‘What Are You Willing to Give Away?’

A Qualitative Exploration of the Ontology and Ownership of Internet Dance with Three Hip-Hop Dance Artists

Abstract

This paper discusses selected findings from Moving Online: Ontology and Ownership of Internet Dance (funded by AHRC AH/W01002X/1). Dances are frequently copied, reperformed, and adapted with or without permission, raising important questions about ownership, appropriation, and acknowledgment. Through interviews with three Hip-Hop artists who share their work online, this study examines the ontological foundations of dance created for online consumption. In addition, the creative, socio-cultural, financial, and legal implications of online sharing on artists’ ownership are also discussed. Initial findings show that while understanding ownership and the nature of the ‘thing’ (creative output) that is created varies from artist to artist, there are genre-specific determinants, such as the Hip-Hop ‘sampling’ culture and the generation-based etiquette around ‘biting’ that has developed. This variation, specificity, combined with the complexities of online sharing, can lead to ownership disputes, particularly when financial stakes are involved.