A Florida dance instructor featured on Lifetime's Dance Moms has been accused of sexually abusing girls at an Orlando dance studio.
Kevin Cosculluela pleaded not guilty after his arrest. He was charged with sexual activity with a 16- or 17-year-old child, solicitation of a minor, lewd or lascivious conduct, and illegal use of a communication device, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
Cosculluela, 25, has also been fired from his job at Peaches Dance and Music Orlando.
The Winter Garden police had been conducting an investigation, which revealed accusations of manipulation and sexual battery by two teenage girls who had taken lessons with Cosculluela.
According to an arrest warrant, one student who looked up to Cosculluela as “famous,” “important,” and “influential,” was forced to perform sexual acts and was manipulated into going to the instructor's apartment in between dance classes. “Kevin told her, ‘None of this happened, erase this from your memory and don't tell anyone,’” the warrant reportedly states.
The warrant also reportedly states that the victim said Cosculluela would become “scary” and verbally abusive if she denied his advances. “Kevin would threaten to take away lessons, ignore her during lessons, yell at her, swear at her and not speak to her for days if she didn't do what he wanted,” according to the warrant.
The student also alleged that Cosculluela “took advantage of their trust,” while adding that the victims put their instructor “on a pedestal” and were “afraid of losing him as a dance teacher”.
Cosculluela appeared on Dance Moms in 2013. He was American Dance Award's male dancer of the year in 2012.
A hearing is scheduled for May.
