THE MORAL COLLAPSE OF DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATRE
As we gear up for our next two picket lines of 2024 and the December 9 NLRB hearing, Dallas Black Dance Theatre has reached new lows. Their latest antics? We had the time today. Let’s catch up.
DBDT’S CRUSADE AGAINST THE DANCERS’ LIVELIHOODS
Firing the dancers wasn’t enough for DBDT; they’ve been actively fighting against their unemployment claims, dragging them into hearings and trying to deny them basic support.
In November, we celebrated two wins: Elijah Lancaster and Brianne Sellars were awarded unemployment benefits. This proves what we already knew, of course, that DBDT’s actions were unjust.
It’s not just cruel; it’s relentless (the company loves that word, and so do we). The dancers, however, refuse to back down. They’ve taken to the streets, they’ve marched, and they’ve shown what it means to stand up for what’s right.
$248K IN FUNDING MAY BE REALLOCATED AWAY FROM DBDT SOONER THAN LATER
At the December 3 meeting of the Dallas Quality of Life, Arts, and Culture Committee, council members raised serious concerns about DBDT’s actions.
Councilmember Adam Bazaldua didn’t mince words: “We’ve seen an organization dig their heels in, remain with a stance they have done nothing wrong, and they want to fight. That’s fine—it’s their prerogative. But it’s not the city of Dallas’ deal. Our business is making sure money goes to organizations that stand for what the city stands for.”
Additionally, Councilman Paul Ridley called out DBDT Board President Georgia Scaife, stating, “It is not helpful in this kind of a charged atmosphere for the leadership of Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s Board to make misstatements to this Council and in public…”
When DBDT Board President Georgia Scaife asked to respond, the committee shut her down with a simple “No.”
RELENTLESS SHENANIGANS
DBDT isn’t just refusing to do the right thing; they’re actively trying to undermine the process and seem to have their focus on trivial matters:
- Cold Calls to AGMA: After the Quality of Life meeting, a DBDT board member cold-called AGMA staff, asking strange questions pertaining to AGMA membership while trying to hide her direct association with DBDT. Spoiler: we figured out exactly who they were (thanks, Google). Why is the DBDT Board’s energy focused on prank calling AGMA and not reexamining the way the company is run?
- Trolling on Social Media: Ann Williams’ daughter, Angela, has been posting brazen, untruthful comments on Instagram to supporters of the dancers for months, denying the company’s unlawful actions and trying to discredit the dancers. She even slid into AGMA’s DMs on September 15, saying, “So is DBDT all you have to do? Seems like you all are OBSESSED with DBDT and have nothing else to do!”
DBDT’S NEW ROLE MODELS: SPACEX, AMAZON, AND STARBUCKS
DBDT Leadership is taking pages from the worst corporate playbooks. Instead of taking accountability, they’ve adopted union-busting tactics used by companies like SpaceX, Amazon, and, most recently, Starbucks.
From fighting unemployment claims to sidestepping legal processes to invoking bizarre constitutional challenges to basic worker rights, DBDT is acting more like a soulless corporation than a nonprofit arts organization.
The question is: why are they investing all this energy into fighting their former dancers instead of just following the law?
ALL THIS, FOR WHAT?
DBDT has fought tooth and nail to avoid being held accountable. But the dancers have shown courage and resilience every step of the way, from rallies to picket lines to unemployment hearings to city council meetings.
Reports indicate declining ticket sales, donors withdrawing support, and major foundations cutting ties with DBDT. The message is clear: the arts community and its supporters are demanding, if we may phrase it this way, relentless fairness, relentless transparency, and relentless accountability at Dallas Black Dance Theatre.
JOIN US ON THE PICKET LINE
Join us outside Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s “Black on Black” performances TODAY, December 6, and tomorrow, December 7, for a powerful show of relentless solidarity.
As DBDT showcases works choreographed “by their dancers, for their dancers,” we’ll be outside shoulder-to-shoulder with the real dancers of Dallas Black Dance Theatre. Register today.