NEW YORK, NY (July 21, 2026) – The Board of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) has ratified a new three-year agreement with American Ballet Theatre (ABT), reached through a collaborative negotiation and finalized just ahead of the Company’s Summer Season at the Metropolitan Opera House. The agreement governs the conditions of employment for ABT’s dancers and stage managers.
“The entire negotiation process between the AGMA Artists and ABT management was extremely respectful and collaborative from the very first meeting, with thoughtful proposals presented on both sides,” shared members of the AGMA Negotiating Committee. “The result of this hard work is an agreement that will continue to move the ABT artists forward in a responsible and sustainable way, with a shared investment in ABT’s future.”
ABT’s dancers and stage managers are among the finest artists in the world, and reaching this agreement was a genuinely collaborative effort, with both sides bringing thoughtfulness and good faith to every conversation. The result is a contract that delivers meaningful gains for artists while positioning the Company for continued strength as it builds on its post-pandemic recovery. The new collective bargaining agreement runs for three years and becomes effective on September 1, 2026.
The agreement delivers significant progress for artists and stage management, especially across wages, work rules and conditions, and health and wellness.
“I am delighted by how collaborative and constructive this negotiation was from start to finish. Together with AGMA, we secured meaningful improvements for our dancers and stage managers, while also strengthening the Company as we continue building back from the challenges of the past few years. Our artists are the heart of ABT, and this agreement reflects our shared commitment to supporting them. I am grateful to everyone at AGMA and ABT who brought such thoughtfulness to this process and worked so hard to reach an agreement,” said Barry Hughson, Executive Director of American Ballet Theatre.
“Our dancers and stage managers pour everything into the work they do on that stage every night, and this agreement is a reflection of how deeply ABT values them, not just as artists, but as the people who make this Company what it is. I’m proud of the collaborative spirit that shaped these negotiations, and I’m excited for what this stability allows us to build together in the years ahead,” said Susan Jaffe, Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre.
“AGMA is proud to have reached an agreement that strengthens the future of ABT and the Artists who make it all possible,” said Tracy Jones, AGMA’s Director of Collective Bargaining. “This agreement reflects what can be achieved when labor and management approach bargaining with a genuine commitment to partnership and problem solving. Together, we found creative solutions to important issues affecting our Artists, including health and safety, scheduling, and wages, while restoring retirement benefits that had been reduced over the past two decades.”