Today we’d like to introduce you to Princess LaShelle Davis.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hey Hey! I’m Princess LaShelle. Here’s my dance-life story. As a native of Macon, Georgia, a fun, infectiously energetic dance instructor, choreographer and creator, I originally wanted to be known as the world’s first “dancing cosmologist.” Nope, not a hairstylist but a scientist who studies the stars and universe as a whole who could dance her tail off. Unfortunately, the scientist part didn’t happen; however, other amazing things did. At age 18, I started my extensive training in Hiphop and West African dance studying at Hayiya Dance Theatre, Dance411Studios and Millennium Studios L.A. About one year later, my dance-sister/Coach Pilar Lowden introduced me to a teaching dance career. It led me to a huge opportunity of becoming the youngest Continuing Education at Macon State College at age 19, the youngest in a traveling dance ensemble called “Harambee” and a job as the Hiphop Dance Instructor at Hayiya Dance Theatre. Yes, it all happened so fast.
A few years later, I added rapping to my dance career. At that time, there were no national dancing rappers in Georgia that I knew of. I went from creating and recording songs in our tiny home closet with my musician father Alan Davis, writing and practicing to performing for O’so Krispie of music group TLC’s “R U The Girl” show. With all the networking and promoting, performances started lining up like hot cakes. Bronner Brothers Hair BET’s 106 and Park, Blaze The Stage Broadway, Sweet Auburn Festival, and lots more. More opportunities kept rolling for music and dance to be featured on several nationally televised television shows including BETs, BETs Celebrity Hair, VH1s Kandi Burruss Wedding and MTV’s Rick Ross Dream in addition to several sitcoms. Within the last few years, I served as a brand ambassador for Cumulus Media’s radio station Blazin 92.3, board member for the non-profit organization Women of Vision 3000 and became winner of regional Dancing Stars of Central Georgia 2019.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It was definitely not a smooth road. There were constant struggles and challenges so much that I literally wanted to quit them all and move to Planet Mars. Yes, Mars. Physically, I struggled with having large breast, which made it kind of difficult to keep those bad boys in. I didn’t know about “bra management.” So yes, I had a couple of performances that almost turned into a Janet Jackson situation. There were lots of major issues in the rap industry from being scammed out of thousands of dollars, traveling for performances that got cancelled when we arrived, music skipping, multiple DJs directly telling me “your music ain’t good, wont sell but your performance is on point” and using all my money to invest into my career. Every challenge I experienced made me very knowledgeable and wise.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’d love to share more about my work. Currently, I am a dance instructor, digital radio co-host and entrepreneur. I specialize in Hiphop and West African dance. In Central GA, I’m known for dance and “that girl with all that bubbly energy.” I offer online dance classes, private lessons, group fun workshops. Personally, I am most proud of being able to balance Motherhood with our son, full-time job and still able to create such awesome choreography for my students along with dance videos. Career-wise, I am most proud of being part of the longest standing black-owned dance studio in Macon, GA, called Hayiya Dance Theatre family for 18 years. What sets me apart from others in Middle GA is that I teach and motivate my students to start their dreams early, even if it’s not in dance. Example, 1 of my students, around ten years old, said she wanted to be a hairstylist. I would physically show her how to do that style on my head in order for her to style her own. I loved that she loved dance but I loved that her passion was cosmetology. Yes, I love to push my students.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
The role of luck has always been good. I don’t claim bad luck. With God, faith and mental peace, they will always bring on great things. Everytime something went wrong is when the results were amazing.
Pricing:
- $40 A month for HipHop Dance Class
- $50 Hourly for private lessons
- Starting $150 for group workshops
- $350 Six week program Dance Development
Contact Info:
- Email: princesslashelle@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/princesslashelle
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ohsnapprincesslashelle
Image Credits
Hayiya Dance Theatre Michael Martin Photography Moye Photography JB Photo
