Berlin State Ballet's First Black Dancer Fights Back Against the Company's Alleged Racism

Chloe Lopes Gomes is Berlin State Ballet's first black dancer, and she is fighting back against the company's alleged racism, France 24 reports.

She has launched a fightback that has forced the State Ballet to launch an internal investigation into her complaints.

Lopes Gomes cites many instances where she was singled out for her skin color, including being told that she can't wear a white veil that all dancers were wearing because, "the veil is white and you're black."

Lopes Gomes says she has been subject to "harassment" at the hands of her boss since 2018 when she began working with the company.

"She used to say to me, 'When you're not in line, you are the only person we see because you are black'," she said.

Once, she was also asked to wear white make-up for a production.

In December, the Berlin State Ballet launched an internal investigation into discrimination and racism due to Lopes Gomes' complaints. They have not yet commented on findings

Lopes Gomes will leave the Berlin State Ballet in July as her contract was not renewed.

Read more on France 24.

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