Alfonso Ribeiro Denied Copyrights To “Carlton Dance” By U.S. Copyright Office

Alfonso Ribeiro Denied Copyrights To “Carlton Dance” by U.S. Copyright Office

Actor and host, Alfonso Ribeiro segmented the “Carlton dance” in history as Carlton Banks on the hit 90s sitcom “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” In December, Ribeiro claimed that the maker of the popular game Fortnite used his dance without permission or compensation.

As reported, Ribeiro’s attorney released this statement on their lawsuit,

It is widely recognized that Mr. Ribeiro’s likeness and intellectual property have been misappropriated by Epic Games in the most popular video game currently in the world, Fortnite. Epic has earned record profits off of downloadable content in the game, including emotes like ‘Fresh.’ Yet Epic has failed to compensate or even ask permission from Mr. Ribeiro for the use of his likeness and iconic intellectual property.”

Alfonso Ribeiro Loses Copyright Claim Over "The Carlton" Dance #Trending pic.twitter.com/mC0LI1FLvS

— Melissa Knowles (@Knowlesitall) February 15, 2019

Although, the actor may have hit a bump in the road on his Fortnite suit as the U.S. Copyright Office this week denied Ribeiro’s request to copyright, calling the dance, “routine.”

“The dancer sways their hips as they step from side to side, while swinging their arms in an exaggerated manner. In the second dance step, the dancer takes two steps to each side while opening and closing their legs and their arms in unison. In the final step, the dancer’s feet are still and they lower one hand from above their head to the middle of their chest while fluttering their fingers. The combination of these three dance steps is a simple routine that is not registrable as a choreographic work.”

The Actor’s lawsuit is still active in court, this copyright denial could likely effect the outcome of the case.

Do you think Ribeiro should be paid for the dance? Let us know in the comments!