The smoke has cleared and the battle is done. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Dancer's Alliance, SAG-AFTRA, mama Galen Hooks, and other dance doyenne's, the battle for a decent work contract with the record labels has ended and we walked away the victors! On June 1st the record labels reached an agreement and gave union dancers working in music videos a contract. This contract guarantees having a bathroom on set, health and retirement benefits, decent call times, safe working conditions, and other concerns that were plaguing the commercial dance community.
It may seem absurd to people who work in other professions that dancers would work under such hideous terms. They say, "How would one ever want to be a professional dancer?" Well the answer is simple, "we were born to dance." It's just a shame that dancers have been taken advantage of for so many years, never mind the fact that it took us 30+ years to secure having water on set. But the message is deeper than that. The grassroots campaign, It's About Time, is powerful! It shows that there is strength in numbers and when a collective group of people are bound by one common cause, the results will always be in their favor.
So dance on luv muffs! Celebrate and seize this moment! Relish it and thank those who paved the way and fought hard so hard for our current standing. It was a long, hard battle, but they did it! Dancers are making a positive impact, and the world is listening. #KnowYourWorth
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