Dance Lineage: The Formation of Movement Copyright and Individual Artistic Identities

Abstract

Copyright in the dance world is often reserved for certain dance styles and companies of the larger scale. I am unpacking the many components of the 1976 Copyright Law and the other possible ways to illustrate movement background when making choreographic work. I accomplish this with a literature review of the Copyright law and how companies have used official means to protect their work. I also delve into different approaches of how artists can conserve their work, including movement citation and the lineage of dance forms. Using verbal cues in the class setting is an example of indicating the dance history and citing the original artist. The communication from teacher/choreographer to student/dancer keeps long-standing dance styles and movements alive between generations of artists. For the creative component of the research, I have choreographed a solo work that will be presented in the form of an in-progress video along with my written work. I have discovered more about my own artistic identity and how I realize the roots of my choreographic tendencies.