Miranda Derrick has expressed concerns for her safety following the release of the Netflix docuseries ‘Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult’.
Derrick, 27, is a central figure in the three-part series, which debuted in late May and delves into her family’s claims that she is allegedly trapped in a cult led by Robert Shinn, the pastor of Shekinah Church in Los Angeles and founder of 7M Films, which manages her dance career.
“Before this documentary, my husband [fellow 7M dancer James Derrick] and I felt safe,” Miranda stated in an Instagram video on Monday, June 10. “Now that this documentary is out, we feel like our lives are in danger.
We have been followed in our cars, received hate mail, death threats, messages urging us to commit suicide, and have been stalked.”
She recounted several specific threats, saying, “Someone said, ‘If I see you on the street, I’m going to come and get you, so you better get security.’ Another person said, ‘If I see you walking on the sidewalk, I’m going to shove you in the trunk of my car.’”
The release of Dancing for the Devil has further strained Derrick’s relationship with her parents, Dean and Kelly Wilking, and her sister, Melanie Wilking.
“I don’t understand how [they] thought this documentary would help me or our relationship,” Miranda said, adding, “For the past few years, I’ve been meeting with my family privately to work on our relationship, to mend what’s broken.
We’ve been enjoying each other’s company, laughing, and this documentary has made it difficult to continue that.”
The series follows several dancers and their families as they seek answers about Shinn, who has faced multiple accusations of sexual assault.
Recordings from his church services suggest he encouraged members to sever ties with family members not affiliated with the organization.
Shinn has also been accused of financially exploiting social media influencers, allegedly directing them to donate up to 70 percent of their earnings to him and Shekinah.
Netflix included a disclaimer at the end of the docuseries, stating: “No criminal charges have been brought against Shinn. He has previously denied sexually abusing any member of Shekinah or any client of 7M.
The civil lawsuit is ongoing. Robert and his codefendants deny the claims against them. The case is set to go to trial in 2025.”
On June 4, Miranda addressed the documentary, clarifying that she was “not a victim,” “not in any harm,” and “not being abused.”
“I appreciate the concern expressed for my well-being. Due to pending litigation, in which I am a plaintiff in a defamation lawsuit, it’s not appropriate for me to comment on specific allegations.
I do not condone abuse in any form,” wrote Derrick, who has previously denied being in a cult, in an Instagram Story. She criticized Dancing for the Devil for being “one-sided” in its portrayal of 7M.
“I love my Mom, Dad, and Melanie; they will always be part of my life. The truth is, we just don’t see eye to eye right now. I believe that this documentary tells a one-sided story,” Miranda wrote.
“I gave my life to Jesus Christ in 2020 and asked my family for some space initially to reflect and process my new spiritual journey.”
In a recent interview with *Us Weekly*, the documentary’s director, Derek Doneen, explained that the production team had informed Miranda during filming that her family was participating.
“There was a lot of consideration in how to tell her, but they did have that conversation, and we reached out to Miranda multiple times to invite her to share her perspective,” he said. “I think the emotions are intense and probably still present, but we can’t speak for them.”
