Ashley Everett, Beyoncé’s lead backing dancer

How did you get into dancing?

I have been dancing my whole life, since I was three, my mom put me in ballet and jazz classes when I was really young and I loved it from day one. I was always just so focused and so driven and I just knew it was bound for me to make it my career and my profession. I stuck with it and I committed to it and moved to New York when I was sixteen and that was the big move to try and get out of my small town and really pursue it as a career. It worked out, now I live in L.A

What attracted you to dancing above others?

I am an artistic person and just like any other artist, it is our way of expressing ourselves. I am a different person when I am on stage. I have an alter ego, this girl comes out, compared to the girl that you are seeing right now. That is just how I express myself, it’s my freedom of speech but through my body.

Becoming a professional dancer can be difficult, what  pushed you and kept you motivated in the pursuit of achieving your goals? 

Finally finding out that it was actually possible, a lot of people, especially as a dancer or an artist in general, some people look at it as not a real career and you should go to school and be a doctor. It is a career and it can be your profession and I discovered that early which was great. I started working at sixteen/ seventeen years old and was on tour with Beyoncé when I was seventeen. I think that it is important to focus on your dreams and whatever they are and push hard for it because if you see somebody else doing it, that could be you.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, Beyoncé  must have been a huge one?

Yes of course, she has been the gateway to some incredible opportunities, definitely doing the Super Bowl in 2013 and this year in 2016 have been huge highlights. Just being able to do it twice is a huge blessing. Also I loved performing with Tina Turner because she was such a legend. She is just incredible, it was amazing working with her, I was in awe. I grew up listening to her and my mom loves her, who doesn’t? I always tell people that I really enjoyed the  ‘On the Run’ show too because Jay is another legend, right there with his wife, who are both iconic and that was really cool to share that tour with them.

What has been your biggest struggle to get into the dancing industry?

In this industry it’s super competitive, just like anything, there is always someone who is waiting to take your job or also competing for the same job as you. You can go into an audition and they are only looking for two people and there is five other people. So you are like okay, it is either for you or it’s not. It’s okay to lose on some and not always book everything. There have been jobs where I am like ‘this is not for me’ but it’s great it always goes to somebody else. There is always going to be somebody that you are going to be compared to, or there is always going to be somebody who’s prettier, taller, skinnier or shorter or better body or whatever. I have learnt to accept it, like I have just been saying  not everything is for everyone and you just have to wait till your moment, but your moment will come and you will shine.

How do you maintain stability and  a routine?

I do listen to my body so when I feel dehydrated or if I am hungry I try and eat because we need it, it’s our energy, it is our fuel. It is hard on tour, the consistency of being able to eat or juice or do your regular routine is so hard because we are all over the place, different time zones. [When] travelling so much, it is hard it is difficult to get a meal in sometimes.

Do you have any sort of rituals you daily practice, do you meditate?

I do, I have got into meditation recently, it’s not a ritual and I don’t do it every day, I would like to but I don’t. I do like to take a moment to myself before every show, right before I go onto the stage I separate myself from everyone and I am not talking to everybody and I get into my zone and say a prayer to myself. We do a group prayer but I also do it by myself and I focus and I get into the zone and that is probably my daily ritual because it is literally every day, two minutes before I go stage.

What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learnt about yourself and others in the pursuit of your dream?

I think really staying true to who I am and also staying humble and not letting it all get to me and not letting my head blow up or think that I am better at any moment  than anyone, because I am not, we are all equal.

How do you maintain that stability, is it through friends or family?

Friends, my family. My family definitely keep me grounded and down to earth, my boss is very down to earth as huge of a celebrity that she is, she is very down to earth and I think that’s important. She has great people around her keeping her like that too.

What obstacles have you had to overcome to get where you are now?

I have sacrificed a lot. I was that kid in school who was always in the dance studio, always training and always practising. I missed out on school dances, football games, the normal kid stuff, but it was worth it, I have just worked really hard. I have been injured before so I had to overcome that and not let it take me down completely. Some people get injured and never come back, so I had to overcome that. I had to overcome not being booked multiple times and still pushing through and still trying, it is easy to try and give up, but you don’t.

What advice would you give to Practical Dreamers in overcoming their fears to achieve their goals?

You have to keep pushing, a thousand no’s doesn’t mean that you are not going to finally get that yes. That yes could be that one job that is the outlet that is going to make people see you in a different light. Obviously, working very hard and training a lot is very important but I also say that in this industry, it is funny in this way, but it is not always about what you know but sometimes it’s who you know. That’s why you have to get out there and be seen  and go to the auditions, take the classes, do the workshops and meet teachers and choreographers, so they can remember you and when they see you and how talented you are.

What fear(s) do you have/have you had in your journey to see your dreams materialise?

It is always scary taking a leap of faith. I was super scared to move from my small town in California all the way to New York. Just to pursue that was scary on it’s own, but it’s taking a chance and you never know if you don’t take that chance.

If you ruled/had the power to change the world, what, if anything, would you change first?

Anything in the world, I think I would change the way the world looks at women and the stereotypes of how we are supposed to be and what they think we are supposed to be, compared to a man and how powerful a man is and the outlook on how women are and how they should be. Just like one day a woman is going to be president, we are powerful too and we have to embrace that and we have to know that and we help bring life into the world and I think without women what is everybody.