5 Shocking Facts About The Carlton Dance: The Copyright Battle That Alfonso Ribeiro Lost

The "Carlton Dance" is more than just a nostalgic TV moment; it is a cultural phenomenon that has defined a generation of sitcom comedy and, more recently, sparked a high-stakes legal battle over intellectual property in the digital age. As of December 12, 2025, the dance remains one of the most recognizable movements in television history, but the story behind its creation and the controversy surrounding its ownership are far more complex than a simple happy jig to Tom Jones.

From its humble, improvised beginnings on the set of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to its use as a viral emote in video games, the dance continues to influence pop culture. Here is an in-depth look at the five most shocking and updated facts about the signature move of Carlton Banks, including the critical legal decision that changed everything for its creator, Alfonso Ribeiro.

Alfonso Ribeiro: The Man Behind The Carlton Banks Phenomenon

Alfonso Ribeiro, the actor, dancer, and television personality who brought Carlton Banks to life, has had a long and varied career, but his legacy is inextricably linked to the dance move he created. Understanding his professional journey provides essential context for his later battle to protect his creation.

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• Full Name: Alfonso Lincoln Ribeiro
• Born: September 21, 1971
• Age (as of 2025): 54 years old
• Birthplace: Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
• Early Career Highlights: Ribeiro began his career as a child star, appearing in the Broadway musical The Tap Dance Kid and gaining early fame in 1984 as a dancer in a Pepsi commercial alongside Michael Jackson.
• Breakthrough Role: Carlton Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990–1996).
• Current Roles (2025): Host of ABC's long-running video clip show, America's Funniest Home Videos (AFV), currently in its 35th season, and co-host of Dancing with the Stars.
• Other Notable Work: He won Season 19 of Dancing with the Stars in 2014 and has worked extensively as a television director.

1. The Dance Was Inspired by Courteney Cox and Eddie Murphy

Contrary to popular belief that the entire dance was a spur-of-the-moment burst of Alfonso Ribeiro’s genius, the actor has revealed that the move is actually a blend of two very specific, pre-existing inspirations. It was never intended to be an original piece of choreography.

The Two Key Inspirations

When the script for an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air simply read, "Carlton dances," Ribeiro was left to create the move himself. He decided to combine two movements he had seen before:

• Courteney Cox: The primary inspiration came from Courteney Cox’s now-famous, slightly awkward dance moves in the 1984 Bruce Springsteen music video for "Dancing in the Dark." Ribeiro mimicked this particular style of exaggerated, uncoordinated white-person dancing.
• Eddie Murphy: The other half of the inspiration was a move known as the "White Man Dance," which comedian Eddie Murphy often performed in his stand-up routines.

This combination resulted in the iconic, arm-flailing, hip-swiveling move that perfectly captured Carlton Banks’ preppy, sheltered, and slightly out-of-touch character.

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2. It's Not Always to Tom Jones’ "It's Not Unusual"

While the dance is almost universally associated with the song "It's Not Unusual" by Tom Jones, this is simply the most memorable and frequently used musical accompaniment on the show. The choice of the song was deliberate, as it further cemented Carlton's persona as a character with "old-school" tastes, often contrasting with Will Smith's more contemporary hip-hop style.

The True Musical Connection

The song "It's Not Unusual" became a staple for the dance, but Carlton also performed variations of the dance to other tracks throughout the series. The association is so strong that for millions of fans, the first notes of the Tom Jones hit immediately trigger the visual of Carlton’s energetic, if goofy, dance routine. This deep connection between the visual and the audio is what makes the move such an enduring piece of pop culture.

3. Alfonso Ribeiro Was Denied Copyright for the Choreography

The most significant and legally current fact about the Carlton Dance is the outcome of the high-profile copyright battle. In a move that shocked many, the U.S. Copyright Office denied Alfonso Ribeiro's attempt to register the dance as a copyrighted work.

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The Fortnite Lawsuit Fallout

Ribeiro filed a lawsuit against Epic Games, the developer of the hugely popular video game *Fortnite*, for selling a dance emote called "Fresh" that was clearly based on the Carlton Dance. The actor argued that the company was profiting from his likeness and creation.

However, the Copyright Office ruled that the Carlton Dance was a "simple dance routine" and not a complex piece of choreography eligible for copyright protection. This denial effectively ended Ribeiro’s legal claim, establishing a precedent that short, simple, or non-original dance moves cannot be legally owned by a single person, even if they are iconic. This ruling has major implications for the use of viral dances in video games and social media today.

4. The Dance Became a Double-Edged Sword for Ribeiro's Career

While the Carlton Dance is the reason Alfonso Ribeiro is a household name, the actor himself has described his role as Carlton Banks as both "The Greatest and Worst" thing to happen to his career.

The Typecasting Trap

The intense popularity of the character and the dance led to extreme typecasting. For years after The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ended, casting directors struggled to see Ribeiro as anything other than the preppy, dancing Carlton Banks. This made it incredibly difficult for him to secure new, serious acting roles, which is a common struggle for actors who become too closely associated with a single, massive character.

Despite the initial career setback, Ribeiro successfully pivoted to hosting, becoming one of television's most recognizable hosts on shows like AFV and Dancing with the Stars, where he has occasionally embraced the dance, performing it with celebrities like Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Justin Timberlake, and Jerry Rice.

5. The Bel-Air Reboot Has Largely Avoided It

When the dramatic reboot of the series, *Bel-Air*, premiered, fans were eager to see if the new, more serious version of Carlton Banks (played by Olly Sholotan) would perform the iconic dance. The new series has taken a distinctly different tone, exploring deeper themes of race, class, and family.

A Nod to Nostalgia, But Not the Dance

While the new series has included subtle nods to the original, it has largely steered clear of the Carlton Dance itself, likely due to the reboot's dramatic nature, which doesn't lend itself to a goofy, spontaneous dance break. Interestingly, the *Bel-Air* Season 4 premiere did feature a recreation of another famous *Fresh Prince* dance—the "Jump On It" routine—performed by Will and Carlton, showing that the show is willing to embrace nostalgia, but only on its own terms.

The absence of the Carlton Dance in the new series highlights its status: it is a product of 90s sitcom comedy that may not translate to a modern, dramatic retelling. It remains a beloved, copyrighted-but-not-copyrighted piece of history, forever linked to the joyful innocence of the original show.