Today we’d like to introduce you to Shadey Derivois.
Hi Shadey, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Shadey (Sha-Day pronounced like the singer Sade). I just had the 10th anniversary of my 21st birthday in May. In my personal life am a content creator/konpa instructor/crafter/podcaster, and professionally, I am an accountant. I am from North Miami Beach Florida and have been living in Orlando since I went to UCF in 2013 and graduated in 2016. I was part of Club Kreyol and on the eboard for the Caribbean Student Association for 2 years. I graduated with a B.S in Psychology and while I wanted to be a therapist, God put me in accounting since Ive always been good at math.
Ive been dancing konpa since 2013 at UCF. I loved to go out to kiss n tell (a konpa party every first saturday of the month, or any Haitian Student Organization party no matter what school. During the pandemic, I moved to South Florida, where I attending Kotr (konpa on the rise; another konpa class/party org) every week! I had so much fun. Unfortunetly I had to move back to Orlando, and when I started going to parties up here again, I noticed nobody was dancing. The people did not come to the party until an hour or 2 before the party was to end and club was full of people standing around. It was never like this before in Orlando. So I asked on social media if I start a konpa class, would people be interested. There was an overwhelming amount of people who said yes so I reached out to my best friend Vaughn about it and he offered to partner with me in this venture. Most of the people who encouraged me, have not come to a class lol but I have built a community of supporters since then. We’ve created a space where people come to learn, laugh and make friends. I also won Haitians who blog’s dancer of the year in 2023!
I started crafting because I was being petty and realized I really love creating things. Ive been using this skill as a way to help creatives with their brand awareness. Ive worked with several businesses in Florida and in the future, I would like to learn how to sew and be a carnival costume designer!
I started podcasting with my own podcast called C/O uncut (which is still up, but we’ve ended it). It was a podcast where we would have popular guests and talk about current events and hot topics. Now I do a podcast with Shirley Dor called ‘This is not that Podcast’. It is currently on Haitus but we talk about our perspectives on navigating love, friendship, business, life, etc. The perspective being over 30, both entrepreneurs (her leaving their 9-5 while I do not plan on leaving my 9-5), both dating while being independent and not just financially stable but thriving.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been difficult. Regarding Konpa in Demand, personally my goal was to teach konpa so that people would be more likely to dance at the konpa parties. However, the Haitians in Orlando are not my students lol. I have couples where someone is dating a Haitian who doesnt know how to dance so they found our class or non-haitians who just want to learn and have made my classes and parties the place they want to come to dance. So when I go to parties, they are still not dancing lol and now Im trying to partner up with promoters who already have parties in hopes that I can relax more.
We’ve also struggled finding venues as we wanted to have the classes in a restaurant so people can eat and drink however, that has been a struggle to secure. So we just use a dance studio for now.
As for Printed In Demand, it has been challenging. I had to test out alot of things, printing on certain material, things that could be layered, etc. but its been going smooth lately other than last minute orders.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a fund accountant by day. I work in private equity, a pretty practical career but I love it. I work for a large investment bank and plan on continuing my education to someday be a CFO of someone else’s company. I do love my businesses but I love a good paying salary stable job more!
But my 5-9, I am a konpa instructor with Konpa In Demand (@KonpaInDemand). I teach every other week consistently in SoDo Orlando. I am a crafter, I make everything under the sun, shirts, hats, cups, bouquets, ive made club signs lol. You can find that on Printed In Demand @PrintedInDemand. Im also a podcast host with This Is Not That Podcast. We are on a hiatus currently.
Im usually known for being outspoken on social media lol @Cirocobama305, making funny videos, my friends would call me a Tiktoker.
I think what sets me apart is I am an extrovert. I speak to EVERYONE. Im very outgoing, i throw alot of social things for my new and old friends, I support those who support me. I am always doing something, always making a new friend and very honest.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
To be honest, I didnt have a really happy childhood. I think the only times I actually remember having fun was at my cousins house. I would play video games with them, we would go on the boat they used to have, I got to see my dad (he lived in New Jersey at the time) when he came down to Florida, we would spend the weekend there… even til this day, I stay there when I am in South Florida. I remember my dad had a konpa CD, and back in the day there were no rewind buttons, and me and my cousin would listen to that CD all the time trying to get to the end lol. We got close one time.
Pricing:
- Konpa Class – $15
- Konpa Party Early Bird – $15
- Konpa Party General Admission – $20
- Konpa Party at the door – $25
Contact Info:
- Website: Ticketstripe.com/konpaindemand
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cirocobama305?igsh=MXM3N2RwMGVraHpvcA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063571761418&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Other: https://linktr.ee/cirocobama305?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=5f143f05-6d92-49dd-945c-1669cbfb5ed2
