As we wave goodbye to Summer training and the soon -to- fade Summer sun, things are just heating up in the professional dance world. Last week as I hopped on to Instagram, I was welcomed by jarring comments made by "The Dancers of DBDT". If you do not know what has been happening the rather quick version is that majority of the dancers made a decision to join the union AGMA and since then, the company of Dallas Black Dance Theatre has come under scrutiny for a series of alleged retaliation tactics.
I have to be completely honest here. Not only was I shocked, I was, and am still very disappointed. A few days ago I took to my platform the difference between endurance and acceptance. No dance company is perfect but that never gives any the right to mistreat dancers in the manner of communication, health or safety. I also shared with dancers that although you may experience unpleasant situations within a dance project or company, not every hill is one to die on. You have to know what is worth standing on/standing for and you must know when to "ride the wave".
Going through the onslaught of industry support that is pouring in for the dancers of DBDT as well as the new information, leaves me in a deep reflective thought process. Just last year we watched something very similar happen with the dancers of Syracuse Ballet. To me, I felt charged with giving them my support as a fellow dancer while helping spread their story. It is so encouraging that in just a short time those dancers have transformed a pending nightmare into a blossoming new company, New York Central Ballet. I love that for them. There is also no doubt in my mind that things will come to a resolve for our fellow dancers in Dallas, TX.
For almost two years now I have been speaking about injustices, victimhood mentality, racial green screens and the blaring need to "bring dance back to dance. It started as a personal goal of mine. Regality and integrity are two components that were divinely infused into my early knowledge of what it meant to be a professional dancer and today that could not be more true. Between The Dancers of Syracuse Ballet and The Dancers of DBDT, I reminisce on my own "stand up" moment.
Dancers, it is never completely easy to make the tough decisions. While there are those who fight to be recognized and loved by directors alongside with the natural perfectionism and vulnerability dance is nestled in between, it can look and feel scary to make that jump.
Right before the incident in Syracuse I resigned from my ballet company. If you've been with The Artist Impression a while you know what I've shared. Touring conditions were mad, dancers were becoming injured left and right, little to no regard was given and frankly not enough measures were taken to ensure our bodies lasted, to ensure we'd be the strongest for three-a-days plus travel. And here's the thing. I am one million percent an advocate for dancers not being wimpy because the work is the work. However, there's this line that, if crossed, forces dancers over into a danger zone. That will never be okay. I'm not talking about soreness, feeling a bit tired or annoyed that we've gotta run this thing again. I mean if this doesn't stop now, someone is gonna be out of work for months. That is where I was.
Sure the actual events around my resignation decision were altered upon revealing it to the company and sure I was looked at as something other than intelligent and cooperative by someone I love and trust but more than any of that, my career, among other things, were saved because I made the hard decision.
Surely there is a huge shift happening in the world of dance. It isn't about getting your way when it comes to trivial matters like hair or shoe color. It isn't about superiority of race or culture. It isn't even about destroying artistic directors and leaders of organizations. This shift is about returning dance to it's rightful place in The Earth. For those who do not want to put in work, no, this is not your free time to shine because standards will always govern the strength of a people, and in our case, the world of dance.
I am eagerly looking forward to what the next 4.5 months will bring.
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