As the Dallas Black Dance Theatre rebounds from labor troubles that resulted in a funding dip, the organization’s operational costs and search for a new leader have been bolstered by two grants totaling $1.15 million.
This week, DBDT announced it had been awarded a $550,000 grant from Communities Foundation of Texas, a charitable nonprofit. A week prior, the organization received a $600,000 grant from the Texas Instruments Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Dallas-based semiconductor company.
The funds will mostly be used for DBDT’s general operations, “anything from paying the light bill to paying salaries,” said board chairman and president Jack Skinner.
A portion will also be allocated for the executive search.
In September, the company announced its longtime executive director Zenetta Drew would be retiring. During her 40-year-tenure, Drew aided in a multimillion-dollar capital campaign that supported the company’s purchase and renovation of the historic Moorland YMCA building, its current location in the Arts District, and a growth in programming.
DBDT projected it would hire Drew’s successor by March or April
“I want to make an offer and to have somebody hired in that time frame,” Skinner said. “But if we don’t find the right person, I’m not set on a meeting a date.”
Drew’s departure will follow a tumultuous chapter in DBDT history. The organization was embroiled in a labor saga that drew city and national attention after its entire main dance troupe was fired in August 2024. The former dancers accused DBDT of retaliating against their unionizing efforts. Drew, in an op-ed for The Dallas Morning News at the time, said the decision was precipitated by a video of the dancers posted to social media, which violated company policies.
After an investigation from the city’s inspector general division and the loss of nearly $250,000 in city funding, the organization reached a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board to compensate the fired dancers.
Skinner said the two grants demonstrate “renewed support from the community.”
In the aftermath of the labor dispute, the company “was greatly impacted by reduced funding,” Skinner said. “We had to go into reserves to help fund the operations when donors stepped away,” he added, noting though, that DBDT is financially stable.
The company, which was founded in 1976, is ramping up for its 50th anniversary season.
An advisory task force, composed of local leaders including TI foundation executive director Andy Smith, released recommendations for DBDT in September aimed at fostering accountability and rebuilding trust in its next chapter.
“Sometimes you can only be as transparent as you can, especially when it comes to HR and legal matters,” Skinner said of the coming years. “But where we can we have to build that trust. We have to show that we are executing on our promises.”
This story is shared via Arts Access, an arts journalism collaboration powered by The Dallas Morning News and KERA.
