Roblox CorporationContent creator Kelley Heyer, who created the “Apple Dance,” has sued Roblox over selling an emote without her permission.
If you’ve been spending a lot of time on social media, chances are you’ve seen the “Apple Dance” that’s inspired by Charli XCX’s song of the same name. The choreography of this dance was created by content creator Kelley Heyer, who then submitted a copyright application for it on August 30, 2024.
The dance itself has become so popular that it has even been added to games such as Roblox and Fortnite. Though there are no issues with the latter, it’s a different story with Roblox.
On April 11, 2025, Kelley Heyer filed a lawsuit in California, alleging that Roblox approached her to get a license for the dance in-game, but they released the emote before negotiations were finalized.
Roblox sued over Apple Dance emote
Based on a report from BBC, last year the multiplayer title had made a deal with Charli XCX to use her music and likeness in a Dress to Impress concert, essentially a popular game mode where players are pitted against each other to curate an outfit based on a theme.
However, since the dance itself wasn’t made by CharliXCX, Kelley Heyer’s legal team argues that she should be “compensated fairly for her work” and that her permission is required.
Speaking to Polygon, attorney Miki Anzai said that the title had “moved forward using Kelley’s IP without a signed agreement.”
“Kelley is an independent creator who should be compensated fairly for her work and we saw no other option than to file suit to prove that. We remain willing and open to settle and hope to come to a peaceful agreement,” they added.
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The Apple Dance emote is no longer in Roblox since it was removed in November 2024. That said, the legal team claimed that the title has racked up $123,000 from selling the emote.
Following this, a Roblox spokesperson has also released a statement, mentioning that they take “protection of intellectual property very seriously and are committed to protecting intellectual property rights” for creators both on and off the platform.
“Roblox is confident in its position and the propriety of its dealings in this matter and looks forward to responding in court.”