Whitney Huell didn’t set out to become a union advocate, but saying yes to one opportunity changed her course. What began as hesitation about serving as a delegate for Kansas City Ballet evolved into a powerful lesson in collective action, as Huell helped secure meaningful wage and parental leave gains for her colleagues. Now serving on the AGMA Board of Governors, in this conversation with AGMA’s Communications Coordinator Eldad (Eldee) Eyimife, she reflects on finding her voice at the bargaining table, the impact of fighting for others, and what it means to one day live inside the very contract language she helped win.
Whitney Huell will be the first to admit she almost said no. When she was approached about becoming a delegate and joining the Kansas City Ballet negotiating committee, her immediate instinct was to say, “No, I don’t want to do that.” But something nagged at her. She had been with the company long enough to feel a responsibility to contribute, so she agreed; a decision that would ultimately change lives, including her own.
Sitting in negotiations for the first time was, by her own description, “intimidating,” as she pictured confronting executive leadership directly, a contrast to Huell’s naturally reserved nature. But surrounded by her fellow dancers watching on Zoom, she felt prompted to speak, to make the case that dancers are the heart of the company and that their compensation should reflect their value. The result: Wage increases of 6-12% in year 1, and 4% in each subsequent year.
“Seeing that shift made me feel like I’d made a real difference,” she reflected, “Being part of it opened my eyes to how participation truly can change things. That’s also a big reason I agreed to serve on the Board of Governors. All of this—participating, speaking up, serving—was new to me then, but now I really understand why it matters.”
Among the changes she championed was improved maternity language. Under the old contract, pregnant dancers dropped to 50% pay as soon as they were placed on modified duty, with maternity leave entirely unpaid. The updated 2022 language guarantees wages for administrative work done while pregnant will be paid no less than a dancer’s regular salary, plus there will be 4 weeks leave at full pay after giving birth and up to 6 additional weeks maternity leave paid at 50%; a non-birthing parent will receive up to 4 weeks leave at full pay.
“When people truly care about one another, they’re willing to fight for changes that help others, not just themselves. That’s the kind of environment I want to be part of. I just felt it was important,” Huell said of advocating for the policy. “Even though it didn’t immediately apply to me, I could see how important it was for a fellow dancer who kept bringing it up. I remember thinking, ‘I don’t know if she’s pregnant, but it sounds like she might be soon—and I care about her.’ Because it mattered so much to her, it started to matter even more to me, and I kept bringing it up in negotiations.”
Years later, she found herself living inside the very language she helped win.
While pregnant with her daughter Liya, Huell danced through two productions. She performed the Queen Mother in Swan Lake and took on the role of Frau Stahlbaum in The Nutcracker, completing 14 shows with Liya, as she put it, “dancing onstage with her.” Her artistic director’s willingness to cast a visibly pregnant dancer is something she does not take for granted, and a gesture she hopes more artistic directors take in the future.
The support of her colleagues and management made the experience something she’ll never forget. When she landed a triple pirouette in class, her fellow dancers cheered. When she brought Liya into the studio after the birth, everyone rushed to meet her.
“I’ve never received so much attention in my life,” she said, laughing, “When your body can’t do what it normally does, you can feel like you’re missing out. It felt really good to feel ‘seen’.”
Huell hopes her experience becomes a blueprint, not an exception. She believes companies should explore modified roles for pregnant dancers wherever it is medically safe to do so — keeping them involved, compensated, and seen during a physically and emotionally vulnerable time.
“Advocating for women in this area and making it possible to have a child and still be supported is extremely important to me,” she said. “I don’t want the next generation to have to push for the same basic things we’re fighting for now.”
She wants that future for the dance industry. And she wants it for Liya.