Thanks to Ingrid van Frankenhuyzen, who posted this message on facebook.
Dance is also conceived, despite the fact that the VVD considers dance to be a branch of sport sees. Well: in America, they know all about sports, and therefore sportsmanship. Up to a point. Because what did Beyoncé do in her latest clip? Right: copied a choreography by world-renowned dance maker Anne Terese De Keersmaeker. So her legendary ballet Rosas danst Rosas has now been provided with its own music by the American megastar. Without thanking, paying or even naming the supplier of the dance steps. They must have thought: who remembers a Belgian ballet from 1983. Well: everyone in the dance world remembers that ballet. So that will be a fat bill, which Rosas has now sent to Sony.
So for comparison, here is the clip from Rosas
And here is Beyoncé's clip
Spot the differences.
And here the similarities:
More sources here: http://readymadebouquet.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/rosas-danst-rosas-and-beyonces-countdown/
We have an official response from Anne Teresa:
Like so many people, I was extremely surprised when I got a message through Facebook about the special appearance of my two choreographies - Rosas danst Rosas (1983) and Achterland (1990) in Beyoncé's new music video Countdown. I was asked if I were now selling out Rosas into the commercial circuit....
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 music video made by Studio Brussel by juxtaposing Beyoncé's video and the Rosas danst Rosas film gives a taste of. But this music video 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 honoured. 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 popurality 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.
To conclude, this event didn't make me angry, on the contrary, it made me think a few things.
Like, why does it take popular culture thirty years to recognise an experimental work of dance? A few months ago, I saw on Youtube a clip where schoolgirls in Flanders are dancing Rosas danst Rosas to the music of Like a Virgin by Madonna. And that was touching to see. But with global pop culture it is different, does this mean that thirty years is the time that it takes to recycle non-mainstream experimental performance?
And, what does it say about the work of Rosas danst Rosas? In the 1980s, this was seen as a statement of girl power, based on assuming a feminine stance on sexual expression. I was often asked then if it was feminist. Now that I see Beyoncé dancing it, I find it pleasant but I don't see any edge to it. It's seductive in an entertaining consumerist way.
Beyond resemblance there is also one funny coincidence. Everyone told me, she is dancing and she is four months pregnant. In 1996, when De Mey's film was made, I was also pregnant with my second child. So, today, I can only wish her the same joy that my daughter brought me.
Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker October 10th, 2011
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