— From the desk of Slade Lander
The issue of copyright of choreography is too complicated to be dealt with in one blog so I will deal with one important concept: “work for hire.”
As the term implies, the copyright for choreography will belong to whoever is paying for it unless there is some agreement stating otherwise. This is particularly important for commissioned choreography and an Artistic Director choreographing in the context of a corporation.
If you are being commissioned to choreography a dance, make sure you have a contract with the commissioner. The contract should state who will own the copyright of the piece. The usual agreement is that the choreographer will own the copyright. The commissioner will have a license to present the piece, usually forever. Often, the commissioner will have an exclusive license for a period of time, say one or two years. This would mean that the choreographer could not present the piece during that time but could present it afterward the end of the commissioner’s license.
If you are commissioning a choreographer, you should have a contract with the choreographer which states who will own the choreography and any licensing of the choreography.
If you are an Artistic Director working within the structure of a corporation, you should have the corporation’s Board of Directors pass a resolution stating that you own the choreography you create.
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