Earlier this month, AGMA and Dallas Black Dance Theatre proudly announced the ratification of the company’s first-ever collective bargaining agreement. Today, we’re celebrating what this historic three-year agreement delivers for DBDT dancers, from guaranteed employment and significant wage increases to stronger benefits, safety protections, and a meaningful voice on the job. Thanks to the dancers, past and present, whose organizing, advocacy, and dedication helped make this landmark contract a reality. The agreement was approved by the shop and ratified by AGMA’s Board of Governors on August 10, 2026.
CONTRACT HIGHLIGHTS
Economics
- New seniority-based wage scale:
- Entire wage scale increases 4% in Year 2 and another 4% in Year 3
- Current dancers receive increases of 5.5% in Year 1, 7% in Year 2, and 7% in Year 3, for a 20% cumulative increase over the agreement
- Increased Sick Leave/Personal Days to 7 days
- Established all work as paid Artist Activity
- Guaranteed employment for at least 12 dancers and at least 41 weeks of pay per contract
- 3 weeks of Paid Vacation included in the 41 guaranteed weeks
- Established Pay or Play protection
- Established daily and weekly limits on work and required rest periods
- Violations are compensated at 1.5 times regular pay or double time, depending on the violation
- Extra pay for running rehearsals or teaching company/master classes and choreographing
- Per diem established at the GSA rate
- Established Hazardous Duty pay
Health & Retirement; Parental Leave
- Dallas Black Dance Theatre will cover 90% of health insurance
- Matching retirement contribution of up to 3%
- Established unpaid Parental Leave that includes job protection and continued health insurance
Scheduling & Job Security
- Established casting and scheduling deadlines
- Established an Artistic Evaluation process and timely notice of reengagement
- Established deadlines for notification of additional summer contracts
- Summer contracts are optional
Equity & Respect in the Workplace
- Established the right to refuse to cross a picket line
- Established Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment protections
- Established training requirements
- Commitment to recruiting from diverse backgrounds
- Contract recognizes gender-neutral, non-conforming, non-binary, and gender-variant identities and terminology
- Protections for dancers’ skin and hair color and type in costumes, wigs, and makeup
- Prohibits using makeup to alter an Artist’s race or ethnicity
- Established Reverse Weingarten protections, ensuring a union representative can be present for interviews and meetings
- Established dancers’ right to control their own appearance
- Eliminates longstanding requirements to cover tattoos, piercings, and other aspects of personal appearance, except under specific circumstances
Safety & Touring
- Increased access to physical therapy
- Established touring protections, including limits on travel time and work following travel
Artist Rights & Credits
- Dancers receive credit in programs
- Right to approve headshots and bios
- Right to review featured photos
- No commercial capture without bargaining a separate agreement
- Dancers receive digital copies of photos and performances