Comment|The documentary that mixes dance, religion and social media popularity is heartbreaking, writes Anna-Maija Lippu, HS’s culture editor.
Netflix a recent documentary about the American “dance cult” is confusing and harsh to watch.
A three-part documentary Tiktok dancers at the mercy of the cult is about the Wilking family, who say they lost their daughter to a cult that is both a Christian church and a dance agency.
Dancer sisters Melanie and Miranda Wilking (today Miranda Derrick) were lured into joining a “community” called 7M, which they met through Miranda’s husband.
The sisters had previously gained popularity on Tiktok, where they posted dance videos together. Miranda’s husband is also a professional dancer.
In the community there were several dancers who made their breakthrough through Tiktok, and the goal was to make dance videos together that would become viral hits and thereby get other job opportunities.
The rest of the time was spent as a pastor-manager Robert Shinnin led prayer and Bible circles.
Melanie soon found the community oppressive and left, but Miranda and her husband stayed.
Soon, Miranda’s contact with her family decreased considerably. According to the family, they used to be really close, and Miranda had never shown any interest in Christianity.
The final highlight was when Miranda didn’t come to her grandfather’s funeral because she couldn’t get permission from Shinn.
Miranda Derrick’s parents are desperate to get their daughter out of the dance cult.
In the year 2022 Melanie and the sisters’ parents posted videos on social media saying they were worried about Miranda. The videos attracted attention, especially in the United States, and soon Miranda’s social media channels were filled with worried questions.
Miranda has repeatedly denied the cult suspicions and assured that she is fine. He has justified his family’s reaction with disagreements and the fact that they do not support his new religious lifestyle.
The documentary paints a dark picture of 7M’s background, which reveals classic cult-like activities: the use of Christianity as a tool for manipulation, financing, and control and sexual violence maintained by the leader.
Dancers who left the cult say that most of the money they made went to the cult and its leader, Shinni.
When the cult became public, Miranda suddenly started to keep in touch with her family, but on one condition: no mention of 7M. So their relationship is seemingly mended, but the family’s encounters seem crowded and superficial.
Melanie believes that Miranda is only keeping in touch to silence her family’s social media campaign and to protect 7M from a public scandal.
The documentary shows in a heartbreaking way how cults break people and families. The situation of Miranda’s parents in particular is heartbreaking: they want to keep their beloved daughter in their lives, even though she is no longer herself.
The Netflix documentary makes serious allegations about the activities of pastor-manager Robert Shinn (right).
May The aftermath of the documentary published at the end of the year has continued on social media. Miranda is criticized the documentary as one-sided and says it made him insecure.
“Before this documentary, my husband and I felt safe. Now that the documentary has been published, we feel that we are in danger,” says Miranda in a statement published on Monday With an Instagram video.
According to Miranda, she and her husband have been followed, harassed and threatened. He says that he is disappointed that his family participated in the making of the documentary.
“I am not a victim, I am not hurt or exploited. I haven’t asked my family or anyone else for any kind of help. I get to decide what I do with my life.”
Mirandalla has 2.1 million followers on Tiktok, 1.7 million on Instagram. His dance videos are spectacular: technically proficient, exquisitely costumed, occasionally humorous.
In the past, I would have treated them like any other algorithm-fed entertainment: watched for a moment and swiped on.
But after the documentary, I look at them with skepticism. I carefully sprinkle Miranda’s face and imagine that I see something crooked and robotic in her gaze.
God is goodGod is good, his social media profiles read.
God may be good, but the cult is not. Unfortunately, the two can easily get mixed up.
Tiktok-tanssijat kultin armoilla (engl. Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult), Netflix