ESO Law Firm · Entertainment · Dance
Choreography is authorship.
Lawyer for Dancers & Choreographers
Choreography is one of the most copied and least protected art forms, but U.S. copyright law does protect choreographic works when they’re fixed and registered. ESO Law Firm helps dancers and choreographers nationwide document their work, read their contracts, and get paid when their movement moves the culture.
How We Help Dancers & Choreographers
We cover the legal side of a dance career:
- Copyright registration for choreographic works
- Choreography licensing agreements
- Company, tour & production contracts
- Commercial, music video & film performer agreements
- Likeness & social content rights
- Teaching, workshop & convention agreements
- Trademark registration for studios & professional names
Common Legal Issues for Dancers & Choreographers
Copyright protects choreographic works, structured, expressive sequences fixed in video or notation, though not individual steps or simple social dance routines. That line matters enormously when a routine goes viral and shows up in a game, an ad, or someone else’s tour. Fixing your work on video and registering it converts creative credit into enforceable rights.
Company and production contracts deserve equal attention: who owns choreography made on the job, how your likeness can be used in promotion, and what the engagement actually pays for are all set by the paperwork, not the rehearsal room.
Ready to protect your work?
Flat-fee counsel for dancers and choreographers nationwide, a clear quote upfront, and your contract reviewed before you sign.
Prefer ongoing counsel? Ask about the ESO Membership.
Dance Law FAQ
Can choreography really be copyrighted?
Yes. Choreographic works, original, expressive movement sequences fixed in a tangible form like video or notation, are protectable and registrable with the U.S. Copyright Office. Individual steps and simple social dances are not, which is why how you document and frame the work matters.
Who owns choreography I create for a company or artist?
It depends on your agreement. Employees creating within their job often make work owned by the employer; independent choreographers keep their rights unless a contract assigns them. Before the residency or the tour, the ownership line should be in writing.
A brand used my dance in an ad, do I have options?
Possibly. The answer turns on whether your choreography qualifies as a protectable work, whether it was fixed and registered, and whether your name or likeness was used. It’s a fact-specific analysis, and the earlier your work is documented, the stronger your position.