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JaQuel Knight creates company to copyright choreography including TikTok dances

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Billboard.com

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Celebrity director and choreographer JaQuel Knight is making history as the first choreographer to copyright his dance moves.

The issue of Black artists not receiving proper credit for their work has been a problem and Knight wants to give Black creatives protection especially after the Addison Rae backlash on “The Tonight Show.” Back in March, Rae performed popular dances that were originally created by Black creators and it outraged many individuals mainly the Black communities since the creators were Black.. Jimmy Fallon publicly apologized for the issue and later invited the originators of the dances.

Knight has choreographed many celebrities including Beyonce’s being the mastermind behind the iconic routine in the “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” video and her epic Coachella performance. He also choreographed the Jennifer Lopez-Shakira 2020 Super Bowl Halftime Show and Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP” video and even some of Pharrell’s videos.

Knight has teamed with lawyer David Hecht, who helped secure the copyright for “Single Ladies,” and his manager, producer Mary Pelloni, to oversee the rights to his dance moves. 

He has become the first choreographer to copyright his dance moves which later led him to creating Knight Company and Music Publishing Inc.

Instead of copyrighting music, though, the business will broker licensing deals and secure intellectual property protections in regards to choreography and dance moves.

“Copyrighting movement is about putting the power back in the artist’s hands,” Knight spoke to Variety.

Knight Choreography and Music Publishing Inc plans to represent copyright and licensing for choreographers and creatives in the music industry. The company will act as its client strategic partner in copyright, licensing and other creative legal endeavors as it attempts to revolutionize the industry for Black creatives.

This is a genius idea and absolutely necessary where creatives should get paid for their efforts.

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