Megan Roup scores another win in workout war with Tracy Anderson

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By Mara Siegler

She’s not sweating it.

A court has dismissed claims of copyright infringement in celeb trainer Tracy Anderson’s lawsuit against her former employee-turned-rival, Megan Roup — who left Anderson to create the popular Sculpt Society. 

But while Anderson has lost another skirmish in the limber litigation, there is still a remaining claim of breach of contract that we’re told will go to trial — unless it’s resolved through settlement. 

Roup’s lawyer is calling her latest win a boon for the fitness industry overall.

Anderson’s side says the latest decision “did not fully analyze specific choreographic works” that the powerhouse trainer alleges are protected by copyright.

Roup worked for Anderson — who has helped tone the beautiful bodies of stars like Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson and Jessica Simpson, among others — from 2011 until 2017.

But she left to start an online-based workout program, called Sculpt Society.

Anderson flexed by filing a lawsuit in July 2022 against Roup — who has developed her own celeb following, including Miranda Kerr – for alleged copyright infringement, breach of contract, false advertising and other claims.

Last September, Roup won a legal round when California judge Philip S. Gutierrez granted her motion to dismiss the false advertising claim — and told Anderson to pay Roup’s legal fees of nearly $164,000.

“We are pleased with the Court’s ruling unequivocally rejecting Tracy Anderson’s copyright claim, finding that the TA Method is not copyrightable, full stop,” said Roup’s lawyer Nathaniel Birch.

“This is not only a win for Megan, who built the Sculpt Society from the ground up — attracting a broad and welcoming community devoted to the joy of physical movement — but a ruling benefitting the entire fitness industry, making clear that no one owns physical exercise or dance cardio. We look forward to prevailing on what little remains of the case at trial.”

Anderson isn’t done throwing jabs. 

Anderson’s lawyer, Gina Durham of DLA Piper, told Page Six: “Tracy Anderson initiated this lawsuit against Megan Roup and the Sculpt Society to protect her art form that she built from the ground up through decades of research, development, testing, and investment.”

The attorney added: “Ms. Anderson seeks to vindicate her rights against Roup and the Sculpt Society, who have improperly capitalized on, and benefitted from, Ms. Anderson’s decades of hard work,”

The statement also said: “Roup and the Sculpt Society have sought to dismiss the case twice… This latest decision did not fully analyze specific choreographic works that Ms. Anderson has registered with the Copyright Office, and we will continue to pursue protection of those works and unauthorized uses under the law. Ms. Anderson looks forward to proceeding to the upcoming trial against Ms. Roup.”