MADISON – Keara “Keke” Wilson is following her dreams.
The Madison High School alumna recently took home $25,000 after winning the second episode of “Dancing with Myself,” a new reality television show on NBC.
“I was in disbelief,” Wilson said, recalling the moment she found out she’d won. “It made me feel so good to know that all my hard work that I put in these last two years has finally paid off.”
Dancing with Myself features a new group of dancers each week, competing in a series of high-energy dance challenges that are designed and demonstrated by the show’s celebrity creators Shakira, Nick Jonas, Liza Koshy and host Camille Kostek.
Isolated in their own pods, contestants have a short time to learn the new routines, add their unique flair and then perform their hearts out in front of a live audience.
As each round of the competition progresses, Shakira and her judging panel provide instant feedback and encouragement, but, ultimately, it’s the studio audience that decides who wins Best Dancer of the Night and gets to take home the cash prize.
Wilson trained as a freestyle dancer at Sophistication Dance Company and cheerled during her days at Madison. Her dance background prepared her well for the competition, both physically and mentally.
She prepared for the performance like she always has – she warmed up, stretched and prayed.
“It really brought me back home,” Wilson said. “I was nervous, but I knew I could do it.”
Wilson described the filming process as “a cool experience” and said the judge she was most excited to meet was Shakira.
“I used to do “Hips Don’t Lie” all the time,” she said. “I grew up with that song, so she is a really big inspiration.”
Wilson was also starstruck meeting Koshey, an actress who launched her career on another video sharing app, Vine.
“I feel like her past is similar to mine,” Wilson said. “She’s a very big role model because I want to follow in her footsteps someday.”
The 21-year-old is already on her way. Her name began appearing in the headlines two years ago, when one of her TikTok videos took the app by storm.
After graduating from Madison in 2019, Wilson moved to Texas to help take care of her nieces and nephews. When COVID-19 hit the United States and society shut down, she turned to a trendy new app for entertainment.
Wilson wasn’t trying to become famous. She was just having fun recreating dance trends and making up her own moves.
Then, she posted an original dance routine to “Savage” by Megan Thee Stallion. The first day her post garnered 222,800 likes. The next day, she posted a different video of the dance with a caption which said, “day 2 doing my dance till it goes viral ?”
That post earned 419,500 likes, 3,414 comments and 43,800 shares from the TikTok app.
To date, her original video has 4.5 million likes. The routine propelled Wilson to TikTok stardom – she currently has around 3.4 million followers.
Wilson’s following gave her the opportunity to become a full-time content creator. She’s helped to promote brands like Levi’s, NYX, Quaker Oats, Lysol and Foot Locker.
“My life has changed drastically,” Wilson said. “TikTok has gave me the opportunity to be in my own home, have my own car.”
“It’s gave me a way to just be myself and create something I love.”
Since the “Savage” video blew up, she says her love for dance has grown even more. She’s also more focused on being her best self – and helping her followers do the same.
“I’m getting more into fitness stuff and being consistent and teaching people to love your body no matter what shape and size,” she said.
“It’s transformed me into a woman that wants to inspire others.”
In the future, Wilson hopes to have a show of her own and maybe even compete on another, more long-term dance program. She also hopes to add acting to her resume.
But Wilson’s dreams encompass more than her career. She also hopes to start a family with her fiance and high school sweetheart, Mansfield Senior High School alumnus Tony Leech.
The couple met as eighth graders and will marry later this summer.
Wilson’s advice to those who look up to her is simple.
“Chase your dreams, no matter what it is,” she said. “That thing you love to do, do it. Create it. Post it. Try new things.”
“Get out in the world because you never know what could happen,” she added. “Don’t let no one stop you and never, ever give up.”
