Melaneice Gibbs is a creative director, choreographer, dancer and baton twirler. Her technical background includes ballet, jazz, contemporary, and West African dance. As a HBCU performer and twirler with Jackson State University Sonic Boom of the South, and a member of Jackson State University Dance Ensemble, she is best known for creating forward-thinking concepts within the realm of HBCU dance. Melaneice has over 12 years of experience coaching, creating opportunities, and bridging gaps of diversity for dancers. Currently, Melaneice works for the Grammy award winning Tennessee State University Aristocrat of Bands as the Creative Director & choreographer for the Sophisticated Ladies. Since her inception, she has taken the Sophisticated Ladies brand to the next level, heightening national recognition around the team. Her choreographic work has been viewed and published nationally with features in Essence Magazine, The 19th News, and The Tennessean Newspaper; performances at the Rose Bowl Parade, ESPN’s First Take, Essence Fest, the Grand Ole Opry, CMA Fest, the White House, and International Association of Blacks in Dance Conference; halftime for the Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans.  In addition she has created choreographic works for live performances with musical artists Jekayln Carr, K. Michelle, and Louis York. 

Melaneice is the recipient of the 2022 Women Who Rock Nashville Health Impact Award. She is a highly sought after speaker and presenting panelist with appearances at the California African American Museum, Sideline Rewind Podcast, and On the 50 HBCU Dance Combine. Melaneice is passionate about creating dance opportunities for minority dancers. She sits on a diversity committee with NFL coaches and choreographers and, in an effort to bring education to the forefront of HBCU dance, collaborated with Dancing Dolls (DD4L) owner, Dianna Williams for the Buck or Die Majorette Training Camp: HBCU Edition. Melaneice has created organizational partnerships with the Memphis Grizzlies “Grizz Girls”, Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders, Chicago Bulls “Luvabulls”, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheeleaders, and Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders. She is a well sought after dance judge, traveling around the United States to judge competitions, including NBA dance and NFL cheerleading auditions. 

 In 2023, Melaneice’s advocacy for her dancers led to receiving a scholarship budget within the band program, allowing all members of the Sophisticated Ladies to receive band scholarships; a first in Tennessee State University’s history. More recently, Melaneice directed and produced a short documentary, Off the 50. The documentary shares the grind, routine, grueling practices, and the adventures of 10 women who travel the country, performing with some of the country's most noted musical artists and on some of the biggest stages, including the United States White House. Additionally, this film highlights how the Sophisticated Ladies  are charting new waters in the area of college band performance by securing band scholarships for the majorette dancers, a practice uncommon for band auxiliary dancers at Historically Black Colleges & Universities. In 2024 the short documentary  highlighting the Sophisticated Ladies was selected for its first national screening during the 2024 Black Girls Rock Film Festival. 

When she’s not coaching or creating costumes for the Sophisticated Ladies, Melaneice can be found creating opportunities for small and minority businesses as the Purchasing & Diversity Business Enterprise Coordinator at the Music City Center. She is also the owner of 5th Quarter Auxiliary Training Center where she continues to cultivate the next generation of collegiate and professional dancers, empowering them to feel confident through dance.