic echelon" were the primary beneficiaries of all H+ members' labor, the members were misclassified by H+ as apprentices and students. The members should have been classified as employees instead. 12. Thomas made women uncomfortable, including by lecturing them about their sexuality and personal relationships and encouraging them to be more sexually available, including towards him. 13. There was no anti-discrimination or anti-harassment policy at H+ at any time, and there was no complaint process to receive and review allegations of discrimination or harassment. 14. Over the course of its investigation, the OAG interviewed numerous former employees who were misclassified as members of the Respondents; issued a subpoena to the Respondents; reviewed documents provided by the Respondents; identified approximately twenty potential claimants; and took sworn testimony from Mr. Thomas. 15. Mr. Thomas and H+ do not contest the findings contained within this AOD. 16. Based on the foregoing, the OAG has concluded that Respondents engaged in persistent and repeated illegality in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. 203 et seq. ("FLSA") and New York Labor Law§§ 191, 652(1). 17. Based on the foregoing, the OAG has concluded that Respondents singled out women for worse treatment than men based on their gender. Respondents engaged in persistent and repeated illegality in violation of the New York State Human Rights Law. N.Y. Exec. L. § 296 et seq. etc etc, you should check out the full doc. Chow continues Thomas legacy with her company which targets asian youth and was started while under Thomas wing for over 10 years where she helped him cover up his behavior by gaslighting female students that came forward, among many other things. None of these four people have issued a public apology for their behavior, and no public acknowledgment indicates they have not changed. they continue their social media lives like nothing has happened. They've been held responsible by the AG office but they have not held themselves responsible and this throws a shadow on any future work any of these four people (Safi Thomas, Yvonne Chow, Yasmine Fequiere and Porshia Derival) do in the future. My best advice is DON'T ASSOCIATE WITH THEM.
STAY CLEAR OF THIS PLACE! I attended a drop in session and was treated horribly. Im not a professional dancer. I was hoping for a fun dance session but was lectured and berated by the instructor for not keeping up with the choreography. He humiliated me in front of everyone. This place was very unwelcoming. I will never return.
This non profit is awesome. I attended the program 2019 to 2020, and I flew all the way from West cost. And traveled from New Jersey to Manhattan for several months. If you don't believe in hard work, then you might want to evaluate your dance experience. I've been a dancer for 10 years. And this program was just what I needed. Going to beginners class is way different from attending the summer classes. Because the folks that are 1 star this non profit don't know what dance is. This is 5 star. The conditioning and training is not for the weak hearted you got too be strong. 2 hour stretching then 6 hours of dance rehearsal. I wouldn't trade the experience. Because i learned so much and how to really challenge my mind body and spirit. The teachers and students are amazing. They work so hard. Trying to make a change for dancers in new york. Giving them the self care and assistance individuals need.