Whether performing the eloquent moves of Rumba or flying atop the explosive progressions of Jive, when Keo steps on the stage, he brings with him an exhilaration and passion that has been electrifying audiences since he was a child. Catapulted onto the competitive amateur dance scene at the age of eleven, Keo represented his home county of South Africa in international Latin Ballroom dance competitions, reigning for eight straight years as the South African Latin Dance Champion. In 2012, Keo made history by becoming the first South African to join the Burn the Floor world tour and now is making history once again by becoming the first South African to join Dancing with the Stars.
My Definition Of Success | I define success by targeting a specific goal and achieving it. I always knew I wanted to be a dancer and I never gave up on my dreams. And as I have become older, I am more determined to achieve my dreams.
I Am Driven By | The main key to my inspiration and motivation is, and always has been, people.
No matter how far I travel or what I see, I keep my focus on the people I meet, the relationships I forge and the people who I touch with my dancing. It never ceases to be an endless source of strength and inspiration for me.
My Highlights | The most exciting day of my life was probably when I received the call from DANCING WITH THE STARS. Being part of the show makes me very proud and illustrates to me that it is worth it fighting for your goals and dreams. And my time with BURN THE FLOOR, which is a stage show that’s traveled the world, was very important for me.
The Difference Between Good And Great | There are people who understand that persistence is an important part of their motivation and this helps drive them into wanting to achieve. They understand that failures are virtues and there is no mistake that has happened to them that ultimately has a happier ending. For me, it’s these types of people who attain success because they are able to turn the negatives into positives. Within them they possess this super power energy which fuels them no matter what they are going through.
A Key Talent | Dancing. The more I performed over the years, the more I realized that my dancing had the ability to affect strangers. I realized that I could literally change the way these people felt with my dancing. This idea was electrifying to me – it was like having a super power. I had always filled my dancing with every ounce of my emotion and passion, but knowing now that I could transfer this emotion to complete strangers and make them feel what I was feeling gave a whole new level of excitement to dancing. I was now more passionate and motivated than ever. There is always someone out there whose life can be changed by meeting you or by an act of your kindness. Let them be inspired by you as well.
Resources I Use To Stay Inspired | My family is a source of this kind of inspiration. My mother, father and sisters have always been very close and important to me. However, one experience that stands out in my memory is the first time I held my sister’s first born child in my arms. Words cannot really capture it. All I knew is that I wanted to be a source of inspiration and pride to this child. I wanted to live my life in a way that made sure that my nephew could look up to me with pride. It made me consider everything: the way I dressed, the way I acted, my personal success.
The Meaning Of Life | Life is all about growth and it’s vital to learn from every experience. Everyone has areas of weakness to address and challenges to learn from. I live every day to the fullest. Your weaknesses become your strengths.
On Inspiring Others | Motivation is what drives you towards a goal and it’s ultimately what keeps you going – even through the bumps in the road. It’s crucial to find someone who makes you proud. The first time I realized this was when I was a child. I was working with my dance teacher, Rafik. Not only was he an instructor and mentor to me from whom I learned so much, but I was incredibly motivated to make him proud by excelling at what he was teaching me. The inspiration and boundless energy that I drew from him was immeasurable.
I Am Inspired By | Michael Jackson is definitely the one who inspired me and who made me fall in love with dancing.
The Legacy I Would Like To Leave | No matter how far I travel or how many new experiences I have, I will always be inspired by people. People will always remain my richest reservoir of inspiration. It is the reason that I place such importance on treating every person that I meet with respect. By offering my courtesy and my respect to the people I meet, I am opening the door to learn more about them and to connect more deeply with them. Showing people respect can also make meeting new people less stressful; no matter who I meet or where I go, if I treat others well I know that I am doing my part to create a positive interaction.
