did bdash and konkrete try out for sytycd

He even restricted their diets, former church members said, encouraging them to lose weight so as to appear godly. Some said Shinn persuaded them to hand over control of their personal bank accounts and doled out allowances as diminutive as $15 a week for a married couple. They said he taught them to monitor one another and report transgressions as small as using too much toilet paper, and that he oversaw marathon prayer sessions where they were expected to run in place and speak in tongues. These members said they'd come to believe they were 'brainwashed' by Shinn through a careful process of isolation, restriction, and intimidation. They said Shinn didn't simply ask for devotion from his congregants - he asked for control over their lives. Insider spoke with 10 former church members who also requested anonymity, fearing retribution from Shinn and his group. The spotlight is new for Shinn, who has operated in the shadows for years. Paparazzi followed Shinn and his family, catching the pastor cruising Southern California in his Bentley and hitting the gym for racquetball. After Derrick's family posted their video, the internet buzzed with conspiracy theories about a ' dance cult.' 7M pushed back with a statement insisting it was working in dancers' best interests. In addition to 7M, he's launched a record label and a production company that put out a slew of D-list films including 'Random Encounters,' starring Meghan Markle.īut this year, Shinn has finally gotten a taste of fame. Over the past 13 years, Shinn, 63, has spent his time away from the pulpit trying to make it big in Hollywood. In 1994 he founded a small nondenominational Christian ministry called Shekinah Church. James Derrick, also known as BDash, and his wife, Miranda Derrick, are managed by 7M Films Inc.Īt the center of the controversy is 7M's CEO, Robert Shinn, a charismatic pastor who claims to have a direct line to God. (Insider is aware of their and other anonymous sources' identities.) These people spoke on the condition of anonymity in the hopes of protecting their relationships with the dancers. Other friends and family members of 7M dancers have told Insider similar stories to the Wilkings', including accounts of dramatic changes in their loved ones' behavior and appearance, strained or inconsistent communication, and, in a few cases, large sums missing from shared family bank accounts. 'Someone else is controlling their lives,' Wilking said, 'and they're all victims.' In February, Wilking and her parents published a tearful 40-minute video claiming that Derrick and her fellow 7M dancers had joined a mysterious religious group that was isolating and exploiting them. When Wilking sneaked backstage, members of 7M's management team tried to keep her and Derrick apart. In December, desperate to see Derrick, her sister, Melanie Wilking, bought a ticket to 7M's 'Hip Hop Nutcracker Christmas' revue under a fake name, a friend who accompanied her said. She's blocked friends on social media and cut off contact with her family.

Her already slight frame appears to grow thinner by the day. Brands she has tagged in what seem like sponsored posts deny having any involvement with her. The small organization, founded in Santa Ana last July, has taken off, booking its dancers on everything from 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' and Toyota commercials to the Super Bowl halftime performance.īut hints have emerged that Derrick's storybook life may not be what it seems. She credits all this to her new management company, 7M Films. To the casual observer, Derrick is happy - radiantly, unapologetically happy. She's part of a tight-knit community of dancers who call one another 'brothers' and 'sisters' and pepper one another's posts with supportive comments and emojis. She's strutting alongside dance-world heavy hitters like Matt Steffanina and Montana Tucker. In other posts, Derrick is popping and locking in front of the Hollywood hills. Derrick's caption reads: 'Chasing the☁️away☀️Dance partners for life!' They're glowing, backlit by the setting Southern California sun and smiling at each other. In one recent Instagram post she dances across the white marble floor of a megamansion in patent-leather stilettos and a curve-hugging dress, shimmying to Earth, Wind & Fire's 'September' with her famous dancer husband. Her tan is deep and even, her blond hair sleek and bobbed, her bags Prada and Louis Vuitton. Miranda Derrick wants you to know she's doing better than ever. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.

Did bdash and konkrete try out for sytycd