The director and choreographer of the Geneva dance group Alias has come under fire. Several dancers accuse him of sexual abuse.
The choreographer had touched her indecently on several occasions, quoted the French-speaking daily Le Temps as quoting around a dozen women affected. The choreographer denies having behaved immorally. He added that his gestures may have been misunderstood.
Grasped at the bottom and breasts
Madeleine Raykov, one of the women affected, describes the attacks completely differently. The choreographer touched her bum and breasts during rehearsals. She felt uncomfortable and wondered if that was normal. But she said nothing.
The professional association Syndicat Suisse Romand du Spectacle (SSRS) announced that it knew several people who had the same experiences with the choreographer. These women also mentioned other forms of abuse.
Sentenced in August
The association demands that the city of Geneva hold a hearing and arrange for measures to be taken to protect employees as soon as possible. It’s not the first time the choreographer has been accused of sexual harassment.
In November 2018, a young dancer who had taken a choreographer’s course filed a complaint against him. At the end of August 2021, the Lausanne District Court sentenced the choreographer to five months’ imprisonment on probation and 5,000 francs in compensation for pain and suffering. The choreographer has appealed against the judgment. (SDA)