Does Choreography Get Copyrighted?- Page 2

[Jon]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 5:25pm

Speaking of Urinetown -

I recently saw a clip on... "that video site" of a production of it at Carnegie Mellon. I was going to comment, "Wow - they totally stole the Broadway choreography", and then I noticed on the notes that John Caraffa had actually directed the Carnegie Mellon produciton!

[rKrispyt]

Posted: 7/28/10 at 3:42pm

Ok, I know this is an age old question, but I'm getting paranoid and wanted to check in with this community as folks really know their stuff.

I am going to be choreographing a high school production of West Side Story this coming spring. I have a very strong opinion that the original choreography is brilliant and really is the language of the show, therefore, knowing the talent level and work ethic of my students, I am taking steps to obtain permission to use the original choreography.

I called MTI to check with them and was assured repeatedly that as long as we rent the choreography manual and give Jerome Robbins' credit appropriately, we are at perfect liberty to use as much or as little of the original choreography.

I am still nervous as that's just not sitting right with me. Is there no extra fee? No royalties or rights that need to be obtained additionally to use Jerome Robbins choreography? Really?

Can anyone verify? I really do want to do this on the up-and-up and not find out a week before auditions that I got the wrong information from MTI or something.

Thanks in advance! :)

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 7/28/10 at 7:35pm

MTI is absolutely right. By renting the choreography manual you are renting the rights to recreate the choreography. The appropriate payments to the appropriate estates are made from the rental fee for the manual.

MTI has been handling the rights to West Side Story for years. You can be rest assured that what they are telling you is correct. The Robbins estate would have come after them long ago if things were not legit.

[Broadway Doctor]

Posted: 7/28/10 at 7:55pm

Absolutely all choreography is most certainly intellectual property and protected by copyright law. Even after a choreographer is dead, the choreography is still copyrighted for 70 to 95 years depending. However, if you are to claim damages for stolen choreography, that is your own responsibility.

Side note: This is how the Ballet industry works. Choreographers, dead or alive license out their choreography to companies, and in most cases send "repetiteurs" to teach the choreography from the official keeper of the choreography. Jerome Robbins Trust does this for both Ballet and Broadway.

Even choreography in music videos is copyrighted, and in some cases, such as Beyonce's "Single Ladies" they give permission to be performed in films like "Sex and the City 2", or by Dame Edna in "All About Me" on Broadway. Subsequently, all licensed choreography (usually) must be credited, and you'll notice Beyonce credited for her contribution to the "Sex and the City 2" film, just as Jerome Robbins is credited for the choreography in West Side Story, even though he is dead.

The bottom line is, if choreography is being wrongfully used for profit, it is up the the rights holder to pursue the matter. The constitution protects every and all intellectual property created by citizens whether or not the copyright is registered.


BroadwayDoctor.com

Updated On: 7/28/10 at 07:55 PM

[BosBroad]

Posted: 7/29/10 at 1:43am

This is a great discussion.

So... since Chicago was mentioned, this made me wonder. What would the status of the Chicago revival choreography be? Is it copyrighted as Fosse choreography since it's based on steps/movements created by him? Or is the new arrangement and interpretation of the steps copyrighted on its own?

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/29/10 at 2:23am

More out of idle curiosity than anything, is there really a big book of dance steps for Chorus Line that Tams-Witmark lisences? If so, that may be my new lifes goal. To get a copy and see if I can teach myself the full steps to MATM.

[Disneyland Magic Man]

Posted: 7/29/10 at 2:36am

In regards to Beyonce, she does not credit Bob Fosse in her music video so your point is not valid. 98 percent of the steps in "Single Ladies" are directly lifted from Fosse choreography. She ALSO does not credit Fosse in the video for Get Me Bodied which lifts from the film version of Charity.

If Liza's doing anything in Sex and the City 2, it's paying homage to a director/choreographer she once worked with and respects.

Regarding Chicago and Fosse, you cannot rent Fosse choreography. It is illegal to perform. The only exception being "Fosse" which was co-created by his estate. I'm pretty sure Anne Reinking is listed as the choreographer for the revival of Chicago and I'm pretty sure it says the dances are inspired by the style of Bob Fosse. I do think there are a few numbers that are lifted move for move, however Chicago on Broadway now is hardly what Fosse staged. These are reasons why Fosse's choreo was not used in the film for Chicago.

Rob Marshall is one of those people that choreographs in the "style" of Bob Fosse as well, which is why he did the revivals of Damn Yankees and Cabaret and was seen fit to direct Chicago.

[BosBroad]

Posted: 7/29/10 at 2:42am

^^^
The Hot Honey Rag is listed in the Chicago revival credits as choreographed by Bob Fosse, but all the other numbers are listed as Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse.

EDIT TO ADD:

I just talked to a friend who saw the 2008 national Chicago tour. She remembers the credits said choreography was by Ann Reinking, duplicated from the original production. So, I assume they needed Ann Reinking's permission, not Bob Fosse's estate, which is interesting.


Updated On: 7/29/10 at 02:42 AM

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 7/29/10 at 9:58am

It is very difficult to replicate choreography from notes and even from film because you lose the nuance and the specific intentions of the choreographer. This is the reason that Baayork Lee has made it her life's work to travel around the world teaching various companies of A Chorus Line...to keep Bennett's original work intact.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 7/29/10 at 12:42pm

"To answer your question -- YES, choreography IS copyrighted."

Choreography os only copyrighted IF and ONLY IF it is in written form. If I were to choreograph something and then videotape the dance, it is NOT accepted as a copyright (though the video itself is).

[Jon]

Posted: 7/29/10 at 2:34pm

to husk charmer:

In order to obtain a copy of the ACL choreography "bible", you actually have to be producing the show (and have pre-paid the royalties and rental fees).

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 7/29/10 at 3:43pm

"Choreography os only copyrighted IF and ONLY IF it is in written form. If I were to choreograph something and then videotape the dance, it is NOT accepted as a copyright (though the video itself is)."

This is not true. Here is what the copyright law actually says:

For copyright protection to apply choreographic works
[need] to be “fixed in any tangible medium of expression, now known or later developed,
from which they can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly
or with the aid of a machine or device.” (US Copyright Act, 1976).