Who is Ashley Everett? Beyonce Connection and more explored as back up dancer explains cowboy concert tour absence

Ashley Everett is a very well-known figure in music and dance circles, especially among Beyoncé's fanbase. For almost twenty years, she served as the dance captain front and centre for the global superstar.

Everett's absence from the recent Cowboy Carter tour has led to people wondering about her future in the entertainment industry.

Everett joined Beyoncé’s team when she was a teen and quickly moved up the ranks. She was featured in the iconic 2008 Single Ladies music video, then later became the captain of the troupe. Ashley Everett became an integral part of the star’s live performances, including the Formation World Tour and Beyoncé’s Coachella performance in 2018.

"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 [Beyoncé] music videos. That led to tour and then it just kept going. It was a dream come true," she told People in an exclusive interview.

Ashley Everett talks about the Beyoncé Bowl and not being on the Cowboy Carter Tour pic.twitter.com/uoNTRzRnMz

— Yoncé Vocals (@YonceVocals) August 16, 2025

According to People, Ashley Everett worked under Beyoncé for nearly 17 years. Over the past 17 years, Everett has built a relationship with Beyoncé that went beyond professional, once referring to Beyoncé and the dance crew as “family.”

A look into Ashley Everett's life beyond dancing and her recent statement regarding her absence

Having spent almost twenty years next to Beyoncé on stage, Ashley Everett announced that she has decided against long-term touring commitments, stating that she wanted to focus on her planning, career, and personal interests.

Everett returned for Beyoncé's widely anticipated Christmas Day halftime show in 2024, affectionately dubbed the "Beyoncé Bowl." Everett said Beyoncé's team requested her presence directly and told her that it was Beyoncé who specifically wanted her there.

"I was like oh it’s so sweet thanks guys you know? Obviously it’s not that I don’t work with her and will never work with her again. I’m just not touring or doing long-term things that take me away from what I’ve built for myself. So for this short one-off gig, I was totally down. Let’s do it." Everett told Aubree Danielle in a recent interview.

Ashley Everett has gotten involved in several career prospects. According to Hollywood Unlocked, she has done some television work, collaborated with other artists, and even started her own CBD business.

Her personal life also drew attention, especially her very public on-stage proposal back in 2016. When she was on the Formation World Tour, her then-boyfriend and fellow dancer John Silver asked for Everett's hand in marriage during a performance, with Beyoncé's assistance.

Beyoncé’s ex dance captain, Ashley Everett, reflects on her on-stage proposal at the Formation World Tour:

“That proposal was the beginning of the end… I was looking at Julius like, ‘who allowed this?’… If you watch back, I never say yes” pic.twitter.com/rCkjMPrK9A

— RENAISSANCE World Tour (@RenaissanceWT) May 10, 2025

The video of the proposal went viral, but Everett said she always felt the moment belonged to Silver more than it belonged to her. Three years later, that couple would split, and Everett has since shared openly about how that moment influenced her thoughts on relationships and independence.

"'Do I really want to be married or do I even want to marry him? Am I really happy? Do I need to work on me before I take this leap?' We could go a day or two without talking, and I just felt like we weren't on the same page anymore." Everett told Essence in a 2019 interview.

While Ashley Everett has made it clear about her decision to move away from performances, she expressed that her relationship with artists, especially with Beyoncé, is still solid.