Dance as Intellectual Property
An interview with Elena M. Paul
For a spectacular dance performance, many elements have to come together - choreography, dancers, music, the set, costumes - and surprisingly a good deal of lawyering. Elena Paul of Alvin Ailey Dance Company discusses the legal issues involved in running a premiere dance company and the intellectual property rights in dance.
About Elena M. Paul
“In the production department of any major dance company is really all about contracts.”
Elena Paul is the director of legal and business affairs for Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, a premiere modern dance company based in New York. Prior to joining Alvin Ailey, she was the executive director for Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts where she represented clients on a pro bono basis, acting as general counsel and a legal advisor to arts and cultural organizations and individuals artists. Previously, she was the executive director of the Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts. Elena has been intricately involved in many arts related organizations. She serves on the board of the Sculpture Center, a nonprofit arts institution. She is also an adjunct professor in the Producing and Documentary Programs at the New York Film Academy.
