In January 2020, 14-year-old Jalaiah Harmon created what would become one of the biggest viral dance sensations on TikTok. But few users k...
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 is because a TikTok user had copied the dance, and it was that TikToker’s rendition that went viral.
Because Harmon did not get credit, she was not 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 colour whose choreography and dance work have been pilfered for profit – a story that dates back to the origins of jazz dance in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
But these days, TikTok is the battleground – and it is not just Harmon who is had her work lifted. In June several popular Black creators were so fed up with having their dances stolen or not credited that they decided to join forces and go on strike, refusing to post new dance content to bring attention to the issue.
Fight for royalties
Laying claim to a dance is not as straightforward as, say, a...
