Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

DMN Stories

Dallas Black Dance Theatre to pay over $560,000 to dancers in settlement with NLRB

The dance company must also issue letters of apology to the dancers and train managers and employees.

By Elizabeth Myong
Dallas Morning News
Reprinted – by Texas Metro News

The dance company must also issue letters of apology to the dancers and train managers and employees.

Nile Ruff, one of the dancers who was fired, prompts chants while union members and supporters picket at Dallas Black Dance Theatre s first show of the season Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in front of Moody Performance Hall in Dallas. The dispute began after DBDT fired all the main company dancers, in what they say was retaliation for unionizing. Nile Ruff, one of the dancers who was fired, prompts chants while union members and supporters picket at Dallas Black Dance Theatre s first show of the season Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in front of Moody Performance Hall in Dallas. The dispute began after DBDT fired all the main company dancers, in what they say was retaliation for unionizing. (Yfat Yossifor / KERA)

After months of twists and turns, Dallas Black Dance Theatre has reached a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board.

The settlement means 10 fired dancers and three whose offers of employment were rescinded will receive over $560,000 from the dance company in back pay, front pay and compensation for damages incurred through the loss of their employment.

The settlement came Sunday evening, hours before a hearing with the dance company was expected to start on Monday morning.

ADVERTISEMENT

DBDT said in a statement the settlement will allow the company to move past its differences with the American Guild of Musical artists, the union representing fired dancers.

“The DBDT Board believes this settlement is the best path for our organization, avoiding costly litigation that could have diverted resources from our mission,” the statement said. “We are confident this collaborative effort marks the start of a stronger partnership and a brighter future for AGMA, DBDT, and its artists.”

Martha Kinsella, legal counsel with the union, said the monthslong back-and-forth is a story about worker power with the dancers spearheading efforts.

“It’s been a really extraordinary and multifaceted campaign that has brought justice for the dancers in a really remarkable, very short time frame,” Kinsella said.

In the settlement, Dallas Black Dance Theatre has agreed to pay each of the dancers about $3,000 to $13,000 in back pay. Instead of being reinstated at the company, all dancers opted for front pay ranging from about $6,000 to $62,000 per dancer. The front pay would cover the payment dancers expected to receive in future contracts after the dance company gave them letters of intent.

ADVERTISEMENT

The settlement also requires the dance company to compensate dancers for former and future damages that may have been caused by their firing or actions taken against them by the dance company. That compensation ranges from about $300 to $4,000 for each dancer.

“This has always been bigger than us,” said a written statement from former DBDT dancers Sean J. Smith, Sierra Jones, Micah Isaiah, Terrell Rogers, Gillian Clifford, Dominiq Luckie, Nile Ruff, Derick McKoy, Jr., Elijah Lancaster and Brianne Sellars. “While this settlement allows our lives to go on and gives us some sense of much-needed closure, we recognize that the fight for accountability and justice at DBDT is far from over.”

The dance company must also issue letters of apology to the dancers and is required to work with an NLRB agent to train managers, supervisors and employees.

Previously, the dance company said dancers were fired for violating certain company policies. Now, DBDT will be required to rescind any discipline or discharges previously sent to the dancers or former employees as a result of certain handbook rules.

DBDT will also be required to publicize a seven-page notice explaining employees’ rights and outlining what the company will and will not do to abide by the settlement and the National Labor Relations Act. The document will be emailed to former and current employees and read to employees in a meeting.

ADVERTISEMENT

News of the settlement could impact the Dallas City Council’s decision on funding for the dance company. On Oct. 23, the council paused roughly $248,000 in funding to DBDT.

In last week’s meeting of the City Council’s Quality of Life, Arts, and Culture Committee, the majority of members expressed an interest in completely redistributing next year’s funding to other arts and culture organizations that serve African, Latino, Asian, Arab and Native American communities.

Council member Adam Bazaldua said he doesn’t want to prolong a decision on the issue while legal proceedings play out.

“The reality is we have some concern. We feel that there is an organization that does not necessarily, with what we know, represent the priorities of the city of Dallas. What I do know is that we’ve got a lot of starving artists out there that these funds could be helping that we know align with our city.”

The City Council will discuss funding to the dance company on Wednesday.

ADVERTISEMENT

Arts Access is an arts journalism collaboration powered by The Dallas Morning News and KERA.

This community-funded journalism initiative is funded by the Better Together Fund, Carol & Don Glendenning, City of Dallas OAC, Communities Foundation of Texas, The University of Texas at Dallas, The Dallas Foundation, Eugene McDermott Foundation, James & Gayle Halperin Foundation, Jennifer & Peter Altabef and The Meadows Foundation. The News and KERA retain full editorial control of Arts Access’ journalism.

This story, originally published in The Dallas Morning News, is reprinted as part of a collaborative partnership between The Dallas Morning News and Texas Metro News. The partnership seeks to boost coverage of Dallas’ communities of color, particularly in southern Dallas.

Written By

ADVERTISEMENT
E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers
A severe E. coli outbreak in multiple states has been traced to Quarter Pounder hamburgers served by McDonald's. (Scripps News)
0 seconds of 37 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:37
00:37
 

Read The Current Issue

Texas Metro News

Determining Optimal Protein Intake For Muscle Growth buy steroids the 3 golden rules of muscle growth
ADVERTISEMENT

You May Also Like

DMN Stories

The city of Dallas will cut about $248,000 in funding for cultural programming and redistribute the money to other arts and culture organizations.

Editorial

When two generations clash, you get the public discord that is broiling at Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT), a revered local treasure that onlookers...

DMN Stories

The news comes months after dancers organized to negotiate with the company’s management.

News

Dallas Black Dance Theatre Founder Ann Williamsattends White House Ceremony as a Founding Member of IABD Special to I Messenger Media President Joseph R....

Advertisement