Beyonce's new video, "Countdown", is quite a visual wonder and entertaining. However, Beyonce has come under fire recently due to the fact that a certain clip in her video strikingly mirrors those of Belgian choreographer, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. The first video below is Beyonce's "Countdown" video. The second video is a YouTube video that has gone viral, comparing Beyonce's video to Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker's choreography: 

According to The Improper, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker was not pleased with the incorporation of her choreography into Beyonce's video:

She said, “I didn’t know anything about this. I’m not mad, but this is plagiarism,” De Keersmaeker told a Belgian Web site. “This is stealing. They took pieces from ‘Achterland’ and ‘Rosas danst Rosas.’

“It’s a bit rude, I must say. What’s rude about it is that they don’t even bother about hiding it. They seem to think they could do it because it’s a famous work,” she added. Plus, this is the third time Beyonce has apparently incorporated others’ work into her own without credit. In her video for “Single Ladies,” Beyoncé’s moves were also strikingly similar to a dance by legendary choreographer Bob Fosse.

I've been reading people's reactions to this comparison, and a lot of people are taking Beyonce's side on this one. Some people are saying: "The clip where the moves were copied is so short! Why should Beyonce give this woman credit?" Well, the length of the clip isn't the point. Let's say, hypothetically, that you choregraphed a dance, filmed it, and put it on YouTube. One of Beyonce's people saw it, and decided to incorporate the moves into Bey's next video without giving you any credit. How would you feel? Would you insist that Beyonce give you credit, or would you brush it off and secretly take satisfaction that Beyonce's team appreciates your creativity? 

That said, I love Beyonce, and I love the video. I just wonder if she is starting to really blur the lines between her own personal creativity, tweaking another person's moves and owning the alteration (and giving them credit), or flat out copying another artist's moves (and not giving them credit)? 

What do you think?

Written by: Cafe Belle's Celebrity Barista