Ashley Everett is no stranger to the dance world. While she is most recognized as being Beyoncé's longtime lead dancer and dance captain, the trained ballerina is also a successful lifestyle entrepreneur and fitness enthusiast. As we get ready for Bey's Renaissance tour, we sat down with the California native to learn more about her rise in dance, what she's currently working on, as well as asked her for a heart-pumping workout for us all to try.
"I have been dancing since I was 2. I started with ballet and just absolutely loved it from a young age. That led me to other styles like jazz, tap, salsa, ballroom and more. My parents moved me to New York when I was 16 to pursue dance more seriously," Everett shares. "I was training at Alvin Ailey at the time, and Beyoncé was rehearsing there, too. Her choreographer stopped me in the hallway after seeing me perform. He brought me in to meet her. A few weeks later, there was an audition and the choreographer remembered me."
Indeed, that simple introduction led Ashley Everett to become the Single Ladies star's dance captain at only 19-years-old. A title she's proudly held for over a decade. But now, she's also branching out into her own endeavors as well—with fitness being a large part of her personal brand.
"As dancers, whether people want to argue against it or not, we are athletes," shares the dance pro. "We do crazy tricks and acrobatics. The techniques are nowhere near easy. But with that comes body maintenance. We have to maintain our bodies to be able to do what we do. From stretching and cooling down properly, we also need core strength and other fitness modalities."
Over the course of the pandemic, Everett fell in love with weightlifting, especially after seeing the results in her body. For her, she feels that she can do more with her body now that she's stronger, and it only enhances things. It has even become her favorite way to get in a little "me time." As a way to merge her two loves—dance and fitness—she became an instructor for the streaming workout series, FitChoreo on NeouFitness.
"Now, that I'm in my thirties, I prioritize fitness. I'll get up early and get in a workout or yoga class at 5am before I start my 8-12 hour workday. I do that because I like to put my personal mental health first," shares Everett. "On days that I'm not working, I still like to start the day off with something for me—which is still typically something active."
Beyond her dance and fitness careers, Everett is the co-founder of Catchet Brands, a CBD company that features scrubs, muscle sticks, body butters and more. Her company is currently going through a rebranding, so she plans to really focus her time into building it this year. You'll also be able to catch Everett on the small screen, as well as travel with her to Bali later this year, where she will host a group trip to the Asian destination. As for if you'll see her on the upcoming Renaissance tour, she says, "you'll just have to stay tuned."
EBONY asked Everett to help whip our bodies into shape so that we can get right just in time for summer. Below, she shares a high intensity workout that we can do at the gym.
Ashley's full body workout
Warm-up
- Start on the stair master or steep incline for 5 mins at a speed of 2.5.
- Stretch for at least 5 minutes before jumping into the main workout.
Workout
Leg:
- Do 20 reps of squats or jump squats
- Single leg reverse lunges with jump. Perform 10 on each side, 20 total.
Core:
- Laying kick outs. Do 20 reps
- Russian twist. Perform 20 on each side.
Upper:
- Shoulder taps. Do 20 on each side.
- 10 tricep dips
Repeat the entire workout (not including the warm-up) 3–5 times. Take breaks as needed. Don’t forget to breathe and drink plenty of water between sets.
