Can You Monetize a Dance Move?
Dance moves are not protected by copyright. The U.S. Copyright Office does not recognize individual dance moves as protected. Similarly, a dance move cannot be trademarked, although the name can be. People have found ways of elevating their status in society because of the manner they perform a dance move.
Protectable Dance Performances
You cannot file a lawsuit for copyright infringement unless you have registered your copyright. Most TikTok dances likely fall into the unprotectable category. However, a combination of body movement, spatial movements, and coordination with music may be protectable.
Ownership and Creation of Dances
Many legal experts agree you cannot own a dance step. Short routines like the Floss and the Carlton aren’t complex enough to own. To create a dance, pick emotional music that motivates you. Draw inspiration from a story, movie, or life event.
About Public Domain and Copyrights
The dances themselves are without a doubt in the public domain, and, as social dances, it can’t be any other way. Dance blurs the lines demarcating idea and expression.
Copyright Considerations and Expiration Dates
Despite what you may have heard online, the Skeleton Dance is not public domain, likewise, neither is Mickey Mouse’s Haunted House. The public domain in the United States will expire on December 31, 2023.
Collaborative Art in Music and Dance
Experimental forms of music and dance are frequently the product of collaboration striving towards a common aim. Often improvised, traditional methods to protect authorship through copyright are hard to apply.
Patenting a Dance Move
How do you patent a dance move?