Krystle Branham
Founder/Director
 

2022 Showcase America's Director of The Year 

Krystle began dancing at the early age of seven and knew right away this was going to be a life long journey. Krystle is trained in jazz, lyrical, ballet and hip-hop. Throughout her many years of competitive dance, she has won numerous team and solo titles. In 2004 Krystle was crowned Miss NTDA, placed 2nd runner-up at Miss Dance Drill Team Ohio and was a member of the court for Miss Creative Dance Productions pageant. She was a three time winner of Miss Festival of Dance during her Freshman, Sophomore and Junior year.

Krystle started cheerleading in the 6th grade and continued through high school, serving as Varsity Captain her senior year. At the UCA cheer camp her senior year she was one of two girls picked amongst all the students to be invited to join the UCA cheer camp staff after graduation.  Along with cheerleading she start taking tumbling classes and was one of the advanced tumblers on her squad which has helped her with teaching tumbling classes to her students today. Following her senior year in high school she coached 7th grade cheerleading in 2005 and in 2011. Krystle continues to choreograph the competition dance routines for her former middle school and high school cheer squads.  She also choreographed the dance routine for the 2017 Ashland College Cheerleaders competition squad.

Sophistication Dance Company was founded in 2002 by Krystles' mother, Denny Branham, when Krystle was a Junior in high school. Krystle served as Captain her senior year and lead the team to many state and national titles. After graduating she was an instructor for another local dance company for two years. In 2006 she opened Sophistication Dance Company up again under her direction. She began this adventure with only 6 girls the first year and practicing at local schools. In May 2010 she opened the doors to her first dance studio. As the company continued to expand looking for a bigger studio was a must. In January 2013 Krystle found her way back to the studio where her dance career all started.

Krystle is the coach/choreographer for the Little Attitude Minis, Little Attitudes Elementary, New Attitude Jrs. and Srs. and is a solo instructor. She also is the head instructor for our beginner technique classes and she helps assist in our tumbling classes. 

Her teams have earned numerous awards including 16 National Titles. Best Of The Best Titles and every team has been National Gold, Silver and Bronze medal recipient. All her teams of received many choreography and technique awards and recogintions. 

Becka Shambre

Elementary Team and Tumbling Instructor

Becka has been a coach with Sophistication Dance Company for many years. She is a coach for the Little Attitudes Elementary. Prior to teaching with Sophistication Dance Company, she did competition dance and gymnastics while taking classes in ballet and tap.

Becka was a cheerleader throughout middle school and high school. She served as Captain her senior year leading her squad to two 1st place titles. Becka also took tumbling classes in high school which has lead her to become a  beginner/intermediate tumbling instructor.

Becka has two daughters who are on the competition dance teams, Kyerstin and Kya. She has helped them to become better dancers.  She supports them both and has watched Kyerstin find her love for dance and Kya to enjoy dancing in the Hip-Hop routines.  Kyerstin has performed a solo routine since her second year with SDC.  She has won numerous titles and awards.  When Becka is not at the dance studio, she enjoys spending time with her family.

Becka continues to bring many ideas to the company and help create award winning routines. She enjoys seeing the growth of the many young dancers over the years and looks forward to positively influencing more young dancers in the future.

Ashley Scott

Juniors, Minis, Tiny & Teeny Tiny Team Instructor

Kelley Groscost

Mini, Tiny and Teeny Tiny Team Instructor

Kim Thompson-Barley

Tiny and Teeny Tiny Team Instructor

Kim has been involved with Sophistication Dance Company for many years and is on the coaching staff. She is a former majorette and has been affiliated with dance for many years.

Kim graduated from the Ohio State University with a B.S. in Elementary Education. She currently works for Sluss Reality where she has been a Realtor for many years. She is married and has four grown step children and 2 daughters. Olivia, current dances on New Attitude Juniors.

Kim is one of the Teeny Tiny Attitudes coaches. Her high energy and love for children makes her an amazing instrutor for our 2 younges teams at our studio. She loves her little dancers and she is always happy to teach them.

Rilee Kershner 

Recreational Class Instructor

Rilee began dancing at 5 years old with Sophistication Dance Company. She started out on our Tiny Team and served as Captain (we no longer have captains) of our Mini Team when she was in 3rd grade. When Rilee was a member of our Mini, Elementary, Junior and Seniors Teams, she helped lead every team to win National Grand Champs. She was a member of our first Junior and Senior team to win National Champs. 

Rilee was not only known for her amazing dance skills and talent but for her facial expressions on the floor. She lit up the dance floor when she performed. She absolutely loves dance and it showed. She was born a star from day one with us.

Rilee graduated in 2022 from Madison High School where she also cheered from 7th-12th grade. After Graduating, she attended Ohio Universtiy and is now back and going to college here in Mansfield.

Before Rilee graduated, she was a coach for out Mini Team for 4 years. She was a huge asset to this team and she loved her students. She took a lot of pride in coaching them and was a great mentor to them. When we heard she was moving back to Mansfield, we decided to ask her to take over our Recreational (non-competitive) program. We know this is going to be a great fit for her. Rilee is amazing with students of all ages and her patience with them is a joy to watch. We know that she is going to take the big role we are giving her and do an amazing job with growing our program.

Rilee is excited to be back, and she is happy to be taking on a new roll with SDC. Rilee, along with Krystle, hope to finally bring a new look and feel to our non-competitive students. Our plan is to completely revamp how we run our classes this season and make it more enjoyable and beneficial for our students. We can't wait to see this part of our studio come to life with Rilee leading the way!

Abigale Harmony

Tumbling Instructor

Kassie Sweeney

Tumbling Instructor

Shelby Robinson

Instructor

Shelby started dancing at age five. Shelby trained in jazz, lyrical/contemporary, ballet and hip-hop. She competed competitively with a local Mansfield team and did solos as well. She won many award with her team and for her solos. Some of her highlights were, receiving 2nd place at a national competition in Orlando, Florida and also receiving 2nd place at another national competition for her solo. Shelby served as Captain her senior year for her team and led them to many titles. In 2010 Shelby was named "Ameridance Dancer Of the Year" earning her a $1000.00 dollar scholarship.

She is a recent graduate of the Medical Assisting Program and graduated from Madison Comprehensive High School. Outside of teaching dance she loves to spend time hanging out with family, friends and her little niece and her new baby nephew.

Shelby has been a coach with Sophistication Dance Company for many years. Shelby is married to Russell and they have a one year old little boy named Grady. Since having him, she has decided to step down from coaching our Senior team and she is now there when we need her.

She loves being an instructor for SDC and enjoys watching the happiness of the girls when they perform.