I never steal dance moves, I interpret them though. I don't steal lyrics either because songs are very personal, plus I may not even understand the lyric. What about you?
It really depends on the idea or situation. I try not to, but if I strongly feel the same way they do then I will. I don't call it stealing. I call it... collaborating. If it's costing me money or my job, you bet your ass I'm going to steal it. I don't make music or dance if those are the kinds of ideas you're referring to. As for not understanding someone's lyrics, a lot of artists purposely have lyrics that can have several meanings depending on who is interpreting them. Art? Maybe. Or maybe they want to sell their shit to a large audience, so they make it very relate-able.
I've made songs that were heavily influenced by others. Never stole a riff or melody, but the mood I definitely aimed for. I also wouldn't have ever been able to make decent drum lines myself if I didn't base them off others because I don't have much of a background with drums. I think when it comes to the arts, people need to be inspired sometimes by others. Stealing something purely isn't right, but being influenced isn't and people could consider that stealing a sound, when they are merely just aiming for a similar atmosphere. Sometimes when I'm listening to a song, I can imagine a new melody which would've never came into my head had I never been listening to that song. Again plagiarism is wrong, but being influenced is alright. My humour has also been heavily influenced by the programmes I watch. If I never watched South Park and Arrested Development when I was younger I wouldn't like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Archer, and half the shows I enjoy
I often take an idea from someone else and then distort it and twist it in order to make it more interesting and more Me.
I'm always a bit too hard on myself as almost everything I write or put online I delete or toss away as I feel I feel like everything I write is boring and unoriginal compared to many peers, but I hear that's a common issue with lots of writers as it's that personal touch is what makes it yours and it's hard to detect that yourself. I admit to taking influence from loads of other artists but I want to take genres they work in and give it my personal touch. I might throw in a homage every now and then like giving someone a certain outfit or someone driving a same type of car in reference to a favorite movie or book which had an influence on me but I won't outright steal the whole story and call it my own. The final cut of whatever I'm writing needs to be in my signature so to speak otherwise I will toss it out.