TikTok. The app known for viral dances and trends took off during the pandemic. One of the most viral dances at the time was the “Savage” danced based on the hit song “Savage” by Megan Thee Stallion. The song made its way around the world, with people doing the #savagechallenge. Megan Thee Stallion even hopped on the challenge.
Although the dance became an overnight sensation, the creator of the dance, Keara Wilson, was not exclusively credited with the content. A recurring problem seen on TikTok. Now, if you haven’t noticed, a vast majority of viral dances come from Black creators like Keara Wilson. The time and effort they put into their work should be recuperated in the right way. That way comes in the form of copyrighting. Keara Wilson and other BIPOC creators were honored and selected by JaQuel Knight (chorographer) and Logitech to begin the process.
This process is called labanotation. Labanotation “documents dance steps with symbols in specific patterns, according to their announcements.” Once this process is completed, in about four months content creators will be given proper credit and dues on their work. A step in the right direction for many creators, especially BIPOC creators.
Are you happy about this new development? Let us know in the comments below.
This article originally published on GREY Journal.
