I’m always a little bummed to discover that some iconic choreography that I love and admire is actually a knock-off of someone else’s earlier work. Unfortunately, thanks to the internet, nothing really disappears anymore, so if it’s out there, someone somewhere is going to find it. It’s taken all the fun out of plagiarism.
It happened, famously, when it came out that Beyoncé’s iconic “Single Ladies” choreography was actually very slightly modified choreography (from 1969) by Bob Fosse for his wife Gwen Verdon to a tune called “Mexican Breakfast.” Beyoncé’s people managed to get the original video (also famously) taken down from YouTube, but I found a pretty good version on Vimeo.
Well, Fosse has been – let’s say imitated – more than once. Here’s Bob Fosse dancing (and singing) in the 1974 movie, “The Little Prince.”
Does the choreography look familiar? It should. It is with a somewhat heavy heart that I report it was later repurposed and restyled by none other than Michael Jackson. Even the costumes are similar. Ack.
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My OBT 
June 30, 2015 at 7:17 am
There is very little that is truly original.
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June 30, 2015 at 11:03 am
I suppose after all these years of human invention, pretty much everything has happened before. Bit of a bummer, that.
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June 30, 2015 at 8:21 am
Rock ‘n’ roll ain’t nothing but a history of appropriation.
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June 30, 2015 at 9:32 am
I agree that the best part of appropriated work is that someone is smart enough to copy the best. If the plagiarizers would credit their source of creativity, I would appreciate their interpretation more.
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June 30, 2015 at 11:07 am
I wonder if either of them would have been as famous as they are if they’d bothered to attribute their best work to someone else. I guess from a (cynical) PR perspective, they made the right choice.
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June 30, 2015 at 11:00 am
True story.
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June 30, 2015 at 9:30 am
As depicted in All That Jazz, Bob Fosse aka “Joe Gideon” was as brilliant as his ego thought he was.
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June 30, 2015 at 11:03 am
I had to read that twice, but it was worth the effort!
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June 30, 2015 at 10:49 am
Being inspired by and influenced by others is no problem at all. All art forms evolve either by following on from what went before or by rebelling against it. What is not cool is not acknowledging or referencing the source of inspiration. To go so far as to remove the evidence is really very unethical. But then both MJ and Beyoncé seem like megalomaniacs to some degree so I’m not sure I’m surprised.
PS I had never seen that “Snake in the Grass” clip before so thanks for sharing.
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June 30, 2015 at 11:09 am
I really do love both the originals and the, er, homages. And I agree it would have been better to ‘fess up right away. Bygones.
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June 30, 2015 at 11:11 am
Wow. I agree that if you’re going to steal do it from the best.
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June 30, 2015 at 12:11 pm
Precisely!
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June 30, 2015 at 12:46 pm
There is an awful lot of outright theft of artists’ materials; however, there are times when, I believe – and I am way too old to be this naïve – a style, a work, a movement just becomes part of the conversation. The good news and bad news for the giants of creativity is that their work becomes widely familiar. That said, I am a really big fan of giving proper credit to inspirations and coaches and teachers and everyone else who has a hand in stirring up one’s muse. I am also a fan of Sagan’s comment that to bake an apple pie from scratch requires that the baker first invent the universe.
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June 30, 2015 at 1:48 pm
That’s it exactly!
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June 30, 2015 at 12:54 pm
Thanks for the beautiful Fosse videos. I’ve never seen the first two and enjoyed seeing his style. Never knew MJ took his moves.
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June 30, 2015 at 1:50 pm
He (Fosse) was such a beautiful dancer. I wanted to remember him not just for his choreography but also for the beautiful command he had of his instrument.
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June 30, 2015 at 1:18 pm
Hi Donna,
It would suck to have your work stolen and for people to not give credit where it’s due.
On the other hand, the fact that they copied you would mean that you are awesome and indeed worth copying – so that should be a compliment.
Thank you also for visiting Organizedl Lunacy and let me know if there’s anything I can do for you!
Best regards,
Luna
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June 30, 2015 at 1:52 pm
Thank you for the offer! I’m sure he knew he was being copied at least some of the time. He must have been a very good sport about it.
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June 30, 2015 at 1:25 pm
I can really see where MJ got the choreography from for ‘Smooth Criminal’ and ‘Thriller.’ Still,even though he put his own take on it, Fosse still should have been credited.
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June 30, 2015 at 1:53 pm
Can’t be helped now, I suppose.
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June 30, 2015 at 1:58 pm
No, still very impressive anyway, whichever way you look at it!
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June 30, 2015 at 4:55 pm
Someone once commented that there were three giants in dance on film – Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, and Michael Jackson (video in the last case, really). Astaire made it look graceful and effortless, Kelly made it look stunning and impossible, and Jackson was just dancing with himself. Fosse really is a fourth, but because most of his work was really Broadway he just isn’t as well known. Arguably he is the most influential – everybody today does his slouching dance, and anybody who uses a hat owes him a debt.
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June 30, 2015 at 5:29 pm
Bruce, you’re getting the slow clap from me. I wish I’d said that. I would be inclined to put Fosse first, even though Astaire, Kelly, and Jackson danced their way through my childhoods and into my permanent playlist. I love that “anybody who uses a hat owes him a debt.” Brilliant!
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June 30, 2015 at 5:02 pm
Hi Donna
Just to say thank you for being my first like even in my one-day-so-far experience as a blogger. I was reading your posts and I find your story truly inspiring and it is such an honor to be acknowledge by you.
Un abrazo
Felix
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June 30, 2015 at 5:30 pm
Hi, Felix! So nice of you to stop by. Enjoy your blog. I have gotten lots of joy out of mine!
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June 30, 2015 at 5:31 pm
(Also, where did your blog go?)
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June 30, 2015 at 7:20 pm
I hope it’s still there O_O I’ve been posting some more songs… but as the new one here I can easily delete stuff…
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June 30, 2015 at 7:28 pm
It went away. Put up a test post. Something small and simple, like “Goodnight!” I’ll let you know if I can see it.
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June 30, 2015 at 7:29 pm
You may need to check your privacy settings. If your posts are private, no one but you can see them.
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June 30, 2015 at 7:49 pm
Thanks for being so helpful. I’ve checked settings and it all seems fine.
yamulemau.wordpress.com
I searched on Google and it’s already there so I wouldn’t know what the problem might be. I’ll keep looking for a solution.
Many many thanks
Felix
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June 30, 2015 at 9:28 pm
Good. The URL is different than it was showing up before, so maybe that’s it. I was getting https://dankettle.wordpress.com/
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June 30, 2015 at 8:19 pm
copying is one thing. But having ‘your people’ remove the original from anyone’s view is out and out stealing. I have never had any love for Bey or MJ. Even less now, it that’s possible.
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June 30, 2015 at 9:28 pm
I adore them both. Can’t help it. Tomorrow’s about another sometimes-guilty pleasure. I’m okay with that.
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