Popular dancer Desha Ravers recently sat down with The Fix where she spoke on a number of topics including dancers being underappreciated in the culture.
According to the female dancer, the contributions and value of dancers are often overlooked by those involved in the entertainment fraternity.
She pointed out that the work of dancers is often belittled especially by promoters, who want them to appear at their events to create a party atmosphere but don’t feel they should be compensated.
The Ding Dong affiliated act did, however, advise her fellow entertainers to diversify their craft to be less dependent on the Dancehall scene as there are numerous opportunities for them to make money.
“Its not only about doing classes either, is not only bout going to Europe and teaching class and dem ting deh yuh zimi” she said.
She claims if dancers can properly market their product and avoid being stereotyped into a particular category then the rewards can be great.
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She went on to encourage her peers to reach out to corporations, push their talents in a way they cannot be ignored, as she claims these companies will not come looking for you unless you’re the biggest thing.
Desha, who is the daughter of veteran entertainer Beenie Man, also spoke on the topic of Dancers being unfairly treated by recording artistes when they sing about their popular dance moves.
According to Desha, it does happen within the industry, but she feels it all comes down to initial negotiations. She believes if expectations are laid out between the two parties then there should be no issue.
She was also quick to criticize dancers who enter these kinds of arrangements and expect handouts from the artistes, saying they should instead focus on promoting the product they created so it becomes synonymous with them.
Watch the interview below.
