What copyright reaches in dance
US copyright law protects choreographic works, but the protection is narrower than many dancers expect. A composed arrangement of movements, typically intended for performance, can qualify. Individual steps and simple routines generally do not, and the Copyright Office does not register social dances. The work must also be fixed in a tangible form, such as a video recording or detailed notation, before federal protection attaches. Disputes over dances reproduced in video games have shown how hard it can be to separate a protectable sequence from a short combination of familiar moves, and choreography copyright claims often stall on exactly that question.
Fixing and registering the work
Recording a full run-through, with the date, the performers, and the music, is often the simplest way to fix the choreography and to show what you created. Notes, rehearsal footage, and drafts can help establish authorship and timing. Registration with the Copyright Office is not needed for protection to exist, but for US works it generally must be completed or refused before you can file an infringement suit, and early registration affects the remedies available. Ownership deserves a look as well: choreography created for a company, a studio, or an artist may belong to someone else, depending on employment status and what the agreement says. Collaborators may be co-authors, which brings its own questions.
When you see your routine elsewhere
Save the video, the account name, and the date you found it before it disappears, and hold off on public accusations until the comparison has been made carefully. We look at whether what was copied is a protectable sequence or a handful of common steps, whether the use might be licensed or fair use, and who actually owns your rights. For online uses, a takedown notice under the DMCA may be enough; larger commercial uses may call for a licensing conversation or, if necessary, a lawsuit. Bring the recording, any registration, your contracts, and the clip you are concerned about.
