‘SYTYCD’ Alum Accused Of Sexual Misconduct With Minor
One SYTYCD alum is facing very serious accusations after a new TikTok video.
Earlier in the year, former judge Paula Abdul accused her coster, Nigel Lythgoe, of sexual assault during their time on the show together. Lythgoe parted ways with So You Think You Can Dance before the new season premiered.
Now, a former competitor is under fire for behaving inappropriately with an underage fan. Keep reading to hear from the survivor and learn what she had to say.
A Dancer Shares Her Horrible Experience With A SYTYCD Alum
So You Think You Can Dance fans met Rudy Abreu back in Season 11 when he was just 19 years old. The contemporary performer came from Miami and placed in the top 8 that year. His appearance on the show ultimately launched his career.
After leaving SYTYCD, Abreu went on to work alongside other successful artists, including Bebe Rexha. But according to a new TikTok, Abreu also engaged in inappropriate conduct behind the scenes.
Charley Bennett is a 22-year-old dancer who met Rudy Abreu when she was 14. He was teaching at a touring dance convention where she worked as an assistant. At the time, she greatly admired Rudy and couldn’t wait to learn from him. Sadly, the experience was anything but positive.
“Please listen if you or your child dances or participates in ANY sport,” the description on the TikTok reads. “This is just a few stories from my experience. I hope to save as many kids as I can from having to go through this abuse.”
Charley Bennett Alleges Rudy Abreu Pushed Boundaries As A Teacher
In the video, Charley describes how Rudy Abreu began trying to “bond” with all the young assistants, but the interactions pushed the boundaries between teacher and student.
“His way of bonding, I guess, was following us on Instagram, Snapchat and all of our Finstas [fake Instagrams] at the time,” Charley shares in the TikTok. “He was on So You Think You Can Dance, he was dancing with JLo and he was following us on Instagram, and that was cool. We thought he was a cool mentor and a cool teacher, and that’s how boundaries and lines get crossed really young.”
Over time, Abreu began sending Charley sexually charged messages, including a full-body nude. He allegedly pressured Charley to send one back. She admits she reluctantly complied out of fear of repercussions.
“I hope this video brings awareness to how things can slowly evolve and happen, and in no way should he be working on dancing,” Charley finished out the video. “Rudy, this is not to ruin your life. You ruined your life on your own by doing all this to a child. And so I wish nothing good for you.”
@charleymar Please listen if you or your child dances or participates in ANY sport. This is just a few stories from my experience. I hope to save as many kids as i can from having to go through this abuse. #SA #SAstory #dancer #childvictims ♬ original sound – Char
Other TikTokers Respond To Charley’s Video
Charley’s story is incredibly heartbreaking. In the comments, many others admitted they’d experienced similar situations and thanked Charley for bravely speaking up.
Some wrote:
- “This is what bravery looks like. 💯 Thank you for sharing your story.”
- “As a dance studio owner, I am SO sorry you went through this. You said it absolutely right, this is HIM running HIS life. You are saving so many dancers by telling your story. Thank you!”
- “Former comp kid here…it’s amazing how many studios ignore the allegations of these teachers just to win some dance competitions”
- “As a gymnast and dancer I always thought my mom was so overprotective of me and harsh about men in the industry but I keep seeing reasons to be grateful. I’m so sorry girl thank you for speaking out❤️”
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