Lady Gaga’s longtime choreographer, Richard “Richy” Jackson, has been accused of awful behavior by 10 former dancers, with those saying he’s created an “unsafe” and “unhealthy” workspace. Some have even walked away from their jobs as a result, reports Rolling Stone.
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Jackson has been the head choreographer for Gaga since 2011.
The news comes as Gaga just kicked off her highly-anticipated “Chromatica Ball’ with a bang Sunday night (July 17), in Düsseldorf, Germany, debuting seven new songs.
But the new claims may at least partially overshadow the new performances.
Said Caroline Diamond, who worked with Gaga during the 2017 Super Bowl halftime appearance, “[Jackson] abused me; he embarrassed me; he made me feel terrible in the workplace, just because he could. Gaga was my dream … I chased it and I got it, and she is the dream, and then you get there, and this man makes your dream a nightmare.”
To date, neither Gaga nor Jackson have addressed the allegations in public, though Rolling Stone reports that “Gaga’s team is taking the dancers’ concerns seriously and is looking into their allegations,” and “All of the dancers who spoke out against Jackson spoke highly of Gaga and were adamant that she had nothing to do with the situation, as she wasn’t present for much of the dancers’ rehearsals with Jackson.”
Former Gaga dancer Knicole Haggins said the accusations provide an “opportunity for things to change for the better and for people to feel that they don’t have to be quiet in order to keep their job.”
Said former dancer Sloan-Taylor Rabinor, “My point in coming forward about this is seeking change. If I can positively impact or save a dancer from having an experience like this, so when these red flags come up, whether it’s with [Jackson] or it’s somebody else, that they can step outside and be like, ‘Oh, I know what this looks like, I know how to remove myself from that situation.’”
Dancer Montana Efaw was the first to speak up against Jackson, according to the outlet. “To be completely open and honest with you guys, her choreographer Richard Jackson was a horrible person to work for,” she said, later adding that Jackson had been “mentally abusive to me for years.”
Others have stated their cases and decried Jackson’s behavior, some on the record and some withholding their names.
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