The Latest Developments in the Sexual Abuse Lawsuit That Shocked the Dance World
In July 2021, a bombshell lawsuit rocked the professional dance world, alleging a pattern of abusive behavior committed by a male former instructor and a ballerina at the pinnacle of her career.
Dusty and Mitchell Taylor Button—onetime star of the prestigious Boston Ballet and her husband—stand accused of grooming, coercion, and sexual abuse by multiple parties. The complaints against them span at least a decade.
Last spring, Cosmopolitan spoke with four of the alleged victims. That story, “Rosie. Dani. Gina. Sage.,” is a startling portrait of what they claim to have experienced. As of this writing, the case includes six plaintiffs.
The Buttons declined to comment for Cosmopolitan’s 2022 feature but did jointly respond to emailed questions for this news update. They deny all allegations—and are going on the offensive as well.
July 2022: The Buttons’ Lawyer Files a Controversial Countersuit
Last summer, the Buttons’ then-attorney Marc Randazza filed a countersuit targeting the veracity of plaintiff Sage Humphries. The suit claimed that Humphries had been victimized not by the Buttons but by five “third-party” defendants (including her parents) when Humphries was still a minor. The accusations ranged from child prostitution and sex trafficking to statutory rape.
Within weeks, the Buttons’ attorney withdrew claims against three of those parties, citing evidence they had received indicating that Humphries was a year older than the Buttons had originally believed and therefore not a minor when certain incidents were alleged to have occurred. Lawyers for Humphries described the Buttons’ countersuit as an attempt to embarrass their client and create a self-serving media narrative. As for the claims against Humphries’ parents, Micah and Michael Humphries, the court dismissed them last month for lack of jurisdiction.
The Buttons’ countersuit also included a defamation claim against Sage Humphries herself. In a setback for Humphries’ legal team, the court denied a motion to dismiss.
October 2022: The Buttons Cut Ties With Their Attorney
The Buttons say they were forced to part ways with Randazza last fall due to mounting financial hardship, including nearly $500,000 in debt accrued from their legal defense. Now representing themselves, they say they plan to revive aspects of their countersuit despite claiming to have received threats from one party named in the initial filing. “We assure you that we are the captains of our ship, and that vessel will soon sail again,” the Buttons explained in their email. “We have no home, no assets, no income, no careers, and NOTHING TO LOSE.”
In September 2022, Humphries filed a motion for sanctions against the Buttons for unlawfully obtained information from her iPhone, which was partially granted this past December, including an award of attorney fees. A second motion for sanctions—this one filed in January by all the plaintiffs—alleges that the Buttons violated the December order and, in addition, are carrying out an unlawful campaign of online harassment and intimidation against plaintiffs and potential witnesses, including on social media platforms. The Buttons have denied these allegations and filed a motion to strike, which the court has not yet ruled on.
February 2023: Plaintiff Juliet Doherty Withdraws From the Case
On February 24, Juliet Doherty, who had been a seventh plaintiff in the case, dropped out due to “severe online harassment from Defendants in retaliation for her claims,” according to a court document filed by her attorneys.
In their response to Cosmopolitan, the Buttons characterized their alleged victims’ claims as unfounded, unsubstantiated, and frivolous, writing, “We possess ALL evidence necessary to dismiss ALL Plaintiffs.”
The plaintiffs’ counsel Sigrid McCawley, managing partner at Boies Schiller Flexner LLP and a leading victims’ rights attorney, is eager for the trial to begin. “We look forward to putting the women’s case before a jury, which will hear the facts of the abuse they suffered while pursuing their dreams as dancers and not the fiction the Buttons are peddling in an act of desperation,” she told Cosmopolitan following a February hearing.
The trial has not yet been scheduled. More updates to come.
Additional reporting by Erin Quinlan.
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