Dallas Black Dance Theatre has been in a monthslong dispute with dancers after they unanimously voted to unionize with the American Guild of Musical Artists in May.
Dancers say the company retaliated against them for their union efforts with actions like firing a dancer and cutting off their supplementary income streams. Now, the National Labor Relations Board has found merit to the charges made by the union against the company.
Here’s a timeline of what’s happened between dancers and the dance company this year:
April 30, 2024: AGMA notifies dance company management that a majority of dancers have authorized the union to represent them.
May 29, 2024: Dancers unanimously vote to unionize. The dance company does not voluntarily recognize the union. This leads dancers to seek recognition through a National Labor Relations Board election.
June 3, 2024: AGMA files an unfair labor practice charge against the dance company.
July 1, 2024: Main company dancers sign letters of intent with Dallas Black Dance Theatre for the 2024-25 season.
July 15, 2024: The dance company fires Sean Smith, a main company dancer and rehearsal director who worked at the company for 14 years.
August 1, 2024: AGMA files more unfair labor practice charges against the dance company.
Juan Figueroa
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The Dallas Morning News
August 9, 2024: Dallas Black Dance Theatre fires the entire main company of dancers and posts an auditions notice on Instagram. The dance company cites an Instagram video posted by the dancers as the reason for the firing. The dancers say they were fired over their union efforts.
August 12, 2024: AGMA files more unfair labor practice charges against the dance company and issues a Do Not Work Order. The order means members of AGMA and other unions like Actors’ Equity could face consequences like fines or losing union membership if they work for the dance company.
August 17, 2024: Dallas Black Dance Theatre holds auditions to replace the fired dancers. Nearly 200 protesters march outside the building during auditions.
Shafkat Anowar
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The Dallas Morning News
August 19, 2024: Inspector General Division of the Dallas City Attorney’s Office receives a request to investigate the firing of dancers at the company.
September 10, 2024: Dallas Black Dance Theatre files a charge against AGMA.
October 11, 2024: Dallas Black Dance Theatre holds the first performance of the season, DanceAfrica. Dozens of protesters from labor organizations, including the Dallas AFL-CIO, Actors’ Equity Association, Young Active Labor Leaders and American Federation of Musicians picket outside the Moody Performance Hall. Those picketing also pass out flyers explaining what happened to the fired dancers. AGMA says they will picket every performance by the dance company.
October 7, 2024: The Inspector General Division of the Dallas City Attorney’s Office releases a 348-page report with the findings of an investigation into the firing of dancers earlier this year. The report includes a timeline of events surrounding the firings, as well as evidence including termination letters, the dance company’s handbook and interviews with fired dancers, union representatives and DBDT Board President Georgia Scaife.
October 23, 2024: The Dallas City Council pauses roughly $248,000 in funding to the dance company over concerns of the firing of dancers.
October 28, 2024: Dallas Black Dance Theatre expresses their interest in reaching a settlement.
October 29, 2024: Dallas Black Dance Theatre and AGMA meet to discuss the settlement.
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