TikTok Is The Latest Battleground – There’s A Long History Of Dances Being Pilfered For Profit
Jill Vasbinder, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
In January 2020, 14-year-old Jalaiah Harmon created what would become one of the biggest viral dance sensations on TikTok.
But few users knew that Harmon, who is Black, invented the dance, which she dubbed the Renegade – at least not until a month later, when The New York Times drew attention to her case. That’s because a TikTok user had copied the dance, and it was that TikToker’s rendition that went viral.
Because Harmon didn’t get credit, she wasn’t able to reap the benefits of more views and followers, which, in turn, could have led to collaborations and sponsorships.
Harmon is only the latest in a long list of women and people of color whose choreography and dance work have been pilfered for profit – a story that dates back ...
