Taz Timeless, from the Timeless Dancers in Spanish Town, St. Catherine which conceptualized the ‘To Di World’ Dancehall dance move, says that he feels no animosity towards Usain Bolt for moving to re-acquire the trademark for the signature ‘To Di World’ victory pose, but he and his dance crew would have appreciated some acknowledgement for coming up with the name.
According to Taz, whose real name is Kevin Giltress, it shows the enduring significance of a dance move that was created 14 years ago.
“Bolt ah mi G, mi genna, we don’t have no problem with it. We and him party inna dance and dem ting,” Taz told DancehallMag.
On August 17, the retired Jamaican sprinter submitted an application with the US Patent and Trademark Office for the ‘To Di World’ logo to be used in connection with products including jewellery, clothing, bags and purses, sunglasses, shoes and sporting goods, as well as restaurants and sports bars, offering services such as VIP areas, catering and loyalty plans.
Bolt, 36, had first applied for the trademark in 2009 for a variety of products, but the Washington Post noted that the registration was cancelled in 2017 because the sprinter did not provide proof that he was actually using it to sell goods in the United States.
Bolt is known globally for the pose—in which he leans back and pulls back an arm, archer-like, as he aims for the sky after winning gold medals and setting world records. He still holds world records for the 100m and 200m, making him the fastest man in history.
However, Taz wished that the speedster had slowed down enough to grant him a courtesy phone call or gesture.
“Show we some form of innovation, ah we come up wid it, put something inna we pocket, oonu deserve this fi oonu creative idea, hold this, and have a piece ah the ting and know say the ting set a way, that’s all we looking for…no animosity, no disrespect to the legend,” Taz said.
Dance is considered a creative work that can be copyrighted if it’s a coherent whole and not just individual moves—so if you’re a dancer or choreographer, be sure to protect your work. Intellectual copyright lawyers have warned creators that if you create choreographed dances on platforms like TikTok, your creations may be eligible for copyright protection.
However, Bolt’s trademark application is not for the dance, it is for his pose.