The settlement was reached on Dec. 22 with the legacy dance company paying the terminated dancers half a million dollars four months after their exit, NBC DFW reports. The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), who called for an investigation into DBDT following the terminations, called the settlement agreement with DBDT “historic in its scope.”
The agency brokered the settlement after finding merit in complaints over the dance theater’s alleged unfair labor practices and move to fire the dancers months after they joined a union. DBDT claimed they fired the dancers over a social media post.
However, the dancers claim their terminations came after they joined AGMA in May, alleging that the theater retaliated by stripping the newly unionized dancers of benefits, cutting teaching opportunities for company members, firing a dancer with 14 years of experience, and ultimately dismissing the remaining nine dancers.
“This has always been bigger than us,” the dancers said in a joint statement. “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 social media post in question showed the dancers (Sean J. Smith, Sierra Jones, Micah Isaiah, Terrell Rogers, Gillian Clifford, Dominiq Luckie, Nile Ruff, Derick McKoy, Jr., Elijah Lancaster, and Brianne Sellars) participating in a trend where members of a group are introduced over the “Family Matters” theme song. DBDT officials say the post violated the theater policy the dancers agreed to when signing on as staffers.
Last week, the same committee signaled a willingness to redirect the funding—approximately 7% of DBDT’s budget—to other arts organizations in need within the city. An item on Wednesday’s Dallas City Council agenda permits the restoration of funding if the NLRB clears DBDT of wrongdoing or if the company reaches a settlement with AGMA.
“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 dancers said.
RELATED CONTENT: Dallas Black Dance Theatre Fires Entire Company Of Dancers, Union Claims
Source: Black Enterprise
