by Daniel Johnson
August 18, 2024
The dancers had simply unionized in Might.
As 9 former members of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) search reinstatement into the group, the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) has issued a Do Not Work Order as they look ahead to the corporate to enter right into a collective bargaining settlement with the AGMA.
In line with Dance Journal, the order, issued on Aug. 12, prohibits members of AGMA, the Actors Fairness Affiliation, and SAG-AFTRA from doing work for the theatre firm. The DBDT issued an announcement about its choice to terminate all of its dancers for the 2024-2025 season on Aug. 9, simply after they posted an announcement and an audition discover on their Instagram account.
In line with AMGA President Ned Hanlon, “A Do Not Work Order just isn’t one thing AGMA points frivolously. It’s reserved for essentially the most egregious actions taken towards our artists, and I can’t recall the final time AGMA needed to concern such an order. What is going on to the dancers of DBDT, who stood united for a voice of their office, is among the most excessive instances we’ve ever encountered.”
Shortly after the discover was posted by DBDT, the dancers have been notified that they’d all been terminated, in line with Griff Braun, the nationwide organizing director of AGMA.
“An hour later, the dancers have been all notified by e mail that they’d been terminated.” Braun stated in an announcement.
Braun additionally stated that the AGMA’s submitting of an unfair labor practices declare in June and earlier in August is critical to carry the DBDT accountable for its actions. “The submitting of those ULPs [unfair labor practices] is a vital step in holding DBDT accountable for his or her punitive response to their dancers’ unionization and making certain that the rights of the dancers are protected.”
The theatre firm contends that the dancers have been fired after they posted a video to their Instagram account, which was filmed of their dance studio and parking zone, and cited firm coverage which prohibited private use of DBDT property and mobile phone use and extra contract violations.
Nonetheless, the dancers had unionized on Might 29, which meant that formally, they’d not but labored out a brand new contract with DBDT for the upcoming season. Nonetheless, DBDT’s Govt Director Zenetta Drew instructed Dance Journal that the video didn’t replicate the group’s values.
“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 an instantaneous and destructive impression on our public picture.” Drew instructed the outlet.
Drew continued, “We remorse the impression these incidents have had on these gifted dancers. A lot of them have labored with us for a number of years. Nonetheless, as a enterprise we’ve got to make the top-line choice of what’s most vital.”
In line with the Dallas Morning Information, the dancers and AGMA themselves, launched a public assertion giving their sides of the story. In AGMA’s they disputed the DBDT’s model of occasions saying that the video was not the misconduct that DBDT initially purported.
“DBDT administration has tried to justify the mass firing by claiming that the dancers engaged in misconduct that violated firm insurance policies. Nonetheless, the so-called ‘misconduct’ in query was nothing greater than a playful and fascinating Instagram Reel that the dancers created after rehearsal completed on June 21 to introduce their account. It’s price noting that the dancers acquired their signed letters of intent for the 2024-2025 season after this put up had already been shared.” AGMA’s assertion stated.
Gillian Clifford, one of many dancers, who was unceremoniously fired by the DBDT, instructed the Dallas Morning Information that she believes the firings have been blatant retaliation. “To out of the blue deem our video as an unsatisfactory illustration of the corporate — seven weeks after it was posted — is blatant retaliation. To not point out, the feedback beneath the reel we posted are overwhelmingly optimistic. This can be a textbook instance of what it means to be unjustly fired.”
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