Dean S. Davis of Athens, OH, is one of the regulars at the Smiling Skull, a biker bar on West Union Street. Davis, a retired psychoanalyst, says many of the clients assigned to him by the state used to be bikers who had "done some really bad stuff." One told him of shooting a police officer in the face at point blank range. "He told me he had done what he had to do, and was only sorry he'd been caught." He says the Smiling Skull is the only bar in Athens that he frequents.

Maggie wept on her best friend Amy's sofa after the attack. "I hate him so much," she whispered.

Tamara, who was born Timothy, is transgender, and has been living with her boyfriend and his sister since being kicked out of her mother's home by her mother's boyfriend. She has no car, which has made it extremely difficult for her to find work, as she is terrified to walk alone in her neighborhood. She is afraid that if she were to be mistaken for a cisgendered woman by men who make passes at her, and subsequently identified as transgendered, that she might be severely beaten or even killed. The Prancing Elites are a group of young, gay, black men who practice J-Sette, a form of dance birthed at Historically Black Colleges that is characterized by sharp, cheerleading-style movements and hip-hop performed to an eight-count beat. Traditionally, men cannot join college dance teams, so young gay black men have been forming their own J-Sette "lines," organizing competitions, and creating their own outlets to practice this type of dance.

While Shane's relationship with Memphis was decidedly less confrontational than his relationship with Kayden, he still found his new role as a caregiver to two small children to be challenge to his patience. "I'm just trying to do the right thing by them," he said of Maggie and her children. "I'm trying to be a father to them."

Maggie and Zane discussed what they wanted to do with Zane's second day of leave, while Kayden played batman in the background.

Shane, an ex-convict and a recovering drug addict, had been trying to make a career as a singer in a Christian rock band while providing for Maggie and her children. He said finding steady work that paid a living wage was tremendously difficult, as he was required by law to report his status as a convicted felon.

Maggie had two children, Memphis, age 2, and Kayden, age 4. Maggie had separated from their father several months prior to beginning her relationship with Shane. From the beginning of the relationship, Shane became very involved with the children, asking Kayden to call him "dad."

One month into their courtship, Shane had Maggie's name tattooed on his neck in large black letters.

Maggie would often say that she could sense the competition between Kayden and Shane, and often felt that she was caught between their separate demands for her affection and attention.

Shane had found temporary work in Lancaster, and rather than commute between his job and his home with Maggie in Somerset, the family had stayed with a longtime friend of Shane's in Lancaster. The couple's precarious financial situation combined with the challenge of caring for two small children wore on the couple, and they had begun to fight more frequently. One night, after an early birthday celebration for Memphis at a local fast food restaurant, the two began to argue. Shane said his main source of frustration stemmed from the fact that Maggie paid more attention to the children than she did to him.

After a night out at a local bar in Lancaster, Maggie left after becoming jealous of another woman flirting with Shane. Upon arriving home, Shane flew into a rage, angry that Maggie had "abandoned him" at the bar, and he screamed that Maggie had betrayed him, at one point accusing his friend (not pictured) of trying to pursue her sexually.

Shane flung Maggie back into the kitchen when she tried to escape. He told her, at one point, that she could either get beaten up in the kitchen, or come into the basement with him so that they could talk alone. Maggie refused to be alone with him, saying she was fearful of what he might do without witnesses around.

As Shane and Maggie continued to fight, Memphis ran into the room and refused to leave Maggie's side. Shane continued to scream in Maggie's face as Memphis wedged herself between them. At some point, the toddler had stopped crying and began trying to soothe her weeping mother.

Maggie sat in front of her best friend Amy's house and smoked the morning after the assault, while Kayden and Amy's daughter Olivia, three, played in the window. A few days later, she decided to move to Alaska to be closer with her estranged husband and father of her children. Shane pled guilty to a count of domestic battery, and was given a nine month sentence. He was released in August 2013, five months later, on good behavior.

A resident of the house called the police, who arrived and arrested Shane. As he was being led away in handcuffs, Shane pled with Maggie not to let the police take him into custody, crying out, "Please, Maggie, I love you, don't let them take me, tell them I didn't do this!"

Overwhelmed by frustration at a long flight delay, as well as by the prospect of transporting two small children all the way to Anchorage, Maggie closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down. Her grandfather had been given special permission by the airport to come to the gate with her to help her care for Memphis and Kayden. After a flight delay that lasted several hours, they were told the flight had been cancelled and were sent home. They flew to Anchorage the following day.

Memphis stood in front of an illuminated advertisement at the Port Columbus International Airport, waiting to fly to Alaska with her mother and brother to be with her father. Memphis' father is a soldier who is currently stationed in Anchorage. Maggie decided that trying to reconcile with her estranged husband would be best for her and her children. "I want us to be a family again," Maggie said. "Zane has been so understanding about everything, he wants to take care of us. I'm really lucky."

Adrian applies lip balm before practice. The team has been asked to perform at the Nappie Awards, an award show put on annually by Lagniappe, an independent bi-weekly newspaper in Mobile, AL. Since a video of team dancing at an LGBT basketball game went viral after being tweeted by former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, the team has gained semi-celebrity status around Mobile, has been flown out to Los Angeles to appear on a tv talk show, and is currenly looking to star in a reality show about their lives. The Prancing Elites are a group of young, gay, black men who practice J-Sette, a form of dance birthed at Historically Black Colleges that is characterized by sharp, cheerleading-style movements and hip-hop performed to an eight-count beat. Traditionally, men cannot join college dance teams, so young gay black men have been forming their own J-Sette "lines," organizing competitions, and creating their own outlets to practice this type of dance.

The Prancing Elites perform at the Saenger Theater in Mobile, AL. The group was recruited to perform at the Nappie Awards, an award show put on annually by Lagniappe, an independent bi-weekly newspaper in Mobile, AL. Since a video of team dancing at an LGBT basketball game went viral after being tweeted by former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, the team has gained semi-celebrity status around Mobile, has been flown out to Los Angeles to appear on a tv talk show, and is currenly looking to star in a reality show about their lives. The Prancing Elites are a group of young, gay, black men who practice J-Sette, a form of dance birthed at Historically Black Colleges that is characterized by sharp, cheerleading-style movements and hip-hop performed to an eight-count beat. Traditionally, men cannot join college dance teams, so young gay black men have been forming their own J-Sette "lines," organizing competitions, and creating their own outlets to practice this type of dance.

Tamara, who was born Timothy, is transgender, and has been living with her boyfriend German and his sister since being kicked out of her mother's home by her mother's boyfriend. Tamara says that German is unlike any other man she has been with. Many of the men she's had relationships with were physically and mentally abusive, but she says German is kind to her and protective of her. Tamara has no car, which has made it extremely difficult for her to find work, as she is terrified to walk alone in her neighborhood. She is afraid that if she were to be mistaken for a cisgendered woman by men who make passes at her, and subsequently identified as transgendered, that she might be severely beaten or even killed. The Prancing Elites are a group of young, gay, black men who practice J-Sette, a form of dance birthed at Historically Black Colleges that is characterized by sharp, cheerleading-style movements and hip-hop performed to an eight-count beat. Traditionally, men cannot join college dance teams, so young gay black men have been forming their own J-Sette "lines," organizing competitions, and creating their own outlets to practice this type of dance.

(L-R) KJ, Kentrell, Jerel, and Adrian sit in a fast food restaurant to regroup before driving back to Mobile after a night out at a gay club in Pensacola. The group frequents gay clubs in Mobile, and also travels to clubs in Pensacola. They rarely drink alcohol, often dress in matching uniforms, and use nights out at the club to practice their routines. They see clubbing as a means for self-promotion and an opportunity to perform and dance in front of audiences. The Prancing Elites are a group of young, gay, black men who practice J-Sette, a form of dance birthed at Historically Black Colleges that is characterized by sharp, cheerleading-style movements and hip-hop performed to an eight-count beat. Traditionally, men cannot join college dance teams, so young gay black men have been forming their own J-Sette "lines," organizing competitions, and creating their own outlets to practice this type of dance.

Adrian steals a kiss from his boyfriend after performing at the Saenger Theater in Mobile, Alabama. His boyfriend wished to remain unnamed. Despite recent strides made in the fight for equality, gay men in the South often still face a great deal of discrimination. In addition to homophobia, gay black men face othering based on their race, as well as judgement and hostility from their own family members, friends, and community. The Prancing Elites are a group of young, gay, black men who practice J-Sette, a form of dance birthed at Historically Black Colleges that is characterized by sharp, cheerleading-style movements and hip-hop performed to an eight-count beat. Traditionally, men cannot join college dance teams, so young gay black men have been forming their own J-Sette "lines," organizing competitions, and creating their own outlets to practice this type of dance.

KJ poses in front of a mirror at a gay club in Mobile, Alabama. The group frequents gay clubs in Mobile, and also travels to clubs in Pensacola. They rarely drink alcohol, often dress in matching uniforms, and use nights out at the club to practice their routines. They see clubbing as a means for self-promotion and an opportunity to perform and dance in front of audiences. The Prancing Elites are a group of young, gay, black men who practice J-Sette, a form of dance birthed at Historically Black Colleges that is characterized by sharp, cheerleading-style movements and hip-hop performed to an eight-count beat. Traditionally, men cannot join college dance teams, so young gay black men have been forming their own J-Sette "lines," organizing competitions, and creating their own outlets to practice this type of dance.

Jerel and Adrian watch a video of the previous evening's performance at the Saenger Theater in Mobile, Alabama. The team, all of its members under 27, is extremely savvy about using social media to promote themselves. A YouTube video of the group performing went viral after being tweeted by former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal. The Prancing Elites are a group of young, gay, black men who practice J-Sette, a form of dance birthed at Historically Black Colleges that is characterized by sharp, cheerleading-style movements and hip-hop performed to an eight-count beat. Traditionally, men cannot join college dance teams, so young gay black men have been forming their own J-Sette "lines," organizing competitions, and creating their own outlets to practice this type of dance.

Adrian watches a TV commercial in his bedroom in his mother's house. Several of the members of the line live at home with relatives. Among their ranks, a number have faced considerable difficulty when dealing with family members' reactions to their orientation. The Prancing Elites are a group of young, gay, black men who practice J-Sette, a form of dance birthed at Historically Black Colleges that is characterized by sharp, cheerleading-style movements and hip-hop performed to an eight-count beat. Traditionally, men cannot join college dance teams, so young gay black men have been forming their own J-Sette "lines," organizing competitions, and creating their own outlets to practice this type of dance.

The group frequents gay clubs in Mobile, and also travels to clubs in Pensacola. They rarely drink alcohol, often dress in matching uniforms, and use nights out at the club to practice their routines. They see clubbing as a means for self-promotion and an opportunity to perform and dance in front of audiences. The Prancing Elites are a group of young, gay, black men who practice J-Sette, a form of dance birthed at Historically Black Colleges that is characterized by sharp, cheerleading-style movements and hip-hop performed to an eight-count beat. Traditionally, men cannot join college dance teams, so young gay black men have been forming their own J-Sette "lines," organizing competitions, and creating their own outlets to practice this type of dance.

Tamara, who was born Timothy, is transgender, and has been living with her boyfriend and his sister since being kicked out of her mother's home by her mother's boyfriend. She has no car, which has made it extremely difficult for her to find work, as she is terrified to walk alone in her neighborhood. She is afraid that if she were to be mistaken for a cisgendered woman by men who make passes at her, and subsequently identified as transgendered, that she might be severely beaten or even killed. The Prancing Elites are a group of young, gay, black men who practice J-Sette, a form of dance birthed at Historically Black Colleges that is characterized by sharp, cheerleading-style movements and hip-hop performed to an eight-count beat. Traditionally, men cannot join college dance teams, so young gay black men have been forming their own J-Sette "lines," organizing competitions, and creating their own outlets to practice this type of dance.

Adrian checks his phone going out with the team to a gay bar in Pensacola, FL. The group frequents gay clubs in Mobile, and also travels to clubs in Pensacola. They rarely drink alcohol, often dress in matching uniforms, and use nights out at the club to practice their routines. They see clubbing as a means for self-promotion and an opportunity to perform and dance in front of audiences. The Prancing Elites are a group of young, gay, black men who practice J-Sette, a form of dance birthed at Historically Black Colleges that is characterized by sharp, cheerleading-style movements and hip-hop performed to an eight-count beat. Traditionally, men cannot join college dance teams, so young gay black men have been forming their own J-Sette "lines," organizing competitions, and creating their own outlets to practice this type of dance.

Kentrell stands on a street a few blocks from his mother's house. The Prancing Elites are a group of young, gay, black men who practice J-Sette, a form of dance birthed at Historically Black Colleges that is characterized by sharp, cheerleading-style movements and hip-hop performed to an eight-count beat. Traditionally, men cannot join college dance teams, so young gay black men have been forming their own J-Sette "lines," organizing competitions, and creating their own outlets to practice this type of dance.