Choreographer Responds To Alleged Rip-Off In Beyonce’s “Countdown”

Becky Bain | October 10, 2011 3:47 pm

It didn’t take long for Beyonce’s “Countdown” video to go from earning praise to receiving criticism for allegedly stealing both dance moves and specific shots from another artist’s work. (Don’t get this confused with the similar scandal that erupted after her Billboard Awards performance.) Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, whose choreography is directly lifted in the vid, released a statement sharing her thoughts on the “homage” — hear what she has to say about Beyonce below.

De Keersmaeker sent a response to a blog called The Performance Club. An excerpt:

“When I saw the actual video, I was struck by the resemblance of Beyoncé’s clip not only with the movements from Rosas danst Rosas, but also with the costumes, the set and even the shots from the film by Thierry De Mey. Obviously, Beyoncé, or the video clip director Adria Petty, plundered many bits of the integral scenes in the film, which the videoclip made by Studio Brussel by juxtaposing Beyoncé‘s video and the Rosas danst Rosas film gives a taste of. But this videoclip is far from showing all materials that Beyoncé took from Rosas in Countdown. There are many movements taken from Achterland, but it is less visible because of the difference in aesthetics. People asked me if I’m angry or honored. Neither, on the one hand, I am glad that Rosas danst Rosas can perhaps reach a mass audience which such a dance performance could never achieve, despite its popularity in the dance world since 1980s. And, Beyoncé is not the worst copycat, she sings and dances very well, and she has a good taste! On the other hand, there are protocols and consequences to such actions, and I can’t imagine she and her team are not aware of it.”

Let’s hope the “Love On Top” video steers clear from any more homages. (Oops! We spoke too soon.)

[Via Vulture]

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