CHICAGO's choreography gets stolen again!

[george95]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 11:52pm

Some amateur group used Ann Reinking's choreography. It was kind of interesting to see this group try and pull it off, even though they are not in unison at all.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=g01iaw4C_D4

[Urban]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 11:55pm

From the couple of DVDs I have watched, didn't Reinking just reuse Fosse's stuff? I just recall a commentary about so much repetition during the original rehersels back in the 70s that nobody ever actually forgot their moves.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 11:57pm

Yea, Reinking stole it from Fosse...

[Tag]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 11:58pm

Wasn't that the point - that Reinking was recreating the original choreography?

Anyway I really don't have issue with that video. It looks like it is a small school, one night only, review type thing.
When you completely steal a show & charge admission, like that theatre we all were bitching about a couple weeks ago did, then there is a problem.

[george95]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 12:00am

I don't know.......sounds like opening pandora's box to me.

[morosco]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 12:10am

Wait. I thought Reinking's choreography was all hers "in the style of Fosse" except for the Hot Honey Rag which was a recreation of Fosse's original choreography?

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 12:43am

Morosco is correct. Her CELL BLOCK TANGO is entirely different from Fosse's. Fosse's took place behind actual cell bars. Reinking's takes place on chairs.

That is just one difference.

[Jon]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 11:30am

In Fosse's CELL BLOCK, each girl held her own section of jail bars. When they lined up in a row,it looked like one continuous wall of jail bars, but during the number they could separate.

[keen on kean]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 4:37pm

Even if they didn't charge admission, if they used her choreography without attribution and permission, it's a problem.

[ullabelt]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 5:16pm

Chill out people. I doubt Anne Reinking is sitting at home fuming

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 5:31pm

Updated On: 5/7/09 at 05:31 PM

[george95]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 7:59pm

The person who posted the video on youtube just sent me this message:

I will be taking the video off the internet. This was just a performance I did and I wanted my family to see it. I did not mean to violate any rules, I didn't even make the choreography. I didn't realize it was illegal. I hope you will appreciate that I am taking the video off the internet so this matter can end here. Thank you.

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 8:45pm

Aww I find that sweet but I'm an old softy

[george95]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 8:50pm

The teacher side of me still wants to be mad at her for plagarism/copyright infringement, but yeah she seems like a clueless sweetheart so there you go.

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 8:59pm

So many people don't realize that taking choreography is plagarism. I went and saw a WSS at a college and it was straight from the movie. I went to the HEAD of the theatre department and asked him if he got permission to use that choreography and he said no! And worse, IMO, the didn't give any credit to anyone but the person who taught them the movie choreography.

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 8:59pm

So many people don't realize that taking choreography is plagarism. I went and saw a WSS at a college and it was straight from the movie. I went to the HEAD of the theatre department and asked him if he got permission to use that choreography and he said no! And worse, IMO, the didn't give any credit to anyone but the person who taught them the movie choreography.

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 10:47pm

How many times has Bennett's choreography fro A CHORUS LINE been "stolen?"

I mean really, guys...

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 10:50pm

Though ANN (yes, Ann NOT Anne) Reinking is credited as choreographing the revival "in the style of Bob Fosse", she actually borrows quite a bit from his original, though she takes SOME liberty to change some bits.

Also, in the credits of the revival, Bob Fosse is given sole credit on the "Hot Honey Rag". Those who've seen his original version know that credit is inaccurate as his version is noticeably different from what is seen in revival.

Take a look-see at Chita and Gwen doing the original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=md2FBmv6VDI

And Bebe and Ann doing a slightly different version of it in the revival: http://youtube.com/watch?v=DIstl2PlamQ&feature=related

[winston89]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 11:03pm

Just because things like choreography or direction get stolen time and time again doesn't make it right.

And, after watching the two videos of Hot Honey Rag back to back it is clear to me that the original and the revival version of the dance are different with only very small things in common.

[Urban]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 3:20am

Poor Chita seemed to be a couple of steps behind Gwen for that entire routine, or was it done that way to begin with?

Out of curiosity, songs can be used individually for revues and such, why not choreography?

And why are we acting as the choreography police in this matter anyway. I am sure if the powers that be want to they'd have their own people looking out on such video sharing sites as this, no need for a bunch of ragtag musical theatre nerds making out it is the crime of the century.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 3:24am

Updated On: 5/7/09 at 03:24 AM

[Urban]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 3:30am

LOL :)

[jeniferrenepatricia]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 3:36am

That's the reason why youtube is so dangerous. I've seen countless shows where people take the choreography straight from youtube. It's so obvious... At least these people had good taste and used Ann Reinking and Bob Fosse's choreography!!!!

[Urban]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 5:27am

Okay, now there is this evil narrastic part of me that wants to see a you-tube inspired choreographic routine.

[westcoast_wannabe]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 6:48am

BroadwayBound062
I went and saw a WSS at a college and it was straight from the movie.

WSS has it written in the rights that the Jerome Robbins choreography HAS to be used. So in that case it actually would have been illegal to perform anything else.

Edit: same goes for A Chorus Line and Fiddler.

Updated On: 3/10/08 at 06:48 AM