How it all began....How I became a diva ( the condensed verison)

When I was six years old a family friend brought over a camcorder (this is was BIG deal at the time) and I took to the camera like a moth to a flame. A rather uninhabited moth. I was taught brains before beauty ( a very valuable lesson,) so my debut began with me reading a short story to my audince but after that was the real show. Using my cabbage patch doll cassette player I danced my lil heart out to "Micky, she's got a crush on you" by Minnie Mouse. I was wearing one of my church dresses, the kind lil girls love spinning around in causing the dress to flair- and I was just a twirling and twirling and twirling and my dress was rising and rising and rising....then, a voice from the abyss (otherwise known as my mother) yells, "Kahtea Monique if u show your underwear on TV one more time you are getting a whooping"...... yet and still here lay my humble beginning.

Technically, my formal dance training began when I was three so being in the spot light was nothing new to me. The confidence that dance planted in me quickly grew and throughout my youth I was engaged in countless activities. From fencing, track, and gymnastics to band, Honors Society and drama club and everything in between, I did it all...and I was good at it all. I loved being the center of attention and I commanded it from the moment I walked into the room.

However, not all attention was good attention. Haters, yep they even existed way back then. I struggled at points with what I later learned was intense jealousy from my peers. At the time, when the notion was first brought to my attention, I dismissed it as crazy, I came from a broken and impoverished home, what would I have that could possibly make anyone jealous??


What I had (and still have) was a certain uniquiness that is hard to define even now...but its defination is really unnessecary because its different for everyone. From a very young age I was never afraid to be me ( or whatever I concieved myself to be at that time.) I didnt seek much outside approval for the things I sought that brought positivity in to my life. I saw the importance in learning new things, gaining new perspectives,and striving to be a well rounded individual. I found what works for me and I work it like there's no tomorrow ( for all we know there might not be!)

**DIVA LESSON**Now, with all that being said, the only way to find what works for you is to TRY NEW THINGS, BE OPEN MINDED, and FREE YOURSELF from labels, social restraints, conformity. Its really ok to let your hair down ( hell, let the boobies go free from time to time too!) The key to it all is balance, spiritually, emotionally, financially, physically and yes, sexually.

Through this path, I am happy to report that I have significantly lowered the number of haters over time. Part of this I attribute to nothing more than age and maturity of my peers, but a significant amount came from centering myself, encouraging others and continuing to show the remaining 'haters' that their efforts were in vain. I've come to understand that jealousy is a natural human emotion that most struggle in finding appropriate outlets for, and instead of letting their jealousy channel me into 'bitch-mode', we all stood to gain when I simply helped redirect, encourage and remain positive. There is enough room on this planet that we ALL can be DIVAS.

In fact, the more DIVAS the better, because a TRUE DIVA will bring something unique and different, something all there own to the table....and the table will flourish.


**DIVA ASSIGNMENT #1** Get loose, turn down the lights and turn up the music...and dance, dance like no one is watching ( cause they aint) and dance like you've never danced before,dance like your life depends on it, it really does. Move your body piece by piece then all together. Experiment with different styles and different music , and loose yourself in the different beats. Dance cause your happy, dance cause your sad, dance because u can and your soul needs it. Movement frees energy and the more you do it the better you will feel, I promise.