Great post!! What a great reminder to us belly dancers as well. You are so right on. I will hear an inexperienced dancer claim they own the idea of having an event or handing out fliers, etc. And guess what?! Those things were created by marketing gurus dozens of years ago. These days, no one is reinventing the wheel (really), they are just changing it up, giving it their own style, giving it character.

Thanks for the post!

Ha! This is a really difficult one. There’s a sequence of moves I do that I sort of feel like I own. When I hear someone else can do it or tries to learn it, it feels odd. If something’s unique to you it’s something you may feel a bit annoyed when someone else does it.

But then, I’d be an utter hypocrite. I copy combinations that I see on youtube all the time. I guess it shows I admire what other dancers are doing and by using am honouring their inventiveness.

I sometimes feel that there are moves that are in fashion at different times (at the moment it seems to be spatchcock – but very few people can do it) and everyone tries to do them. Then it really boils down to your overall performanc. Because ultimately, when everyone does the same thing it’s really how you present it all and whether you’re enjoying your performance that makes the difference.

Sorry for the long comment – It’s quite an interesting topic!

Jennifer this article is absolutely on target! No one owns a movement – this has been proven (in courts) and is the standard in every form of not only dance but fitness.

I also get frustrated with people who post on youtube and then get upset that others try to do their moves. To me that says they are just out there to “show off”

You never hear people like Jenyne and Felix say someone stole their move either.

If we want the same respect as other forms of dance and fitness then we have to act like it rather than talking about each other behind backs in the schoolyard!

Svarri, I’m interested in why you feel ownership over a sequence of moves. I’ve been trying to resolve this issue with someone I know personally and can’t quite understand her position on the subject. Are they moves that no one has ever done before you did them? Are they completely original? Just curious about where the feelings of ownership come from.

The more people get into pole dancing, the more everyone will be doing everyone’s moves. The thing that sets you apart is your style, your presence. Which doesn’t mean I don’t get what it feels like to come up with something that is your hallmark and see someone else do it. The only way I know how to deal with such things is to think of it as a personal challenge – how can I make my dancing more my own? How can I set myself apart, no matter what the other dancers do?

“We need to work on creating a dance personality so unique that no one can touch it, so personal that, even if someone else dances the exact same choreography, it just won’t feel the same.

That is the moment when we become dancers.”

WOO! That was perfectly said! Bravo!

I take classes in jazz, disco, dancehall, hip hop, salsa and even though I’m an absolute beginner, and could never be considered a ‘jazz dancer’ or anything like that — those movements all mix and mesh together to create my dance style.

I teach pole dance and I cannot say that I have ever felt someone danced the same way I do, even after copying my routine step by step. (Not because I’m bigheaded, I just mean, we all bring to it our own little style. Which is the way it should be.)

The reason I felt like I have some claim on the combination (rather than the individual moves) is as far as I’m aware no-one else had tried it before (it’s a bit counter-intuitive). I suppose it’s the fact you put thought and effort – a long process into it and then everyone can suddenly do it =)

I think it’s more of an issue if you do competitions. Everyone’s looking for something that makes them stand out.

It’s a feeling that’s easy to feel. I don’t endorse it; just noting why it can happen. It’s silly for me to be annoyed, because loads of people could easily be annoyed with me for the same reason!

@svarri – If you are putting moves together in a counter-intuitive way, I’m guessing your style is one of surprise, no matter what moves you’re doing. And, to me, that would be the essence of what makes it yours.

I understand now what you are saying Svarri. And I can imagine that during competition it feels, well, more competitive. But I had to learn a long time ago as a dancer that it is flattering to have someone copy my moves step for step, rather than stealing or meanness. If someone loves something I do so much that they want to do it too, I feel super proud that what I did touched someone else. Oh, and another thing that I tell myself to remember is to stay ahead of the curve! Once everyone is doing that special combo of moves, come up with a new one and blow everyone’s socks off!

The thing is I really enjoy coming up with stuff and am really flattered when someone does ask me to help them learn something I’ve put together (I enjoy seeing people get things). If I wasn’t doing competitions I’d be a lot more relaxed. It’s quite tiring to come up with stuff under pressure. It’s just the nature of competitions =(

Yes, Svarri, I completely understand. I did one dance competition years ago and vowed that I will never do another competition again, lol. It was so stressful and one of the most unhappy performances of my life. It wasn’t the lack of winning that made the performance feel awful, but more the stress and worry. I give huge kudos to performers who can get the courage to compete multiple times.

I’ve been a dancer and performer my entire life and couldn’t agree more! It’s all about creating your own individual style. Movement vocabulary is universal but artistry and individual expression are not. I can watch 2 people perform the exact same trick but the person who wows me is the one that performs it with passion & intention; the person who moves because they’re inspired. Even the most death-defying tricks can be boring to watch. It’s all in the artistry. No one can “steal” your personality or your personal form of self-expression. That’s the difference between a trixter and a dancer or a trixter and an artist.

@Svarri who said, “I think it’s more of an issue if you do competitions. Everyone’s looking for something that makes them stand out.”

I’m sure that creating unique routines for competitions is stressful and that you want nothing more than to stand out. But remember, judges are often looking form more than just tricks. Judges are looking for artistry, transitions, clean lines, flexibility, a well-balanced routine of climbing, spinning, inversions, DANCE, floor-work etc. Judges are looking for you to tell a story through movement. It’s about artistic expression. Your performance should “move” an audience. We should feel something.

Good luck with future competitions!

[...] got a problem with this. You first heard me rant about it here, but today I wanted to go a bit deeper. I wanted to find the answer to the one burning question [...]

[...] Now, if you’ve been reading this blog for awhile, you know that I generally think it is impossible to copy another pole dancer. I strongly believe that, even if two dancers have the same moves and do the same choreography, each dancer will still have their own individual style. (See How to Avoid Being Copied and Pole Dance Attitude Adjustment.) [...]