ICC: A Universal Identification Code for Dance Choreographies

Setting the Global Standard for Choreography Copyright

Unifying efforts for the global adoption of choreography copyright requires organisational interoperability that can scale across borders. In light of this, MVNT proposes a universal identification code for choreographies.

Inspired by the ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) and the ISWC (International Standard Musical Work Code) we propose the International Choreography Code (ICC). The goal of the ICC is to standardize choreography copyright handling globally and ensure interoperability across relevant stakeholders, such as choreographers, copyright organizations, entertainment companies, and social media platforms. While this code builds upon the structure and principles of the ISRC/ISWC used in the music industry, it has been tailored to meet the unique characteristics of dance choreography. This proposal outlines the structure, components, and rationale behind the ICC, aiming for a comprehensive, user-friendly system to streamline the identification, tracking, protection, and monetization of choreographies.

Overview

The ICC follows a concise and structured format to ensure precise identification of a choreography. The code is composed of the following components:

CC-RGC-YEAR-UNIQUE

Element	Characters	Description	Example
CC	2	Country Code: A two-letter ISO code representing the country of registration.	US (United States), KR (South-Korea)
RGC	3-5	Registrant Code: An alphanumeric identifier for the copyright owner, such as a choreographer or their organization.	CH119, ST839
YEAR	2	Year: The year of choreography registration or performance (two-digit).	98, 13, 24
UNIQUE	5	Unique Identifier: A specific alphanumeric string ensuring the uniqueness of the choreography code.	1234AB, 5678CD

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Components

1. Country Code (CC)

   • Purpose: Identifies the country where the choreography is registered.

   • Format: 2-letter ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code.

2. Registrant Code (RGC)

   • Purpose: Represents the copyright owner, typically the choreographer, production company, dance studio or rights holder.

   • Format: An alphanumeric code unique to the copyright proprietor (3-5 characters). Prefixes: CH (Individual Choreographer), TT (Choreography Team/Crew), DS (Dance Studio), RO (Rights Organization), CD (Choreography Copyright Distributor).

3. Year (YEAR)

   • Purpose: Identifies the year the choreography was registered or first performed.

   • Format: 2-digit year.

4. Unique Identifier (UNIQUE)

   • Purpose: Ensures uniqueness of the ICC by assigning a specific alphanumeric string for each choreography entry.

   • Example: 1234AB, or a sequential number for new entries.

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Extended ICC components (Not applicable to all use cases of the ICC)

1. Reference Type (RT)

   Purpose: Defines the context and intent of the recorded choreography instance, enabling precise tracking of its origin, usage, and cultural or commercial relevance.

   • Original Reference (ORI) The first recorded instance of the choreography, typically authored or performed by its creator(s).

     • Examples:

       • A choreographer's submission to a choreography registry.

       • A creator performing their choreography in a workshop.

   • Performance (PER) Live or recorded performances intended for audience engagement.

     • Subtypes:

       • PER-LIVE: Stage performances, concerts, or festivals.

       • PER-TV: Televised live or recorded performances.

       • PER-FILM: Choreography included in film productions.

   • Commercial Use (COM) Contexts where the choreography is monetised directly or indirectly.

     • Subtypes:

       • COM-MV: Use in music videos.

       • COM-SOC: Use on social media platforms, such as TikTok or Instagram. In organic user posts, it is considered commercial when the user is managed by an agency or has brand affiliations.

       • COM-ADS: Use in advertisements.

       • COM-GAME: Use in video games or VR platforms.

   • Educational (EDU) Use in instructional contexts or training.

     • Subtypes:

       • EDU-CLASS: Dance classes or workshops.

       • EDU-TUT: Online tutorials or learning content.

   • Archival (ARC) Preservation-focused recordings of the choreography, typically for libraries or research.

     • Examples:

       • Choreography documentation in national archives.

       • Recordings for legacy preservation.

   • Recreational (REC) Choreography used for personal enjoyment or informal sharing.

     • Subtypes:

       • REC-SOC: Recreational use on social media (e.g., dance challenges).

       • REC-HOB: Performed in private or community settings for non-commercial purposes.

   • Derivative Work (DER) Creative reinterpretations or variations of the original choreography.

     • Subtypes:

       • DER-COV: Covers or adaptations by other artists.

       • DER-VIR: Viral reinterpretations in social media challenges.

2. Dance Style (STYLE)

   • Purpose: Categorises the style or genre of dance involved in the choreography. Not all dance genres are protected by copyright.

   • Categories

     • BAL: Ballet

     • HIP: Hip Hop

     • CON: Contemporary

     • TAP: Tap

     • LAT: Latin (e.g., Salsa, Tango)

     • JAZ: Jazz

     • STP: Step Dance

     • BRK: Breakdance

     • KPO: K-Pop

     • OTH: Other (hybrid or less common styles)

Example Codes

1. JaQuel Knight - "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" Choreography

   • ICC Code: US-CH123-08-1234AB

     • Country Code (CC): US (United States)

     • Registrant Code (RGC): CH123 (JaQuel Knight)

     • Year (YEAR): 08 (2008)

     • Unique Identifier (UNIQUE): 1234AB

2. Lia Kim - "TT" Choreography

   • ICC Code: KR-DS456-17-5678CD

     • Country Code (CC): KR (South Korea)

     • Registrant Code (RGC): DS456 (1MILLION Dance Studio)

     • Year (YEAR): 17 (2017)

     • Unique Identifier (UNIQUE): 5678CD

3. Bada Lee - "How You Like That" Choreography

   • ICC Code: KR-TT789-20-9101EF

     • Country Code (CC): KR (South Korea)

     • Registrant Code (RGC): TT789 (Team BEBE - Bada Lee)

     • Year (YEAR): 20 (2020)

     • Unique Identifier (UNIQUE): 9101EF

Associated Metadata

The ICC is designed to be simple and straightforward, ensuring seamless interoperability across organisations. By keeping the code structure minimal, detailed information is offloaded into the associated metadata, allowing organisations to tailor it to their specific needs, such as copyright management, licensing, or distribution. The example metadata below illustrates how choreography attributes can be recorded for effective copyright handling.

{
  "ICC": "KR-TT001-24-1234AB",
  "metadata": {
    "choreography": {
      "style": ["K-pop"]
      "choreographer": [
        {
        "name": "Youngjun Choi",
        "role": "Lead Choreographer"
        },
        {
        "name": "Other contributors",
        "role": "Assistant Choreographer"
        }
      ],
    },
    "copyright": {
      "copyright_proprietor": "Team SAME",
      "distributor": "MVNT"
    },
    "song": {
      "song_title": "Rain",
      "artist": "SEVENTEEN",
      "release_date": "2024-10-14",
      "ISRC": "USA2P2452191" // ICC can be linked with an ISRC
    }
    "performance": {
      "performers": "SEVENTEEN",
      "performance_type": "MV",
      "recording_platform": "YouTube",
      "release_date": "2024-10-22"
    }
  }
}

Conclusion

The International Choreography Code (ICC) provides a standardised framework for the global protection and tracking of choreography copyrights, ensuring interoperability across stakeholders such as choreographers, entertainment companies, and digital platforms. Inspired by the ISRC/ISWC system, the ICC offers precise choreography identification with the flexibility to meet the needs of different organisations. Its universal structure helps establish a robust foundation for global copyright management, enabling a worldwide ecosystem that nurtures both artistic creation and economic growth in the dance industry.

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Own your movement.

MVNT