A North Carolina mother says her 8-year-old daughter was publicly overlooked during a Dance Arts of Rocky Mount awards ceremony after training at the studio for five years, sparking emotional backlash and raising questions about how the mistake happened.
A Rocky Mount, North Carolina, mother is speaking out after she says her 8-year-old daughter was publicly overlooked during a major dance recital moment that the child had reportedly worked five years to earn — leaving the young dancer embarrassed, and emotional.
According to the child’s mother, it happened during the annual spring recital for Dance Arts of Rocky Mount, a dance studio located on North Wesleyan Boulevard that teaches children tap, ballet, jazz, tumble, and other styles. The recital, held Saturday, May 9, 2026, at The Dunn Center, was supposed to be a celebration for students and their families after months of rehearsals and performances.
But for one child, the night turned into a heartbreaking experience.
Sheleta George told The North Carolina Beat, that says her daughter, Danyeil Joy Massenburg — known as Joy — had been enrolled at the studio since April 2021 and was scheduled to receive a five-year participation award during the ceremony. According to George, everything appeared to be organized correctly during the mandatory dress rehearsal days earlier.
The children reportedly lined up alphabetically, rehearsed their entrances, and practiced receiving their awards in front of the audience.
So when the actual recital began and Joy’s name allegedly never got called, George says she immediately knew something was wrong.
“They went through the M’s and skipped right over her name and went to the P’s,” George said, recalling the moment she realized her daughter had allegedly been overlooked during the awards presentation.
George says she went to the back to alert staff members and was allegedly assured the situation would be corrected. Believing the issue would quickly be fixed, she returned to her seat prepared to record the special moment for her daughter.
But according to George, that moment never happened.
“Every girl on that stage got an award except my daughter,” George said.
The emotional situation reportedly became even more painful once the ceremony ended.
According to George, after parents began gathering backstage, studio owner Courtney Manning privately handed Joy the award away from the audience and apologized for the oversight. While the George acknowledges that an apology was made, she says the private handoff did not make up for what her daughter experienced publicly in front of her peers.
“I explained to my daughter that I just felt as though we don’t take anyone’s seconds,” George reportedly said while describing why they chose to return the award. “The way it was given to her was different from everyone else’s.”
According to the mother, what made the situation even harder to understand was the fact that Joy’s information allegedly appeared correctly throughout the studio’s official recital paperwork.
Documents shared to us by George, reportedly listed Joy by name and specifically identified her as eligible for a five-year award. The same paperwork also reportedly instructed parents to immediately notify the studio if any student information appeared incorrect in the recital program.
The family says no corrections were needed because Joy’s information was already accurate.
George later sent a detailed email to the studio explaining how deeply the moment affected her daughter emotionally. In the message, she reportedly stated that her child deserved the same public recognition given to every other eligible dancer during the ceremony.
“My daughter earned that award just like her peers,” George wrote in the email, according to information shared with The North Carolina Beat. “She deserved the opportunity to walk across that stage, hear her name called, and be recognized publicly for her accomplishments.”
“Without the recognition, acknowledgment, and moment she deserved alongside her peers, the award itself no longer held meaning for her,” the email reportedly stated.
In addition to the awards issue, George also alleges the family never received three custom dance T-shirts they paid for during the season. According to the family, the studio informed them a refund would be processed within several business days. George also says she is seeking clarification regarding a recital video package she reportedly paid for through tuition costs.
Two days after the recital, studio owner Courtney Manning reportedly responded to George’s concerns in an email sent on May 11. According to the email, Manning described the incident as an “honest oversight” and stated that she apologized immediately after learning of the issue.
The email also reportedly addressed a suggestion involving public recognition for Joy on social media. According to Manning’s response, the studio’s standard practice for missed award acknowledgements is to recognize the dancer during the following year’s recital instead of through online posts.
However, one particular part of the response appears to have caught the family off guard.
In the email, Manning allegedly suggested it would be best for the family to find another dance studio moving forward.
“After careful consideration of the events surrounding this matter and the communication that followed, I believe it is in everyone’s best interest for you to seek another dance studio moving forward,” the email reportedly stated.
Now, George says her daughter’s years-long journey with the studio has come to an end.
“She really enjoyed dancing,” George said while reflecting on the situation. “It hurt her feelings when I told her we can’t go back… but we’ll find another dance studio to go to.”
The North Carolina Beat has reached out to Dance Arts of Rocky Mount for a statement regarding the family’s concerns and will update this story if further statements are provided.
