The Netflix doc Dancing For The Devil might start out with just a carefree group of TikTok dancers, but the actual story is just as heartbreaking as it is real (and currently ongoing).
The three-episode docuseries first introduces the world to 7M, a management company that helps TikTok dancers and influencers earn money via brand deals and other opportunities. The company was started in 2021 by Robert Shinn, a Los Angeles-based pastor and leader of the Shekinah Church. This is where things get dicey.
According to the documentary, not only was Shinn pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars from his talent, but he also forced the young dancers to cut off their family and friends, including Miranda Wilking of the TikTok-famous Wilking sisters. The Wilkings are a main part of the docuseries and to this day are still fighting to get their daughter back home.
What have the members said? Not much. In fact, a lot of the 7M members are still a part of the cult. The Instagram account Exposing7M shows just how many people are involved in both 7M and the Shekinah Church, which has been around since 1994.
In response to the documentary, Miranda Wilking has posted the following on Instagram: “I have been getting together with my family for the past couple of years, privately, to work on our relationship, to make things right, to mend what has been broken. I’ve been loving getting together, laughing, just enjoying each other’s company. And this documentary has made it very difficult to continue doing that.”
Meanwhile, the dancers who have left are grateful for the documentary. Former member Kiley Douglas told Netflix, “I’m hoping that the dancers still in the management group and still in Shekinah will be able to see this documentary. I’m not sure if it will be hidden from them. Maybe they’re not allowed to watch it, but I’m hoping that they do and that maybe it will spark some questions in their minds and have them rethink about their lives before, as well as what their lives could be after this group.”
It’s not just TikTokers who fell victim to the cult: Dancing For The Devil also follows various former members who spent decades following Robert Shinn. At least three members of the organization also accused Shinn of sexual misconduct. No criminal charges have been filed against Shinn at this time, and he is still managing dozens of young talent.
Dancing For The Devil is currently streaming on Netflix.