Royal Expressions School of Dance

The Southside of Greensboro is tucked away and almost forgotten. There are not a lot of mainstream shops, so there is not a lot of reason to visit this side of town unless you live or work here.

However, tucked away in the Southside is a vibrant community and neighbors whom we love. We are nestled between Ole Asheboro, Hampton Homes, and Warnersville. We are a short drive to UNCG, Glenwood, and Downtown.

And although our neighborhood may seem forgotten, we look out for each other. We are proud to be neighbors with other nonprofits and churches making a difference: Goodwill, Shiloh Baptist Church, New Zion Missionary Baptist Church, GenerationEd, Nussbaum Center, and Triad Adult and Pediatric Medicine and of course our favorite neighbor, Higher Ground Ministries who is our suitemate at our location.

It feels good to be a part of a neighborhood and ecosystem that is doing meaningful work day after day. It may look rough at first, but there is also so much beauty here. The Southside is where we belong. Our work is not just about dance. It is about using dance to pour into children and families to remind them of their value. Movement brings healing in so many ways and we are proud to use this art form for our community.

📸Thank you for helping us make this photo project a reality.

Pictured: Tap III & Jazz III

📍Behind Dram and Draught (corner of Gate City Blvd and Eugene Street)

"Respect. Together we rise!"

"With DIGNITY, united we stand!"

We did not come to the Southside to be a savior. We came because we are the Southside, this is home, and we are a part of a beautiful community. We believe in respecting our neighbors and treating all who enter our space with dignity.

Half our students attend on scholarship, but you can't tell the difference. Why? Because we teach dignity and respect. All our students love each other and support each other. They show up, work hard, and have formed lifelong friendships regardless of economic status. It's a beautiful thing to see.

When you are a part of Royal Expressions, you become a part of a family. This Southside series is special because we are laying our roots here. We are the Southside.

📸Thank you for helping us make this photo project a reality.

Pictured: Hip Hop I students

📍Monument to Dignity and Respect (corner of Arlington & Carolyn Coleman Way)

We are so proud to have .ade join us starting Friday, June 5.

You do not want to miss this!

Before we moved, we felt so much uncertainty. How could we afford 3x our rent? How would this derail our plans for growth? There were so many questions and very little answers.

This move was our leap of faith. We cried. We lamented. We packed those boxes reluctantly. We reminisced. We were scared and unsure if this would work, but we had no choice. We were forced to move. We wanted to move when the time was right, but the time was not right and we had to move anyway.

Once we moved into the new building and got settled, a peace that surpasses all understanding settled over us. How fitting that this mural sits on the road many of us travel to get to our building? We laugh sometimes at how dramatic we were about this move. We all also say, we haven't even thought twice about that old building we were in. This is home. The time was always right. This community is right.

Thanks for following along on our journey as we claim our place in the Southside of Greensboro. We decided to take photos in our new neighborhood. Hope you enjoy this series as much as we do.

📸Thank you for helping us make this photo project a reality.

Pictured: Tap III

📍The Continental Club/Downtown Greenway (corner of Elm & Carolyn Coleman Way)

Dance studio training was not common for young Black children in the 80s and 90s for several reasons:

1) There were not a lot of Black-owned studios and other studios were not very welcoming, often times dealing with not only racial discrimination, but also hair discrimination

2) The cost was either too much or if parents could afford it, they did not understand it because it was too exclusive

Now, there are several Black-owned studios that have become safe haven for "Dancing Dreamers" for which we are grateful. Even so, some have not unlearned some of the racial biases that existed decades ago, such as claiming Ballet is the foundation of all dance or asking children to straighten their hair or get a weave to achieve the classic bun look.

At Royal Expressions, we have redefined what a "bun" is based on our hair textures. Sometimes we even let our hair free! We even allow our students to participate in our production "The Hair Journey", which is headed to Atlanta on October 3. We also don't have a dance hierarchy at our studio. We celebrate each dancer, their journey, and their desires as a dancer.

With all that said, we just had to snap some shots in front of this beautiful, unbothered young woman with an afro and beautiful flowers adorning her textured hair. She is confident and she is canceling out all the noise, so she can focus on her. She lives right at the edge of the Southside next to Dram & Draught at the corner of Gate City and Eugene Streets, just up the street from our home.

These photos speak volumes to the strides we have made to be intentional about our Black and brown dancers. We create a culturally safe atmosphere, where they can focus on training and not fitting into a mold that does not serve them.

📸Thank you for helping us make this photo project a reality.

Pictured(first picture left to right): Contemporary I/III, Ballet III, 5 - 7 year old Ballet & Jazz

📍Dram & Draught (corner of Gate City & Eugene Streets)

This is us. 🤎

We are a sisterhood of Black women pouring back into the community that shaped us. Through dance classes, gardening, mentorship, and genuine love, we are creating a space where children feel seen, families feel welcomed, and every person who walks through the doors knows they belong. You can feel warmth, joy, and care, the moment you enter the building.

Being in the Southside means more than simply changing locations. It's personal.

Princess was born and raised on the Eastside, just minutes away from the Southside. Jade was raised in the Southside. Though their stories began in different neighborhoods, they shared many of the same experiences… discovering dance through church, navigating limited access to training, and eventually finding their way to UNCG to study dance.

Daniele’s journey carried that same determination. As a teenager, she worked part-time jobs just to afford dance lessons while pursuing the dream placed in her heart. She also attended UNCG for dance.

Now, their stories come full circle inside our new home, so the next generation can have access to opportunities that once felt out of reach.

Tandrea is the steady presence and warm smile that greets families. She is the glue that holds it all together and makes the building feel like home.

This work is deeply rooted in love for community. Love for culture. Love for the Southside.

“Back to Our Roots” 2026–27 season photo series — highlights beautiful spaces, powerful stories, and Southside Greensboro, just blocks from the place your dancers call home.

More stories coming soon. 🤎

📸Thank you for helping us make this photo project a reality.

Pictured(first picture left to right): Jade Donnell - Lead Dance Teacher, Outreach Coordinator, Professional Dancer; Princess H. Johnson - Founder of Royal Expressions Contemporary Ballet and Royal Expressions School of Dance; Tandrea Wright - School Administrator; Daniele Herbin - Primary Dance Teacher, Seamstress & Costume Coordinator/Designer, Professional Dancer

📍Ole Asheboro Park (corner of Arlington & Gate City Blvd)

This is horrible news! Our hearts go out to you. Our dancers love Danny Go!

"Being your dad was the honor of a lifetime.” | Popular YouTuber "Danny Go!" is grieving the loss of his 14-year-old son Isaac: http://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/nation-world/dannygo-son-isaac-dies-amid-cancer-battle/507-a551d5ec-d2a2-4cd8-9c9a-2d4232b55b66?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WFMY_News_2

Our Director Princess had a vision the moment she stepped into the doors of our new home just over 2 year ago. She was home. Princess was born here and these were her stomping grounds. Her daycare was just down the street, her Dad's church just around the corner, her first big girl job running a Black television station, was just up the street.

Her eyes lit up when she saw the stage and immediately thought "this can convert into a theater..." then she looked out back and said, "we can finally have our community garden", but she hesitated at first. She was worried what impact we would have moving from the cushy "Midtown" Greensboro to the Southside. So she kept looking, but something kept drawing her back to our building. With a push from her Board members, she went on to take the risk.

Why? Because this community deserves a place they can feel loved, they can express themselves, and a place they feel safe. That is what we are creating. Every dance lesson comes with a life lesson. Every interaction is filled with warmth and care.

We are so proud to serve the Southside of Greensboro for many years to come. We will be sharing our photo series for our 2026 - 27 season of dancers in beautiful spaces that you can find right here on the Southside, just blocks away from where we operate. We hope you love these as much as we do.

📸Thank you for helping us make this photo project a reality.

Pictured: Princess H. Johnson - Founder of Royal Expressions Contemporary Ballet and Royal Expressions School of Dance

📍Ole Asheboro Park (corner of Arlington & Gate City Blvd)