Directors
Sydne Estel

Director
Sydne Estel has been immersed in the dance world since the age of two. She grew up as a studio dancer and later joined her high school drill team, the Midway Goal Tenders. She was an officer while also training in ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip hop and various other styles. She graduated in 2010 and went on to attend Kilgore College where she was a member of the 71st line of the Kilgore College Rangerettes. As a Rangerette, she performed on large stages including: The McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade in Chicago, the Cotton Bowl, the Pearl Harbor 70th Anniversary, among others. Following her time at Kilgore, Sydne attended Baylor University where she was a member and served as Captain of the Baylor Songleaders Pom Squad. In her second and final year at Baylor, she served as Co-Captain of the Songleaders. Sydne graduated from Baylor with a degree from the school of Education in Integrated Studies. As a teacher, choreographer, and director, Sydne has worked for Marching Auxiliaries Dance for the last 8 years, has served as a staff member for Spirit of America Productions and The Macy's Parade in New York, and in recent years helped to create and direct the Dallas Wings Flight Crew, the hip hop performance team for Dallas' WNBA Franchise. During football season, she works for the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association as a liaison between College Spirit programs and AT&T Stadium on game days. Sydne spent three years as the Assistant Director, and will be going on year five as the head director of the Heritage Highsteppers.
Ashlee Blythe
Assistant
Director

Ashlee Blythe grew up in Austin, Texas. She is a graduate of Vandegrift High School, where she was a three year member of the Legacies Dance Team. During that time she served as a Lieutenant her sophomore year and Colonel both her junior and senior years. Following High School, Ashlee became a member of the World Famous Kilgore College Rangerettes. As a Rangerette she was selected as a member of the Rangerette’s elite dance group (Swingsters), and served as Lieutenant her sophomore year. After completing two years as at Kilgore College, Ashlee moved to San Macros to attend Texas State University. While attending Texas State, she taught ages 2 years+ and was the studio manager at Illusion Dance Center. Ashlee is a recent graduate from Texas State University with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance Education and a minor in Business Administration. Throughout her 21 years of dance training, Ashlee has had the opportunity to perform during the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic pre-game and halftime productions, the nationally televised McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Chicago, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, the Texas State Society Black Tie and Boot Inaugural Ball in Washington D.C., the opening number of the Radio City Rockettes touring Christmas Spectacular, the Crystal Charity Ball, and Dallas Cowboys halftime performances. She also had the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles and train at the Edge Performing Arts Center. There she learned from top choreographers and instructors from the televised show, So You Think You Can Dance. She has also traveled to New York City and trained at Broadway Dance Center. In recent years she has trained students to advance in their field and to achieve a higher level of dance, including training to become a Kilgore College Rangerette. This is Ashlee's fourth year as the Assistant Director of the Heritage Highsteppers.