A Dance That Reached All the Way Up North

We might be a bit off the beaten path up here in Alaska, but that doesn’t mean we miss out on what’s going on. Especially when something as fun and free as Kelley Heyer’s Apple dance pops up on TikTok. That little routine made it all the way from Kelley’s bedroom to Anchorage, Kodiak, and even way out past Bethel—shared in classrooms, on fishing boats during downtime, and living rooms where the floor space was just enough to try those moves out.

It was light. It was feel-good. And it had that cozy homemade charm that fits just right in our kind of place. We love that kind of thing up here—the stuff that feels real. And Kelley’s dance? It felt real.

But now, that same dance is caught up in a lawsuit. And the vibe has changed.

Roblox Used Her Dance—But Never Sealed the Deal

So here’s what went down. Roblox, the online game platform just about every kid in the state (and let’s be honest, some adults too) has spent hours playing, added Kelley’s Apple dance to one of their games, Dress to Impress. They turned it into an emote you could buy. You know—click, and your character busts out her exact moves.

Only problem? They never got Kelley’s official okay.

She did file for copyright. And she was in talks with Roblox about licensing the dance. But no agreement was finalized. No dotted line. And yet… they went ahead anyway.

By the time Roblox quietly took it down, reports say they’d sold over 60,000 copies of the emote—earning about $123,000 in the process.

Kelley got none of it.

So she’s taking them to court. Not because she wants to go viral again—but because she wants to be respected.

That Might Not Fly in the Lower 48, But It Matters Here

In Alaska, we do things with intention. Whether it’s fixing a snow machine in subzero temps or sharing salmon from the smokehouse, we don’t just take—we ask. We give credit. We recognize effort.

And what Kelley’s dealing with? That hits a nerve. Because it’s not just a dance—it’s her work. Her spark. Something she made without a budget or a team, just her own creativity and a song she liked.

And to see a billion-dollar company take that and sell it like it’s theirs? Yeah, no. That doesn’t sit right up here.

Breaking Down the Basics

In case you’re wondering how it all adds up:

• 1 copyrighted dance filed by Kelley Heyer in August 2024
• 60,000+ purchases of the dance emote in Dress to Impress
• $123,000+ earned by Roblox off her work
• 0 finalized licensing agreement
• 1 big lawsuit that’s about more than just money

Roblox gave a vague statement about respecting intellectual property, but they haven’t said her name. No apology. No explanation. Just silence.

And if there’s one thing we don’t do well in Alaska—it’s letting that kind of thing slide.

Up Here, We Protect Our Own

Kelley might not be from Alaska, but we get where she’s coming from. We know what it means to make something with your own hands and heart—and then watch someone else walk off with it like it was free for the taking.

She’s standing up not just for her dance, but for everybody who’s ever made something small and beautiful and put it out there, hoping it would matter.

And here? We think that matters a whole lot.

So the next time you catch someone doing the Apple dance at a potluck in Juneau or between hauls out on the boat, remember who made it—and why she’s fighting to keep it hers.