ORLANDO, Fla. _ A Disney ballerina who performed in Animal Kingdom's Festival of the Lion King show is accusing the theme park operator of firing her after she became pregnant with twins, according to a recent lawsuit.
Krista Crowder sued, alleging gender discrimination this month in Orange Circuit Court. She is seeking more than $15,000 in damages. Her lawsuit names Walt Disney Parks and Resorts as well as Disney Worldwide Services.
"We have a longstanding policy against workplace discrimination, and we will respond to the allegations as appropriate in court," a Disney spokeswoman said in a statement in response to the allegations.
Crowder, a ballerina who has been an equity Disney performer since 2013, played the role of a bluebird during the "Can You Feel Love The Love Tonight" ballad in an aerial part of the show.
"It's what every ballet dancer in the city wants to do," said Crowder, 33, of Orlando, in an interview. "It's the show everyone puts on their list to go see when they go to Animal Kingdom. You can feel that as a performer."
She stopped working in November 2015 because of her pregnancy and gave birth to her twin daughters on June 1, 2016, via a Caesarean section.
Eight weeks later, her doctor cleared her to work out, although Crowder couldn't get back in the harness yet.
She was notified in a letter she was terminated June 20, 2016, according to her complaint with the Florida Commission on Human Relations and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Crowder asked Disney if her firing was a mistake and was told she could return her position.
She was instructed to audition even though the lawsuit alleged, "The audition requirement was against Disney Parks protocol which should have only required a costume fit and a rehearsal."
By her October audition, she had lost 60 pounds that she gained during pregnancy. "I worked my butt off," Crowder said.
But Crowder said she was later told she was no longer needed at the theme park.
Crowder, who now sings at Universal Orlando Resort, received a final termination letter in August 2017, the lawsuit said.
The show was "exhausting and exhilarating," requiring performers to give their all for every show, Crowder said.
"I miss it," Crowder said. "That sense of accomplishment is hard to find for dance."
