Dancer Keiva pleas: Show us more respect!

Popular dancer Keiva pleas to show Jamaican dancers more respect. According to her, dancers in Jamaica are not being adequately compensated for the work they do. “We develop these dance moves but do not get paid for our work. Look at the international acts like Beyonce, who never leave their dancers behind. Jamaican artists however never bring us on tour, which is very unfair. If you watched the BET (Black Entertainment Television) show, held in Los Angeles, Ciara brought her dancers but Elephant Man and Beenie Man didn’t. We need money in our pockets, we are talented and we need to get paid. We are hard working and have bills to pay.”

Keiva the Diva is known through her signature move ‘Online’, and the over 100 music videos she appeared in alongside Elephant Man, Voicemail and TOK. Unlike most female dancers you wont find Keiva amongst a crowd of women whining, but rather in a crowd of men bussing a move. Her bold attitude and strong belief in original dance moves made legendary dancer Bogle very attached to her. Bogle’s dance moves like ‘Wacky Dip’ and ‘Row Di Boat’ have inspired artists to sing a song, and the masses to catch the dance. But yet it seems that the dancers, the choreographers of the very moves, are left standing in the shade whilst everyone else is busy bouncing in the spotlight.

“Many dancers have never received a visa. I myself got all visas through promoters, not through an artist. Still, we love our Jamaican artists; when they need us we are ready to defend and dance with them. But the artists have to take a stance as well and tell promoters that they want to take their dancers on tour. Show us more respect and love – let us shine too! 15 years from now we want to be proud of ourselves. The dancers are crying, we are not happy, we are ‘dead fi hungry’, we need help! We’re tired of it. We are also tired of people thieving our culture and not giving us respect for it. We are the root, the stem and the grass. We are the factory for dancing. Big up Bogle!”

F.Q.