Music in your dance class

If you use music for your dance classes, you need to pay for copyright and neighbouring rights.

Follow these steps:

1. Check the agreements of the location you are organising your dance classes in
2. Take care of the copyrights (usually via Sabam)
3. Take care of the neighbouring rights (equitable remuneration)
4. Check the sound carrier

If you rent or use a space, there is a chance that the venue has already agreed an annual rate with Unisono. This is often the case for cultural centres, sports centres, … 

However, your venue can also have an agreement with Unisono for a specific function (e.g. a cafe that plays music in the background), but not for the event you want to organise (e.g. dance lessons).

Another possibility is that your venue has an agreement with Unisono for copyright but not for neighbouring rights, or vice versa.

So, make sure you check whether your location already has an annual agreement for both copyright as well as neighbouring rights, and whether the activity you’re organising is covered by that agreement.

It would be a shame to pay twice, but so would be getting a fine.

Are you running one or more dance halls yourself, then it is up to you to arrange through Unisono the necessary administration for copyright (Sabam) and neighbouring rights (Equitable Renumeration).

The rate for dance classes, dance schools and dance teachers is Rate 118 - ‘Dance schools, aerobics, calanetics and other formats’ (only in Dutch - Tarief 118 'Dansscholen, aerobics, calanetics en andere vormen').

The basic rate is calculated according to the surface area of the dance floor in square metres. This means that every hall/space/studio/location used by the organisation needs to have a separate license.

Dance teachers who teach at various locations under their own name (so-called ‘travelling dance teachers’) pay for one annual license, based on the surface area of the biggest dance floor. The lessons need to be organised by the teachers themselves, as the license is registered under their name.

When the organised classes in a specific venue are only temporary, e.g when they only take one term, or in case of weekend workshops, or summer activities, you can receive the discounts called ‘Temporary exploitation form’ (‘Tijdelijke exploitatievorm’ in Dutch) and ‘Occasional collection’ (‘Gelegenheidsinningen’ in Dutch):

• < 1 month: 2/12ths of the annual rate
• 1 - 2 months: 3/12ths of the annual rate
• Max 3 months: 50% of the annual rate
• Max 6 months: 75% of the annual rate

Other discounts are possible for:

• ‘limited classes’ once a week in the same venue: 50%
• senior citizens’ associations: whatever the size of the dance floor, a rate for max 100m2 applies

You can combine the basic rate above with discount formulas. For instance, if your organisation teaches at one specific location throughout the year, and uses an additional location once a week during one term, you can combine the basic rate with a discount for ‘limited classes’ once a week.

Five frequently asked questions: 

• Question 1

Our dance classes are organised per school year, but the annual licenses are per calendar year. How to deal with this?

Answer: When something changes at the start of a new school year, such as a change of location, more or fewer locations, etc., you can request a change to your annual license from Unisono. The license will be recalculated accordingly until the end of December.

• Question 2

Our dance classes start for the first time in September. Does that mean we have to pay for an entire calendar year?

Answer: No, contact Unisono and they will create a customised invoice, basing your license on the number of months of the calendar year that your dance classes take place. For example, if they take place from September to December, you’ll pay 4/12ths of the annual rate.

• Question 3

We only teach once a week. Do we have to pay an entire annual license?

Answer: For a limited offer of once a week, you receive a 50% discount on the full annual license.

• Question 4

We only use music in the public domain whose composers have been deceased for more than 70 years, do we still have to declare that? (This can be the case e.g. with folk dances or classical dances)

Answer: Yes, you need to declare it and consult with Unisono how to best calculate your annual rate.
Unisono will check the music you use in their catalogue, and if they find that you are indeed only using music from the public domain, you won’t have to pay copyright. In reality, however, we notice that Sabam will charge the full rate as soon as 1 of the songs is managed by them. It is still possible (and likely) that you will have to pay Equitable Remuneration if you use recorded music.

• Question 5

We only dance to live music (e.g. live piano or percussion), do we need to declare that?

Answer: Yes, you need to declare and consult with Unisono how your annual rate should be calculated. You won’t have to pay Equitable Remuneration, but they will check whether copyright has to be paid (in other words: whether the music belongs to the public domain and/or its composers have been deceased for more than 70 years).

The rate for regular dance classes is Rate 10 - Basic rate social and cultural activities (only in Dutch - Tarief 10 - Basistarief sociale en culturele activiteiten)) for associations (‘vzws’) and factual associations, or Rate 3 - Services for self-employed people (only in Dutch - Tarief 3 - Diensten). The names are different, but both rates cost exactly the same.

The basic rate is also calculated according to the surface area of the dancefloor in square meters. In other words, every room/space/studio/location that is used by the organisation has to have a different license.

There is no discount for limited use as is the case with copyright.

It is however possible to pay per day with Rate 14 - Temporary indoor activities (or Rate 15 - Temporary activities in open air) (only in Dutch - Tarief 14 - Tijdelijke binnenactiviteiten & Tarief 15 - Tijdelijke activiteiten in open lucht). This can be interesting for one-off activities, but as soon as you start organising this several days per year, it will be financially more advantageous to go for ‘Rate 10’ for an entire year.

File your declaration on time, at least 5 days before your lessons start, in order to avoid raised fees and fines.

Both copyright and equitable remuneration have to be declared together on the same platform, i.e. via MyUnisono (in Dutch or French).

For special situations or agreements, you can also try to make arrangements by contacting Unisono directly.

Make sure you have legally purchased or obtained your music.

Play the music on the original sound carrier (MP3s, CDs, LPs). Check whether your music’s sound carrier allows you to play it in this context. For instance, platforms such as Spotify and YouTube are intended for personal use only, and according to their terms of use it is not allowed to play them in public.