Traci Young-Byron (centered) and the Miami Northwestern 2024-2025 G-Girl Candidates. (Photos Courtesy of Traci Young Byron’s Instagram @supa_blackgirl)
If the “Supa Girlz” docuseries is next level, then witnessing the G-Girl Universe the superbly talented and unicorn of an artistic director Traci Young-Byron has built in living color is unmatched.
The show follows Young-Byron’s journey to rebuild the viral dance team she directs at the historic Miami Northwestern Senior High School from scratch after the covid-19 pandemic. It also highlights Black Miami and Liberty City in a way that is refreshingly uncommon and long overdue.
The series finale aired on April 11, but all six episodes are still available to stream on AllBlk – and the authentic storylines that have fans demanding another season are still happening in real time.
A few weeks ago, 19 young women decided to pursue their dreams of becoming a G-Girl and training under Young-Byron as she heads into her 17th season. Sixteen of them made it through the grueling tryouts to the official auditions held April 12 at Young-Byron’s Supa Studio in Liberty City.
Young-Byron remained true-to-form right up to the moment auditions began. One candidate was eliminated the day of because she arrived late for call time.
A line formed outside as people who’d purchased tickets eagerly awaited entry to cheer on the 15 remaining candidates. The $20 cover belied the priceless experience as the auditions amplified all the elements that have endeared viewers to Supa Girlz.
Candidates were required to do solo introductions, perform vigorous choreography as a group and duos, participate in a runway-styled personal style segment and answer questions from judges that were so potent at times even the adults in the room held their breath.
The crowd was high energy, the dancers left everything they had on the floor and Young-Bryon’s larger-than-life personality and passion for what she does as a mentor and educator were on full display.
If anyone believed the tough love and high standards the Supa Strut creator exhibited on the show were exaggerated for the cameras, the live tryouts vehemently debunked that notion. She was the same way she always is – demanding of excellence and accountability.
Recording and flash photography were prohibited, except for Young-Byron’s and Hy-Lo News’. She made it clear no negative energy would be tolerated, instead admonishing the audience to encourage the girls as they tried out.
The indomitable “Supa Black Girl” – a moniker Young-Byron is also known by – made it clear to parents in the audience that if their daughter is selected, she isn’t changing who she is for anyone’s comfort.
“You may or may not always agree with what I do, but I will not change for one parent,” Young-Byron said. “Don’t just say you trust the process, but really trust the process because at the end of the day, I’m here for them; I’m not here for you. … I know there are some people that feel a way, but I don’t care.”
Wayne Jones, a Miami Northwestern alum who once coached the school’s majorettes, gave a thorough recap of his experience at the tryouts in a Facebook post.
“You had to be there to truly understand,’” Jones wrote. “The finals of the 2024-25 Miami Northwestern GGirl Auditions gave me all my life. Now I’m invested in the season because I’m excited to see the growth.”
Jones’ sentiments were shared by many in attendance, including Chiante Robinson, a 1998 graduate of Miami Northwestern whose daughter, Lailah, has been a G-Girl for two years. Robinson said it was emotional watching Lailah vie to make the squad a third time.
“I think that I am probably 170 billion times more nervous than she is,” Robinson told Hy-Lo News with a chuckle. “I think as a returning dancer, it actually doesn’t get easier, it gets harder because now Mrs. Young Byron, she knows you. She’s knows your ins, your outs and she knows your character. She knows the qualities that you bring to the table. She knows your strengths and your weaknesses, so being a returning vet is actually harder than being a rookie.”
According to Robinson, “nobody’s space is safe,” but Lailah’s “superpower” is the love she has for dance. “It’s almost like a self-care technique for her,” Robinson explained, adding Lailah’s passion drives her to do the hard work necessary “to be a part of the best high school dance team in the nation.”
As for Young-Byron’s tough love approach, Robinson said she and her husband support the Young Contemporary Dance Theatre (YCDT) founder’s decisions 100-percent because they are always in line with what’s best for their daughter.
“I think when we entrust our children to someone else, we have to see it through,” Robinson said. “You have to trust the process in season and out of season when things are going well and when they aren’t. So, for my husband and I, whatever Ms. Young Byron says, we also stand on that. … This is preparing her for the next level, and it truly does take a village.”
Nivia Woodard, a class of 1999 graduate of Miami Northwestern and YCDT instructor, said this year’s group of candidates were near and dear to her heart.
“This particular group, most of them were mainly my ‘Youngsters’ first, so I hold a special place in my heart for them,” Woodard told Hy-Lo. “I feel like a lot of things they’ve learned, I instilled in them and I tried to prepare them before they made it to Mrs. Young-Byron as best as I possibly could because her expectations are a lot higher than mine.”
Woodard said she was “definitely nervous” watching her former Youngsters try out for the squad. However, she was also touched to see the former G-Girls, some of whom served as judges, become mentors to the current and upcoming teams.
“I’ve watched them grow into beautiful young women, get married, have children, and go through college. It’s just really touching to see the former G-Girls come and give back and then see the new girls be elated to see them and know they have that example of what it takes to really, truly be a G-Girl. It’s kind of similar to a sorority … you pledge and you’re a part of it for life.”
In a recent Instagram post, Young-Byron revealed she would select nine dancers for the 2024-2025 school year. As the 15 remaining G-Girl candidates anxiously wait to see if they’ll be among those drafted into the sisterhood, they’re being nervously tight-lipped. Hy-Lo attempted to get a comment from some of them, but they declined stating they wanted to get Young-Byron’s approval first.
According to Woodard, with Young-Byron, what you see is what you get – and the respect she’s given has been earned through blood, sweat and tears.
“Everything is true, 100-percent authentic. It’s all her. It’s been her for the past 17 years,” Woodard concluded. “Since I’ve been around, I’ve witnessed the scrutiny that she’s been through and everything she’s had to overcome trying to show the girls in a different light and put her stamp on what she thinks a G-Girl should be. She pretty much changed the game.”
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