Original Choreogrpahy being used in other productions
Original Choreogrpahy being used in other productions
#0Original Choreogrpahy being used in other productions
Posted: 8/1/06 at 11:20am
I originally posted this in the Off-Topic section, but I figured that it had a lot to do with Bway, especially with ACL coming back.
Hi. I was wondering about this. Last night I went to an audition for A Chorus Line that is being done this September in Charlotte. The choreographer led us through some of "I Hope I Get It" and it was very obvious that he had seen the original production or watched a clip of it on YouTube because I have and it was exactly the same...nothing was different! I have had this happen before, especially where shows are on DVD. Does anyone think this is copying? I would think that they would want to try and create something new or their own. What are your thoughts?
#1re: Original Choreogrpahy being used in other productions
Posted: 8/1/06 at 11:31amWith most of the shows from MTI, a choreographer's manual comes with it, and it has all of the original choreography in it. None of our choreographers use it, however. They like coming up with their own stuff.
"I believe that art does not exist only to entertain, but also to challenge one to think, to provoke, even to disturb, to engage in a constant search for the truth."
- Barbra Streisand
#2re: Original Choreogrpahy being used in other productions
Posted: 8/1/06 at 12:19pmEvery dancer in musical theatre should know the opening jazz and ballet combo to ACL as well as "One" at least from the surge on. Knowing the "Monster Montage" wouldn't hurt either. I am assuming that they are doing original choreography in your production and that is why you did the original choreography. Sometimes, new choreography cannot top the original so it is in many cases pointless to try and come up with a mediocre knock off of the original when the original can just be used.
"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds."
~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns
dancinfan
Broadway Star Joined: 8/9/04
#3re: Original Choreogrpahy being used in other productions
Posted: 8/1/06 at 12:19pm
The Directors and Choreographers' union, SSDC, tries to help their members strike deals with licensing companies so that the original choreography and staging become credited and "rentable." In other words, if I am directing Victor/Victoria, and I want to use Rob Marshall's choreography for one or more numbers, I can pay royalties to have my choreographer lift it from a videotape and I have to credit Rob Marshall in the program.
That said, there is a ton of "intellectual" or "creative" property out there that has been passed from dancer to dancer for decades. I have never seen a production of West Side Story, A Chorus Line, or The King and I, for example, that worked without the original steps, and when the original steps are used, the show is far more successful.
As a choreographer, I have my own feelings about all this. I wouldn't want people to lift all of any show or number I have done without crediting me (and I look forward to the day when I can make royalties off such a practice!), but I also realize that it's nearly impossible to police every production of anything.
Joey McKneely choreographed the original Broadway production of Smokey Joe's Cafe, which was released on DVD. McKneely happened to be working in the midwest and went to see a small regional production of Smokey Joe's for fun. The entire show was exactly lifted from the DVD, yet he could find no mention of his name in the program. He called SSDC and eventually got a settlement from the show's producers and credit in the program. That's how it goes these days.
Updated On: 8/1/06 at 12:19 PM
#4re: Original Choreogrpahy being used in other productions
Posted: 8/1/06 at 12:45pmOh! I love Joey McKneely, he is brilliant!!!!
"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds."
~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns
mustard
Stand-by Joined: 7/27/06
#5re: Original Choreogrpahy being used in other productions
Posted: 8/1/06 at 12:57pmWhen doing a community show, I think it's pretty lame to copy choreography/gags/ideas from videos and epscially the movie versions. I've done Joseph three times, and the last time there were some really fun "new" ideas in it, and I thought our director was so clever for coming up with them... and then I saw the just released video with Donny Osmond and there it all was. Which made me feel lame and not like he was clever at all.
#6re: Original Choreogrpahy being used in other productions
Posted: 8/1/06 at 2:00pmI was in one of Joey McKneeley's productions of "West Side Story" (he's directed the show like, fifteen times--literally), and he uses Jerome Robbins' original choreography, but he credits the choreography to him in the program, so it's OK. However, when I did "The Full Monty," the choregrapher (who had been in the national tour) recreated the original choreography, and Jerry Mitchell wasn't credited, which is not cool. So bottom line: I think that as long as you credit the original choreographer (and don't take credit for it yourself), it's fine.
#7re: Original Choreogrpahy being used in other productions
Posted: 8/1/06 at 2:07pmIt has been a while since we did it, but as I recall the contract from MTI for West Side Story says you must use the original choreography from Jerome Robbins.....I don't remember the exact phrasing but it was along those lines.
#8re: Original Choreogrpahy being used in other productions
Posted: 8/1/06 at 2:15pmI think it is a shame when directors or choreographers use others work as their own. I think that they should be able to sue. I also direct, and would hate to see my hard work just copied by someone else as their own.
#9re: Original Choreogrpahy being used in other productions
Posted: 8/1/06 at 2:21pm
"It has been a while since we did it, but as I recall the contract from MTI for West Side Story says you must use the original choreography from Jerome Robbins.....I don't remember the exact phrasing but it was along those lines."
Yeah, most of the contracts say that you have to use the original choreography, but our choreographers never do.
"I believe that art does not exist only to entertain, but also to challenge one to think, to provoke, even to disturb, to engage in a constant search for the truth."
- Barbra Streisand
#10re: Original Choreogrpahy being used in other productions
Posted: 8/1/06 at 2:43pmThe movie of Chicago used, what, ONE brief salute to Fosse at the end of the film? (Or was that Ann Reinking's salute to Fosse from the end of the stage revival being used in the film?)
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=972787#3631451
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=963561#3533883
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955158#3440952
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954269#3427915
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955012#3441622
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954344#3428699
#11re: Original Choreogrpahy being used in other productions
Posted: 8/1/06 at 3:04pm
I've mentioned this in other threads but often times licensed choreography states that if more than a certain percentage is used then the original choreographer must be credited however, if less then the choreographer can take full credit for it. Dancing is a bit different from other trades as is passed form one dancer to another. All choreographers "steal" movement from others. Often times it has to do with what style a choreographer is trained in.
Take Fosse for example. He has a lot of Jack Cole influences in his movement (thanks to Gwen who was a Cole dancer). My particular style fuses a lot of Fosse and Bennett with a few shakes of Cole, Champion, Kidd and Tune thrown in. It doesn't mean that I am necessarily taking credit for their work but that my work is hugely influenced by them. For instance, every single show I choreograph I throw some Fosse in as a salute and offering to the god himself. It may be just one step or a sequence of steps or a hand gesture but I don't give credit to him. People in the "know" are aware that it is Fosse movement if not then they think it is mine.
I'm not being as eloquent as I would like but does that make any sense?
"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds."
~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns
Robos89
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/20/06
#12re: Original Choreogrpahy being used in other productions
Posted: 8/2/06 at 12:34pm
When I did A CHORUS LINE...we did the original opening jazz number (God I Hope I Get It). Our choreographer was in many of the tours. She told us that we should know this because it's done at many auditions. We also did the original broadway tap/soft shoe. I love the opening jazz number, it's such a fun dance! We also did the original broadway ONE choreography! Another fun one!
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Updated On: 8/2/06 at 12:34 PM
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