Dancer Kissy McCoy reflects on dancehall videos, touring and building a career from high school

Jamaican dancer and choreographer Kissy McCoy says her career grew from school performances into dancehall videos, overseas stages and professional classes, after she realised as a teenager that dancing could become more than a hobby.

McCoy said she had been dancing from early, though she was also strong in track and field at primary school. She recalled being among the fastest then, but said high-school training was too demanding for her at the time, while dancing felt more natural to her body.

Her professional path began while she was in eighth grade. McCoy said she started earning from dance work in high school and could help send herself to school without depending on her mother for money. She later entered Dancing Dynamite through Excelsior High School and began travelling to different parishes, which helped convince her that dance could work as a career.

McCoy said her mother strongly supported her decision, encouraging her to continue once it was something she loved. She also pointed to early opportunities in music videos, saying her first video came while she was still in high school after entering On the Verge with the dance group Insanity Girls. She identified the artiste on that first video as Ce’Cile.

Her career has since taken her beyond Jamaica, with performances and tours in Germany, Spain, South America, Argentina, Colombia and the United Kingdom. McCoy described one overseas moment as so emotional that she cried because the experience felt unreal.

She also spoke about personal motivation after the death of her mother three years ago, saying her son now helps push her to keep improving.

McCoy said she has worked with or performed alongside major Jamaican acts including Vybz Kartel, Shenseea, Spice, Shaggy and Sean Paul. Internationally, she named Chris Brown as an artiste she would like to work with.

On the business side of dance, McCoy said dancers have a major role in the entertainment industry and should be paid fairly. She said dancers help make performances and productions work, and should be willing to reject offers that do not reflect their value.