Here's Why Beyoncé's Longtime Dance Captain Ashley Everett Isn't on the Renaissance Tour
Beyoncé's hit Renaissance Tour is gearing up for its highly anticipated run in the States, but there's one person who fans won't see in formation.
The star’s longtime dancer Ashley Everett has been noticeably absent from the tour, which kicked off in Stockholm on May 10. In fact, it's the first time Everett hasn't been grooving by Queen Bey's side in 17 years.
"I've been dancing my entire life," says Everett, 34. "I was one of the little girls in ballet class who was paying attention and loved it." Then, at age 17, she landed the gig of a lifetime.
"I was dancing at Alvin Ailey and I thought my dance journey was going to take me the modern, contemporary route. I randomly went to an audition and got asked to be a part of some music videos. That led to tour and then it just kept going. It was a dream come true."
Thinking back to her first videos with Beyoncé —"Get Me Bodied" and "Greenlight" off of the star's 2006 B'Day album — "It's so funny," says the dancer. "I remember on set everyone was like 'You guys kind of favor each other, are you cousins?' I was like, 'Not that I know of!'"
But over the years, and after numerous tours together, the two became like family. Beyoncé named her Dance Captain in 2009 and it was Everett who was one of two people by Bey’s side in the hit "Single Ladies" video. Though she was double booked to perform with the Rockettes at the time, "I had to play sick" to be part of the iconic trio in black and white, she says. "I made it work."
Fast forward to the present, Everett says she recently realized that it's time to start making it work for herself. "Obviously working with Beyoncé has been incredible and I've learned so much from her," she says. But, she adds, "all of my adulthood has been spent working with her."
She continues: "I feel like the pandemic was super transformative for me. It was the first time I was able to sit down and stay home and pour into me, fill up my cup. I'm not getting any younger and now I've been able to dive into other ventures and opportunities that I've always wanted to explore. It's a new journey — the renaissance of Ashley Everett essentially."
Everett considers herself a multi-hyphenate these days. "I've been a part of a couple television shows, The Masked Singer and Good Trouble. I have a Home Goods and a Nissan commercial out right now, and my biggest one that just came out is Pepsi with Bad Bunny, which is super cool."
Outside of entertainment, Everett is continuing to build her lifestyle brand. "I'm re-launching my CBD company which started during the pandemic," she says, along with keeping up with her FitChoreo by Ashley Everett workouts and preparing to host an inaugural Bali travel and wellness experience. "It's been really fun," she says of overseeing her myriad ventures. "I have good balance in my life right now."
As for what Queen Bey had to say about Everett signing off from the Renaissance tour, the dancer says the internet chatter of drama between her and the star isn't true. "She made it clear and known that she supports me in anything I do," says Everett, "So that is clear and known."
Still, Everett — who isn't sure if she'll catch a Renaissance show yet — says she'll miss the fun times. "I have really fond memories, especially in the earlier days. Like before she was married and before children when she would hang out more and we would party and go on yachts and things like that," she says. "We used to do a lot of that in the earlier days."
In those days, even work felt like play. "When we were shooting the 'Heaven' video she asked me to be like her costar and said, 'What’s on your bucket-list? Let's do those things," recalls Everett. "So I wrote a bucket-list and we tried to do everything we could on it."
That said, it wasn't always fun and games. "The Formation tour was tough," said Everett. "We rehearsed a lot. We rolled straight out of Super Bowl and went straight into tour. Coachella was tough, too, because there were so many people. The more bodies, the harder to move as one. That experience was grueling." Even so, she says, "The memories are instilled in me forever."
And so are the lessons she's gleaned from one of the most famous women in the world. "Beyoncé is a sponge, that's why she's so incredible,” says Everett. "In a dance setting she loves to get behind the person who she just feels has the authenticity, the feeling. She'll get right behind them trying to find the groove. She is a super hard worker."
Working with the star, she says, "was like my college. I'm so grateful."
The star’s longtime dancer Ashley Everett has been noticeably absent from the tour, which kicked off in Stockholm on May 10. In fact, it's the first time Everett hasn't been grooving by Queen Bey's side in 17 years.
"I've been dancing my entire life," says Everett, 34. "I was one of the little girls in ballet class who was paying attention and loved it." Then, at age 17, she landed the gig of a lifetime.
"I was dancing at Alvin Ailey and I thought my dance journey was going to take me the modern, contemporary route. I randomly went to an audition and got asked to be a part of some music videos. That led to tour and then it just kept going. It was a dream come true."
Thinking back to her first videos with Beyoncé —"Get Me Bodied" and "Greenlight" off of the star's 2006 B'Day album — "It's so funny," says the dancer. "I remember on set everyone was like 'You guys kind of favor each other, are you cousins?' I was like, 'Not that I know of!'"
But over the years, and after numerous tours together, the two became like family. Beyoncé named her Dance Captain in 2009 and it was Everett who was one of two people by Bey’s side in the hit "Single Ladies" video. Though she was double booked to perform with the Rockettes at the time, "I had to play sick" to be part of the iconic trio in black and white, she says. "I made it work."
Fast forward to the present, Everett says she recently realized that it's time to start making it work for herself. "Obviously working with Beyoncé has been incredible and I've learned so much from her," she says. But, she adds, "all of my adulthood has been spent working with her."
She continues: "I feel like the pandemic was super transformative for me. It was the first time I was able to sit down and stay home and pour into me, fill up my cup. I'm not getting any younger and now I've been able to dive into other ventures and opportunities that I've always wanted to explore. It's a new journey — the renaissance of Ashley Everett essentially."
Everett considers herself a multi-hyphenate these days. "I've been a part of a couple television shows, The Masked Singer and Good Trouble. I have a Home Goods and a Nissan commercial out right now, and my biggest one that just came out is Pepsi with Bad Bunny, which is super cool."
Outside of entertainment, Everett is continuing to build her lifestyle brand. "I'm re-launching my CBD company which started during the pandemic," she says, along with keeping up with her FitChoreo by Ashley Everett workouts and preparing to host an inaugural Bali travel and wellness experience. "It's been really fun," she says of overseeing her myriad ventures. "I have good balance in my life right now."
As for what Queen Bey had to say about Everett signing off from the Renaissance tour, the dancer says the internet chatter of drama between her and the star isn't true. "She made it clear and known that she supports me in anything I do," says Everett, "So that is clear and known."
Still, Everett — who isn't sure if she'll catch a Renaissance show yet — says she'll miss the fun times. "I have really fond memories, especially in the earlier days. Like before she was married and before children when she would hang out more and we would party and go on yachts and things like that," she says. "We used to do a lot of that in the earlier days."
In those days, even work felt like play. "When we were shooting the 'Heaven' video she asked me to be like her costar and said, 'What’s on your bucket-list? Let's do those things," recalls Everett. "So I wrote a bucket-list and we tried to do everything we could on it."
That said, it wasn't always fun and games. "The Formation tour was tough," said Everett. "We rehearsed a lot. We rolled straight out of Super Bowl and went straight into tour. Coachella was tough, too, because there were so many people. The more bodies, the harder to move as one. That experience was grueling." Even so, she says, "The memories are instilled in me forever."
And so are the lessons she's gleaned from one of the most famous women in the world. "Beyoncé is a sponge, that's why she's so incredible,” says Everett. "In a dance setting she loves to get behind the person who she just feels has the authenticity, the feeling. She'll get right behind them trying to find the groove. She is a super hard worker."
Working with the star, she says, "was like my college. I'm so grateful."
