A black ballet dancer who complained of racism at the Berlin State Ballet has been awarded €16,000 (£14,000; $19,000) in compensation and had her contract renewed, in an out-of-court settlement.
Chloé Lopes Gomes, a 29-year-old French dancer, was the first black ballerina to be hired by the company, in 2018.
On Instagram she welcomed the settlement as “a small victory but a huge step for the ballet world”.
She said she had been refused a white veil and told to wear white make-up.
The company said her allegation of racial discrimination “deeply moves us” and it launched an internal investigation into racism among its staff.
In January the Staatsballett held workshops for all staff to raise awareness of diversity and discrimination and it pledged to build a culture of openness to tackle the racism problem.
Lopes Gomes got many expressions of support on social media after going public with her complaint.
Black ballet dancers ‘proud’ of Chloé Lopes Gomes”I realised that even if I feared the consequences, speaking out was the best thing to do. I encourage everyone to break the silence,” she wrote. (BBC)