A Dallas City Council committee has recommended a temporary pause on funding to Dallas Black Dance Theatre due to concerns about the company’s firing of dancers.
The recommendation came during a meeting of the Dallas City Council’s Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee on Monday. The committee voted 5-2 to approve allocations to 55 Dallas-based nonprofit arts groups, but decided to temporarily withhold roughly $248,000 to the dance company for 2024-25.
Dallas City Council will vote on whether to withhold funds for the dance company on Wednesday, when they also vote on allocations for the other arts groups.
Earlier this year, ten main-company dancers were fired and have been replaced. The company cites a social media video as the reason for the firings. But the American Guild of Musical Artists, which represents the fired dancers, says the firings happened because of union efforts. The dancers had unanimously voted to unionize in May to demand better working conditions.
Zenetta Drew, executive director of Dallas Black Dance Theatre, said in a statement that the dance company is prepared to address any concerns the city has.
“Our mission at DBDT remains unchanged: to create and share contemporary dance rooted in the African American experience and to enrich the global community by bridging cultures through the transformative power of dance. We are committed to continuing our work and look forward to working with the City to resolve this matter.”
Council member Gay Donnell Willis said she wants to wait to determine how funding will be allocated after seeing some “disturbing practices.”
“We’re buying some time there to get findings from the National Labor Relations Board and be able to understand the board of directors’ action at this nonprofit organization,” she said. “Will this be taken seriously or will it be disregarded? I mean, I don’t know. I hope it’s taken seriously.”
The National Labor Relations Board is reviewing unfair labor practice charges that the union filed against the dance company in June and August. In September, the dance company filed an unfair labor practice charge against the union.
Prior to the meeting, committee members reviewed a 348-page report from the Inspector General Division of the City Attorney’s Office, which 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 Georgia Scaife, president of the dance company’s board.
Committee chair Paul Ridley said he’s particularly concerned over what he called the dance company’s lack of response to concerns over the firings and their decision to hire replacement dancers.
“I think we need to send a strong message to this organization,” he said. “I am strongly in support of the rights of workers in general and the rights to organize as a labor union. I think that that has been damaged by this instance.”
Committee members asked the Office of Arts and Culture’s Advisory Commission to provide recommendations on how the funding for the dance company could be reallocated. The commission is set to meet in November.
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