Silver Lining Arts Foundation

Silver Lining Dance Academy & Silver Lining Children's Theatre are branches of the Silver Lining Arts Foundation. The SLAF is a free-standing, non-profit organization chartered by the State of South Carolina.

The Foundation's mission is to provide children, teens, and adults a wholesome, loving, safe, and structured environment to develop their creativity in the arts of dance, music, drama, and visual arts. The mission shall further seek to grow, develop, and mature all participants emotionally and physically under instructors who are caring, qualified, and dedicated. The mission shall be furthered through establishing and maintaining relationships with other non-profit organizations, local churches, and local schools, especially where opportunities exist for serving the underprivileged and special needs/handicapped. It is recognized by the South Carolina Tax Commission and the Internal Revenue Service as a tax exempt 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. Funds are managed by the Board of Directors for the benefit of the growth and development of the Academy.

You can contribute to Silver Lining Arts Foundation by donating directly with a one-time gift, with ongoing annual time-based pledges, or through your estate via a planned giving. We will work with you to help you find the right fit for your donor dollars. We want you to be proud of your investment in the lives of these children and to feel that you are a part of a unique group of people who have your best interests and those of Silver Lining Arts Academy at heart.

Donors may also give to one or more of our existing scholarship funds such as the Sarah Bethany Scholarship, or establish a new annual scholarship. Annual Scholarships are donations contributed to the academy on an annual basis, with all of the funds being awarded to a student in the same year.

There are many ways to partner with Silver Lining Arts Foundation. We know that identifying a way in which you can contribute to the success of the Academy involves careful discussion and planning. If you would like to discuss a partnership or giving opportunities, please contact us at 843-236-6226 or via email at sldasolutions@gmail.com.

Silver Lining Arts Foundation Board of Directors

Jonathan J. Shanks is a local attorney and resident of Myrtle Beach, SC. His two daughters have received a combined total of 25 years of instruction at Silver Lining Dance Academy. Jonathan has witnessed firsthand the studio’s positive impact on his daughters. They have received dance training and instruction with excellence. Moreover, their instruction has supported and encouraged their emotional and spiritual growth and maturity. Jonathan remarks, “Although the instruction and training in various forms of dance appear to be the primary activity at Silver Lining, the welfare of the students’ emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing and growth is the underlying objective.” In these endeavors, he wholeheartedly believes in and supports this organization and serves on its board.

Justin Branfuhr who has lived in the Myrtle Beach area since childhood, is a master prop and costume maker in the film industry. He strives to make everything of the highest quality possible. His wife, Laura Branfuhr, is the Academy Director and founder of Silver Lining Dance Academy. Justin has been making the sets and stage props for SLDA for over 10 years. His desire is to help make every Silver Lining Arts Foundation production the caliber of a professional Broadway show, by overseeing the production and execution of the sets and props department. Justin volunteers, helping to mentor and train the young men of the dance academy. He considers it a blessing to watch them grow in their faith and their dance ability. Justin’s own two children started taking dance classes at Silver Lining at the age of two. Both children love the teachers and enjoy all of the classes they have taken.

April Saleeby is a resident of Surfside Beach, SC, where she serves as director of women's ministry and provides administrative support to the pastoral staff of New Covenant Church. She first became acquainted with Silver Lining Dance Academy through its owner, Laura Branfuhr, at a community Bible study. April attended Silver Lining's 2012 Showcase in an effort to get to know Laura better outside of their study group and to see if the studio might be a good fit for her 9-year-old daughter. She recalls, "I had never experienced anything like it. I was thoroughly entertained during the high-energy first act and then completely drawn into worship during the second act. I knew then that I wanted my daughter to be a part of what they were doing". Six years later, April's daughter is still dancing with Silver Lining and credits her instructors with teaching her how to enter into worship through her dance. April currently serves on the board of Silver Lining Arts Foundation because she believes in its mission to bring quality, as well as godly, instruction in the arts to the students of the Grand Strand community.

Steven Neeves is a local Realtor and the current Chairman of the Horry County Planning
Commission. As the father of Silver Lining Arts Foundation’s Founder and Director, Laura
Branfuhr, and dance instructors Annie Hucks and Caroline Saleeby, he has been blessed to be
part of Silver Lining Dance Academy since it began in his living room in 2002. As a result of
owning The Mustard Seed Company, Christian music and book store, in the 1990’s, Steven
became acutely aware of the need for faith-based arts instruction and opportunities in Horry &
Georgetown Counties. As Chairman of SLAF, his vision is to see opportunity in other forms of
art, such as visual arts, theatre, music and voice alongside our current successful dance program.

Kenneth E Vandergrift is a manager at First Franklin Financial and resident of Myrtle Beach, SC. He is the godfather of Laura Branfuhr, the founder of Silver Lining Dance Academy. Ken has watched Laura, since she was 13 years of age, teach with excellence and encourage and help her students mature, not only as dancers, but spiritually and emotionally as well. Ken has seen firsthand the care and support Laura and her staff unselfishly give students, watching them become stronger in their faith and ability to dance. Because of their devotion, Ken completely supports Silver Lining Arts Foundation and serves on the board.