Luana Lopes Lara’s Viral TikTok Dance Goes Global—But Is It Plagiarized?

luana lopes lara

**The TikTok Dance That Sparked a Global Copycat War—and a Copyright Showdown**

It started with a single video. A young dancer, Luana Lopes Lara, posted a routine to TikTok in early 2024, something smooth and hypnotic that made viewers pause mid-scroll. Within days, it was everywhere—millions of likes, endless remixes, even celebrity duets. The dance, a mix of fluid arm movements and strategic footwork, seemed to hit a cultural sweet spot. But as it blew up, so did the questions: Was this *really* original? Or had someone else done it first?

The internet loves a good viral trend, but it also loves a good debate—and this one had both. Luana’s video, now with tens of millions of views, wasn’t just being copied; it was being *reconstructed* by everyone from TikTokers to choreographers. Some praised her for creating something fresh, while others pointed to older dancers—like a Brazilian breakdancer who’d posted a strikingly similar routine in 2022—or even older viral clips that bore eerie resemblances. Was this just coincidence? Or was the dance industry’s favorite pastime—plagiarism—back in full swing?

What makes this case particularly juicy is the dance’s structure. It’s not some wild, abstract movement; it’s a *sequence*. A series of steps with a recognizable pattern, the kind that’s easy to mimic but hard to prove. Luana’s video didn’t include a title or clear credits, and without timestamps or exact references, tracing the origin becomes a game of digital detective work. Some argued that the dance’s simplicity made it a natural evolution of street dance culture, where moves often spread organically. Others insisted that if you can’t name the original creator, it’s just a happy accident.

Then there’s the business angle. Viral dances don’t just bring fame—they bring cash. Brands want to use them, choreographers want to teach them, and TikTok’s algorithm thrives on them. But if the dance isn’t truly original, who gets paid? Luana, for example, has since shared her own choreography credits and even offered workshops, positioning herself as the face of the trend. Meanwhile, others who claim prior knowledge of the routine have gone silent—or at least, quieter—since the backlash began.

The bigger question, though, is whether this matters. In an era where dance trends move faster than memes, where moves are constantly remixed and reimagined, is originality even possible? Or is the internet just a giant, chaotic collage where everything borrows from everything else? Luana’s dance might be the latest example of how culture spreads, but it’s also a reminder that in the digital age, the line between inspiration and theft is blurrier than ever.

And really, who cares? The dance is still fun to watch. The debates are still fun to argue about. But if there’s one thing this whole saga proves, it’s that the internet doesn’t just make things go viral—it makes everything a little bit *suspicious*.

Luana Lopes Lara’s Viral TikTok Dance Goes Global—But Is It Plagiarized?

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