There’s always at least one person who knows every beat of the iconic choreography to Beyoncé’s hit “Single Ladies” like it’s their job, and in this case, it truly was—so you can only imagine the disappointment when Ashley Everett, veteran dancer and former dance captain for Beyoncé, was kicked off the stage on a Virgin Voyages cruise mid–hand flip.
On Tuesday, April 21, the 37-year-old professional dancer revealed in a series of posts on Threads that, while dancing on stage to “Single Ladies” on a Virgin Voyages ship, she was “kicked off” the stage.
“Virgin Voyages wants Black creators and all their sauce—but doesn’t acknowledge, highlight, or actually know them,” the professional dancer began in a post.
“I was kicked off the @virginvoyages club stage while dancing to the SINGLE LADIES song for the CONTENT CREATOR CRUISE I was INVITED ON—all because someone complained…” she continued in a follow-up post. “They kicked me off. I left—immediately after they let all the complaining white folks up on that same stage.”
The dancer, who has appeared alongside Beyoncé in numerous videos and during several of her biggest tours over two decades, including most recently in 2024 when the R&B and pop icon performed in Houston during the Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans’ Christmas Day game, added, “FYI. I’m in the ‘Single Ladies’ music video, btw. I know they’re not cause it’s only three of us lol.”
Neither Everett nor Virgin Voyages immediately responded to requests for comment.
Just days before Everett’s account surfaced online, the adult-only cruise line announced it was partnering with TikTok to launch one of its largest creator activations yet, setting sail for three nights from Miami to Bimini in the Bahamas with more than 1,000 content creators, including Everett. The trip, which took place aboard the Scarlet Lady, was billed as a fully immersive, creator-led voyage and marked the largest activation in the company’s history, significantly expanding the scale of its previous sailings.
Since the cruise set sail, plenty of content—from GRWMs for on-ship parties to daily recaps, POVs, and room tours—has flooded social platforms, showcasing the lively festivities. Among the creators onboard, several are Black, although one of Everett’s core complaints is that, based on her experience, the brand doesn’t seem to truly “know” its audience.
“Virgin—do better. Know and LEARN your crowd,” she added.
For many reacting online, Everett’s experience echoes a pattern of high-profile incidents involving Black travelers, particularly Black women, being scrutinized or removed while simply just enjoying themselves in public. Earlier this year, former Vogue editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson said she gave up her first-class seat after facing microaggressions from both passengers and staff. Meanwhile, last year, Carnival Cruises sparked backlash after imposing new rules that many found to be anti-Black at the time. Serena Williams was denied entry to a restaurant in Paris during the 2024 Paris Olympics. And few have forgotten how, in 2015, a group of 11 Black women were removed from the Napa Valley Wine Train in an incident that later sparked national backlash and a settlement.
View on Threads
Situations like these always tend to resonate so strongly because they reflect how Black women’s presence—and joy—is still so often policed in spaces tied to leisure and luxury. They always raise the question of whether Black people are safe and welcome to indulge in the experience, bringing their whole selves, or if they should take their patronage elsewhere.
In later posts, Everett suggested the situation may have also been influenced by respectability politics around hair, noting she was wearing cornrows at the time.
“I also like to switch my hair styles, especially while traveling to tropical places—but sadly, I notice a drastic difference in how I’m treated, based on the styles I choose,” she wrote, alongside a photo of her long, thick cornrows paired with pink blossom earrings.
Since stepping back from her role as Beyoncé’s lead dancer, Everett has moved into entrepreneurship, content creation, and other ventures—work that ultimately brought her on the trip. The timing couldn’t be worse, as the cruise coincided with her birthday.
View on Threads
“Took a chance & rang my birthday in on a brand trip who I’ve since learned doesn’t give a flying f*%# about me,” she wrote.
In another post, she added, “Alsooooo, @virginvoyages did NOTHIGN to try to make my birthday special yesterday… thank god for my friend @kimberlycherrell I’m sadly very disappointed in them so far and I still have two more days to go smh. They better not try to blacklist me either cause that would be even more obvious they hate me.”
There was, however, at least one member of the Virgin Voyages team who recognized Everett and appreciated the moment. Everett reposted a Story post from a dancer currently employed with the cruise line who shouted her out.
“I’m a very proud show captain,” Haylee Wyman wrote over a photo of herself in her dressing room. “We performed for Richard Branson and Ashley Everett all in the same night.”
“Meanwhile… But @virginvoyages is the ones not getting it,” Everett added over the repost.
