9 former Dallas Black Dance Theatre main-company members are looking for reinstatement after the corporate fired them in an obvious try at union busting. The still-unfolding scenario led the American Guild of Musical Artists to challenge a Do Not Work Order on August 12, prohibiting AGMA, Actors’ Fairness Affiliation, and SAG-AFTRA members from performing companies for Dallas Black Dance Theatre till the corporate agrees to enter into collective bargaining with AGMA.
DBDT terminated all of its 2024–25 season dancers on August 9, shortly after posting an announcement concerning the determination and an audition discover for brand spanking new firm members on Instagram. “An hour later, the dancers had been all notified by electronic mail that they’d been terminated,” says Griff Braun, nationwide organizing director of AGMA. (Requests for remark from the dancers had been directed to AGMA.)
Inside a couple of hours, DBDT had eliminated feedback accusing the corporate of union busting and restricted commenting on Fb and Instagram. On Monday, in addition they altered their assertion. In keeping with the brand new put up, issued by the board of administrators, the corporate terminated all main-company dancers for making a video that “violated their contractual phrases and our requirements of creative excellence.” The assertion additional says the choice is unrelated to the dancers’ determination to unionize earlier this 12 months.
On June 21, the dancer-run Instagram account @dancersofdbdt had posted a satirical video filmed within the DBDT dance studios and car parking zone. DBDT management confirmed to Dance Journal the video was the explanation for termination, citing firm insurance policies prohibiting private use of DBDT property and cellphone use within the constructing, amongst different contract violations.
However the dancers weren’t on contract once they had been terminated. Firm members had unanimously voted to unionize on Might 29, and AGMA had but to achieve an settlement with DBDT administration for the upcoming season. DBDT govt director Zenetta Drew says parts of the video had been created whereas dancers had been working underneath a earlier contract.
“As a result of this video violates our firm insurance policies to be used of our title, model, and doesn’t replicate the group’s values, we had a direct and damaging impression on our public picture,” says Drew.
Firm leaders say they realized of the video’s existence round July 25. AGMA says the dancers weren’t warned the video broke with firm insurance policies, nor had been they requested to take away it previous to being fired. Drew confirmed this and says contract language permits the corporate’s actions. In her 37-year tenure, she says dancers have been terminated with out warning—although by no means your entire firm directly.
“We remorse the impression these incidents have had on these gifted dancers,” Drew says. “A lot of them have labored with us for a number of years. Nonetheless, as a enterprise we’ve to make the top-line determination of what’s most essential.”
In keeping with Braun, the administration made adjustments to established norms nearly instantly after the dancers unionized. Prior to now, as an example, dancers leaving DBDT had been invited to the corporate’s annual gala, The Massive Dance. For this 12 months’s gala, nonetheless, which happened June 1, three departing dancers had been instructed they’d need to pay for his or her tickets. AGMA raised issues on the time and was directed to the corporate’s lawyer.
DBDT held auditions in April, however slightly than changing the three dancers who had chosen to depart on the finish of the season, the corporate opted to consolidate the variety of contracts. Ten returning dancers acquired letters of intent, the same old course of by which DBDT points season contracts. In keeping with Drew, the variety of dancers can fluctuate from season to season.
Veteran dancer and rehearsal director Sean Smith was amongst these planning to return; his provide of employment was revoked on July 15. DBDT wouldn’t focus on the explanation Smith was fired however mentioned it was unrelated to the video, which he had taken half in. In keeping with AGMA, the remaining firm dancers had been additionally instructed they had been not eligible to show within the firm’s faculty or lead its pre-professional ensembles.
On July 24, the dancers issued a public assertion requesting that Smith be reinstated. Within the assertion, they ask the administration to rent 4 new dancers, citing security issues they declare would come up in a smaller firm, and to “decide to working…truthfully and collaboratively in bargaining to ascertain a robust first union contract.”
On August 1, AGMA filed unfair labor practices prices with the Nationwide Labor Relations Board. A brand new declare, filed on August 9, now seeks a direct injunction to reinstate the fired dancers. AGMA wouldn’t remark additional on the small print of pending litigation. DBDT board president Georgia Scaife says the union has been in touch with the corporate’s attorneys.
Braun says the dancers need to return to work and the union desires to barter with the almost 50-year-old establishment. “Within the brief time period, we’ve obtained a whole firm {of professional} dancers which can be abruptly out of labor,” Braun says. “They acquired discover 10 days earlier than they had been to return and begin their season.”
The Do Not Work Order that AGMA issued Monday afternoon is, Braun and his colleagues say, unprecedented for the union. Late Tuesday afternoon, AGMA despatched out a name to show in Dallas on August 17. Members and supporters intend to stage a rally on the general public sidewalks exterior Dallas Black Dance Theatre whereas the corporate holds auditions.
“There isn’t a firm proper now,” says Braun. “And we don’t really feel anyone ought to audition for this firm underneath these circumstances.”
