DB NEWS • April 26, 2021
According to a report in The New York Times, ballet dancer Chloe Lopes Gomes has been awarded $19,000 in compensation—and the renewal of her contract at the Staastsballett of Berlin—in an out-of-court settlement over allegations of racism.
In a video on Instagram, the ballerina responded to the win: "It's a small victory but already a big step for the ballet world, and I think this will make a huge change," Lopes Gomes says.
Lopes Gomes, who is Black, began legal action after her fixed-term contract was not renewed last summer, alleging that the company's artistic staff had forced her to wear white make-up, among other racially insensitive requirements.
In January, Lopes Gomes told AFP (a global news agency) she had been subjected to continual "harassment" by the company's ballet mistress. In one production, when the ballet mistress was distributing white veils for the dancers to wear, Lopes Gomes said she was told, "I can't give you one. The veil is white and you're Black."
Lopes Gomes was the first Black dancer to be hired by the ballet company in 2018.
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