Martha Graham's legacy: Analysis of intellectual property law protection for dance

The hypothesis of this thesis is that legal protection of choreographic works has often been applied in ways that do not benefit individual artists, and that an examination of this protection can provide clarity for the future. Martha Graham created over seventy choreographic works and a codified dance technique during her lifetime that significantly shaped the face of American modern dance; however, the claims in this legal suit are limited to only 70 dances. After her death in 1991, a series of legal disputes raised the issue of who owned the right to the use of her name, her choreography and her technique. This legal battle is not an issue specific to Martha Graham, as it is relevant to the artistic legacy of any contemporary dance artist. Ownership of a commercially used name and choreography as intellectual property will be analyzed in depth against the aforementioned hypothesis.