Thread: old troupe teaching my choreography?

so I just heard that two people from my old college troupe are thinking about teaching one of my choreographies to the troupe this coming spring

I'm not sure how I feel about this...for one, they didn't ask me, it was just mentioned that they were thinking about it. Two, when I now write choreographies, I have a disclaimer on them saying I must be contacted with regards to it/property of me, but back when I wrote that choreo, I didn't have that on it.

I also don't know how I feel about someone else teaching my work. I'm okay with them performing it, in theory, but because there are so many new people, it needs to be taught to them. When you learn a choreo at a workshop, for example, you are sometimes given permission to perform it, but I've never seen permission given to teach it. Does troupe choreo work in the same way? FYI, when I made all the group files, I didn't include any choreo notes by myself or other troupe members.

What have your troupes done with the choreos of members who have left?

Originally Posted by najla86

so I just heard that two people from my old college troupe are thinking about teaching one of my choreographies to the troupe this coming spring

I'm not sure how I feel about this...for one, they didn't ask me, it was just mentioned that they were thinking about it. Two, when I now write choreographies, I have a disclaimer on them saying I must be contacted with regards to it/property of me, but back when I wrote that choreo, I didn't have that on it.

I also don't know how I feel about someone else teaching my work. I'm okay with them performing it, in theory, but because there are so many new people, it needs to be taught to them. When you learn a choreo at a workshop, for example, you are sometimes given permission to perform it, but I've never seen permission given to teach it. Does troupe choreo work in the same way? FYI, when I made all the group files, I didn't include any choreo notes by myself or other troupe members.

What have your troupes done with the choreos of members who have left?

The choreography is yours and you control all use of it. It doesn't matter if you put a copyright on the handout. If you don't want them teaching or using it, tell them.

They should be developing their own choreos anyway.

Since I'm still a member of the troupe in question, here's my take on the issue:

I overheard these dancers discussing performing your choreography in the spring, and I was under the assumption that they were planning to ask your permission before doing so. You hold the copyright on your original choreographic material regardless of whether or not you explicitly stated as much when you taught it to the troupe. I would have hoped that they could have discerned that for themselves, but, since they haven't, I'll have to make an announcement to explain the importance of copyright with regard to choreographies.

As Sedonia says, you own the choreography, and whether or not it's performed or taught by those to whom you've taught is up to you. I agree that they should be developing their own choreography skills.