5 Questions With Keiva Di Diva

If there is one thing for sure about Keiva di Diva, it is that she is the life of any party. This proved true when she pulled a full house to her 40th birthday party celebration last week at the Rhythm Bistro Lounge in St Andrew. The dancer-turned-businesswoman revolutionised the dance scene in the early 2000s with moves like ‘Online’, and stood out as the sole female among a slew of male dancers, like the late Gerald ‘Bogle’ Levy, whom she regards as an early mentor. She has appeared in countless music videos for acts like Elephant Man, Voicemail, Mavado and Mr Lexx.

Despite the accolades and Asians who visit her Keiva’s Kloset boutique pleading for dance lessons, Keiva has dialled back from the dance scene to focus on being an active mom to her gymnast daughter.

In this week’s edition of 5 Questions With, Keiva discusses her biggest career milestones and life lessons, and gives her take on the current dance scene.

How does it feel to be 40? It’s a good milestone. People don’t really live to see 40 anymore, so I really wanted to keep a party. I was just looking forward to friends and family but a lot of fans turned out. Artistes came out, too, and they have always supported me over the years from my 16th birthday party, so it’s all love.

What is the biggest life lesson you have learnt so far? There are a lot, but my daughter definitely changed everything. I was the kind of person who couldn’t do without going out – I used to go out every single night, and since I had my daughter that has changed. My mom is a great mother, and I wanted to follow in her footsteps. At one time she had my daughter in New York because she thought I wasn’t ready to be a mom, and when my daughter was there I felt very empty. I wanted to raise her myself, so I decided I can do it, I want to do it and I don’t want my child growing older and wondering where or who I was. Being a mom has taught me how to manage my time - I’m calmer, I don’t get in fights anymore, I’m more focused - she’s my biggest blessing.

Occasionally you post dance videos on Instagram, will we ever see Keiva make a return to the dance scene? I break from dancehall when I was 30, but dancing is in my genes and blood – it’s something I love and will never stop doing. I don’t go out and bleach now, but I will always post videos, I think I already made my name and worked hard for it. If I decide to go to a Bounty Sundays, I’m not going to stand up- anywhere Keiva goes and music is playing, I’m going to find the middle of the ring and dance like I never did before. Even if I’m 60 or 70, I’m the life of the party. My daughter loves when I dance, she wouldn’t mind if I go back to dancing. Sometimes she goes on Youtube and sends me videos of me dancing and I just laugh at them. I’m just happy that all of my videos are clean, so whenever she sends something my heart doesn’t pound cause I know it’s clean.

What is your greatest career highlight? One of them is that I’m the only female dancer in Jamaica who has been in over 100 music videos. I’ve worked with some of the most famous and ‘baddest’ artistes. My most recent video was with Wanye Wonder last year, and I was very happy ’cause I really wanted to meet him from I was a little girl. He treated me like I was Beyoncé and was very professional.

What would you like your legacy to be? Dancing is love, passion, a job, a lifestyle, and it makes me happy, so I would love to see millions of girls all over the world doing clean, authentic dance moves. I’m not bashing anybody, but it pains my heart to see how the girls dance these days. For me, that is not dancing. Dancehall Queen Latesha won the competition without going on her head; she won standing on her two feet. I want my legacy to be clean. I want my child and grandchildren to follow my footsteps. I want my child to go out in a white dress, spend six hours at a party, and come back looking fresh and clean. It would pain my heart if my daughter chose to dance a certain way.