Op-Ed: It's about time Black creators of pop culture were paid for their art (via latimesopinion)
to demonstrate TikTok dance moves rather than inviting the original Black creators of the dances. Host Jimmy Fallon later apologized and invited the Black choreographers to perform on the show. D’Amelio and others have responded by giving credit, tagging the original choreographers. But more is needed.Black creators should be paid for their cultural innovations, which make profits for everyone from the app’s creators to the musical artist to influencers.
In his suit, Ribeiro argued that the gamemaker was profiting from his original choreography. The U.S. Copyright Office, however, denied copyright registration on Ribeiro’s dance,Despite the infamously low standard of originality in American copyright law, the office said Ribeiro’s dance, consisting of three steps, did not meet it.
A recent turn of events may herald greater opportunity for Black choreographers to use copyright law to protect their interests. Last summer, Beyoncé’s choreographer, JaQuel Knight, became the first pop choreographer to successfully register a copyright, for his iconic “Single Ladies” choreography, which he created at age 18. Now 31, Knight is one of the most sought-after pop choreographers, creating dances for Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion.