Beyoncé's Dance Captain Reveals What It Takes to Get in Formation With the Star

Dancing in heels every night is a workout in itself, but Ashley knows the importance of cross-training to work different parts of her body and stop her from getting stagnant.

"When we're in rehearsal phase for a tour, I usually lose a lot of weight because I'm so active and sweating constantly. I like to work out and do stuff like CrossFit. I gain my muscle back, which I like because dancing makes you naturally muscular but not in the same way as lifting a weight or doing push-ups and squats. It's hard, but it's a full-body workout, and I get more muscular and leaner, which I like."

She's not always in the gym, though. Some of her best workouts happen outdoors.

"I live in LA so I get to do a lot of outdoor activities, like I hike a lot. I don't have a set routine, but I do try to use that time to relax and stay fit in other ways because after being on tour for a certain amount of time your body gets used to dancing the same moves every night."

As surprising as it sounds, it's easier to stay fit on tour than it is at home.

"Once we get on the road is when I can really start getting back into it. The rehearsal process is the most difficult part; you really don't need to work out because we're dancing for 12 to 16 hours a day. It's so rigorous. Once we're finally on the road, it's the same thing so then I can actually try to get myself in a gym. Sometimes before a show we'll do little in-room workouts. They're like good warmups that get us limber and stretched out."

Relying on her body to be able to do her job naturally makes health and well-being one of Ashley's priorities.

"You definitely have to take care for yourself, so health is always foremost. We're traveling to all these countries and dealing with different weather almost every day; we really have to be aware of keeping our bodies, minds, and spirits right."

After traveling with so many tours, she's learned a thing or two about keeping herself fighting fit.

Related:

Take Our 31-Day Self-Care Challenge to Start Living Your Best Life

"You definitely have to make it a priority. I'm conscious and cautious of what's going into my body and my health. I can tell as soon as I get a little bug, so I'm quick to load up on multivitamins, vitamin C, wellness pills, and orange juice."

But her ultimate quick fix is to sweat it out.

"What I really like to do is get in a sauna or a steam room to release all the toxins from my body. Sweating is the best way to get anything out of your system; whether it's alcohol or a bug, it's the best way, even if you're just layering up and sweating."

Beyoncé's a champion of body positivity, and her dancers are a reflection of this.

"She's all about women empowerment and she just loves beautiful people inside and out. Whether you're thick, thin, short, or tall. I think it's really positive because she always has all types of women on her tour."

Working for the woman who popularized the term "bootylicious" has been contagious.

"I've definitely embraced that we're all different and that you have to love your body from the inside out. As dancers we're staring at ourselves in the mirror all day long and critiquing ourselves — that's how we get taught — and you find yourself comparing yourself to someone who has longer legs or a bigger butt. But I've embraced my body, and it's OK that I'm slim because I'm me! If anything what I say now is if you want to see a difference, work out. I always see the most difference when I work out and I definitely see a difference when I don't."

Getting into a routine is one of the keys to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and planes and tour buses aren't always the most routine-friendly places.

"It's so difficult to eat healthy because we're on the go so much and we just have to grab whatever's available. After a show we get 'bus food,' and it's not always the healthiest; sometimes it's McDonald's. Even while we're living on the tour bus it's hard because you can only have so much healthy stuff. All you have is a microwave and a fridge."

But her fast-track fix for those unhealthy days is simple enough.

"I'll usually make a green juice or have green tea just to flush everything out. Drinking a lot of water and juicing always makes me feel good about anything bad that I've eaten."

Having been on video shoots that have run over 24 hours, Ashley knows what it takes to be at the top.

"Stretching is the best way to stay injury-free; it goes hand in hand with putting the right things in your body."

But the real key to keeping your head in the game when dancing alongside one of the hardest-working women in showbiz is pretty simple.

"Everything else you do like yoga and Pilates is really important, but being consistent will keep your stamina up, keep your body right, and keep you dancing."