New Netflix Docuseries Exposes Alleged 'Cult' Behind TikTok Dance Phenomenon; DEETS

Netflix's latest docuseries, Dancing for the Devil, exposes a disturbing reality hidden behind the glitz and glamor of TikTok's dance scene. Here's all you need to know.

By Sakina Kaukawala

Published on May 30, 2024 | 04:08 PM IST | 39.2K

Image Courtesy: Netflix

Trigger Warning: This article contains references to forced labor, human trafficking and sexual battery.

Over two years ago, a 40-minute Instagram Live video gained widespread attention on social media. Melanie Wilking, a TikTok dancer, and her parents spoke out in the video about losing contact with Melanie's sister, Miranda (now Miranda Derrick), to a religious organization as per CNN. They claimed Miranda was "no longer in control" of her life. Miranda seemed to disappear from the Wilking Sisters' lives after they had performed together.

Miranda, on the other hand, remained in the public eye, announcing her marriage to fellow dancer James Derrick, better known as BDash. Her social media accounts showed polished dance videos with BDash and other creators, as well as appearances at events such as the American Music Awards and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, with no indications of any issues.

Unveiling troubling claims

Multiple publications, including The Cut and Rolling Stone, as well as a Netflix documentary, have reported on troubling allegations about Miranda and James Derrick's religious organization affiliation. Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult, a three-part documentary, investigates these allegations.

According to the series, the organization also functions as a talent management company called 7M Films. The documentary focuses on the Wilking family and former dancers represented by 7M Films, which is in civil litigation with its co-owner and CEO, Robert Shinn. These dancers, including Kevin 'Konkrete' Davis, Aubrey Fisher, and Kylie Douglas, discuss their experiences and concerns.

Shekinah church and 7M films connection

Robert Shinn, an LA pastor, founded 7M Films alongside his long-standing Shekinah Church. The docuseries claims that the church and the management company are one and the same, with Shinn and his wife, Hannah, enriching themselves from their church members and talent while isolating them from their former lives.

The series includes firsthand accounts and recordings of Shinn's sermons, in which he allegedly instructed members to "die to" their families, or cut them off, in order to save their loved ones in the afterlife. Melanie Wilking, who had previously attended Shinn-hosted dinners, saw red flags and declined to attend his church services.

Ongoing legal battle

The documentary follows the parallel stories of two pairs of sisters, allegedly separated by Shinn's organizations: Melanie and Miranda and Melanie and Priscylla Lee. Melanie and Priscylla moved to Shekinah as young immigrants in 1999. Melanie eventually left with the help of a friend, but Priscylla remained. Priscylla has since left Shekinah and told her story in the series.

The Shinns and Derricks did not appear in the documentary, though Miranda has denied being in a cult. BDash described 7M as a "secular for-profit company run by people who have faith in God," stating that managing bookings and schedules is a business, not a cult activity.

The series also sheds light on a current lawsuit. Shinn sued several former church members, including the Lee sisters, in 2022 for defamation and trade libel, alleging false statements about his organization's cult status.

Davis, Fisher, and Douglas responded by filing a cross-complaint against Shinn, his wife, and their entities, accusing them of fraud, forced labor, human trafficking, and sexual battery. The trial is set for July 2025 in Los Angeles; no criminal charges have been filed to date.

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