The Company

Starrene Foster, Artistic Director of Starr Foster Dance Project, is a performer, dance educator and choreographer. Starrene is the recipient of the 2006 Theresa Pollack Award for Artistic Excellence and was featured on the PBS broadcastVirginia Currents. Foster was also awarded Richmond’s Most Prestigious 25 Arts Innovators and The Top to 40 under 40 by Richmond Virginia's Style Weekly. With much acclaim throughout the country, critics have raved enthusiastically about Foster's choreography consistently and she has been reviewed as “having a very impressive inventory of work”, “a master of immediacy” and her choreography having “range and imagination“ and “emotional gravity”. She has been recognized for creating inventive and unusual partnering as well as integrating the uniqueness of each dancer in her work. A Richmond native, Starrene is a graduate of the Dance and Choreography Department of Virginia Commonwealth University, where she is the beneficiary of the 2003 VCU Star Alumni Awardand is presently in her thirteenth year as an adjunct faculty member. Starrene has received grants from the Virginia Council for the Arts, and many commissions that include Old Dominion University, James Madison University, the Richmond Ballet, Norfolk Governors School for the Arts, University of Richmond, VCU, as well as many commissions for new dance works from independent performers and various dance companies. Foster has also choreographed several music videos, commercials, the musical Hair for the Department of Theatre at VCU and the musical Spring Awakening for Virginia Repertory Theatre. Ms. Foster's choreography has been presented at the The Philadelphia Fringe Festival (PA), The Jack Guidone Theatre (DC), SUNY Buffalo (NY), the American Dance Festival (NC),The Jack Guidone Theatre (DC),The New World School (FL), Old Dominion University (VA), Cornell University (NY), Dance Charlotte (NC), The Goose Route Dance Festival (WV), the Demetrius Klein Dance Festival (FL),The Richmond Ballet (VA) and the Festival of Choreography (NC). Ms. Foster teaches master classes nationally, from Seattle to Virginia, for many universities and various dance programs. Beginning in January 2013, Starrene will begin her bi-annual teaching in Doha, Qatar. As a dancer, Starrene trained under many dance greats and has had the pleasure of training with and performing works by Mark Taylor, Mark Haim, Chris Burnside, Doug Varone, Ronald K. Brown, Mark Dendy, Pewan Chow (Hong Kong), Raul Parro (Mexico), among many others. In addition to her faculty position at VCU, Starrene is also on faculty at the Richmond Ballet and St. Christopher's School.

Jordan Livermon (Rehearsal Assistant/dancer), a native of Richmond, VA, has been a student of ballet since the age of four. She studied at The School of Richmond Ballet and appeared in several performances of Richmond Ballet’s The Nutcracker. Jordan discovered her passion for modern dance and choreography while pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Virginia Commonwealth University.  Jordan has had the privilege to study with  artists such as Paule Turner, David Dorfman, Gerri Houlihan, Bebe Miller and Gus Solomons. Jordan has had the opportunity to be an Assistant Stage Manager for multiple productions of Yes! Virginia Dance at Grace Street Theatre and Richmond Ballet’s The Nutcracker at the Landmark Theatre. While pursuing opportunities to further her career in dance and choreography, Jordan enjoys being the Education Administrative Assistant and a Minds In Motion Teaching Artist for Richmond Ballet. Jordan has been dancing with Starr Foster Dance Project since 2004.

Kathleen Brady (dancer), originally from Washington, DC, has trained with faculty from The Center Dance company, The Washington Ballet, The Juilliard School, and the Joffrey Ballet. In addition to her dance training, Ms. Brady received her Bachelors in Art degrees in both Anthropology and Russian from the University of Virginia. Ms. Brady has also had the pleasure to work with a wealth of talented choreographers which include Linda Kent, Nancie Woods, Paul Wegner, Dennis Price and Susan Cooper. Having practiced Yoga for over 8 years, she began teaching in 2008, and is currently RYT certified through Yoga Alliance. She teaches at studios and gyms all over Richmond, as well as private sessions -- www.KMyogaKM.com. She has been dancing with the Starr Foster Project since 2009.

Julie Rudd (dancer) began her dance training in Chesapeake, Virginia where she trained at the Academy of Classical and Contemporary Dance. After studying at Old Dominion University, she continued her education at Radford University where she received her BFA in Dance with a contemporary concentration. While at Radford, Ms. Rudd choreographed in both the theatre and dance departments, worked with many guest artists and was a company member with danahbellaDANCEWORKS. Julie joined SFDP in January 2012.

Ted Gregson (dancer) began his dance career at Dance Inc. in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Shortly thereafter he began dancing with Fredericksburg Ballet Center and continued studying at Washington Ballet and Steps on Broadway. Ted has also danced in many productions over the years at Riverside Dinner Theater, including The Music Man, Fiddler on The Roof, Cats, and West Side Story. Recently graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Mass Communications and Psychology, Ted enjoys living in Richmond, Virginia and channeling his energy into music, comedy and the arts. Ted has also performed with the Classical Ballet Company in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Ted joined the Starr Foster Dance Project in 2012 and is looking forward to performing with a very talented ensemble.

Egbert Vongmalaithong is a sculptor and performance artist based in Richmond, Virginia. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture at Virginia Commonwealth University. While studying at VCU, his interest in movement became an important part of his interdisciplinary art studies. He thought of dance as an extension of the mind and as a challenge in our physical limits. In March 2012, he traveled to Doha, Qatar as a visiting artist where he presented workshops and lectures on his curatorial and performance practice. Upon graduating from VCU, Egbert joined the Starr Foster Dance Company and is continuing to pursue his career as an artist.

Devin Huntt - biography coming soon!

    Ryan Love, (musical director),  studied at The Boston Conservatory (voice/piano) and graduated with a BFA in Theater Performance from Virginia Commonwealth University. Ryan has worked with Yo-Yo Ma, Clark Terry, Donald Byrd, Bebe Miller, Stanko Milov, Asaf Ronen (Imp), Jill Bernard (Drum Machine), Joe Bill (Annoyance Theater), The Firehouse Theatre, HBO, VCUDance, The University of Richmond, The Richmond Ballet, Jose Limon Co., Arnie Zane/Bill T. Jones Co., Pacific Northwest Ballet, Spectrum Dance Theater, Cornish College of The Arts, University of Washington, Dance Fremont, The Seattle Festival of Improv Theater and of course, The Starr Foster Dance Project. Ryan is the Musical Director of Wing-It Productions and can be seen performing with the highly acclaimed 'Jet City Improv' & 'Twisted Flicks'. Ryan Love is also the founder and producer of Jet City Records. RyTunes can also be found on iTunes, Verizon Wireless.com, Yahoo!Music, MSNMusic and many more online stores for his album "CUPCAKE". His song "Ballad of The Broken Hearted Girl" which he co-wrote with Leeni on her debut album "Are We There Yet?" was a finalist for the International Songwriter's Competition and can also be found on iTunes. For more information please log on to: www.myspace.com/jetcityrecords.

Bentley Cobb Jr. (Composer) is a Richmond, Virginia based musician versed in hand percussion and drum kit. Bentley is an experienced accompanist, currently employed by The Richmond Ballet, Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Dance and Choreography, and the University of Richmond Dance Department. He can also be seen touring nationally with the Washington, DC based theatrical pop-rock group Burn the Ballroom.

Michael Jarett (Lighting Designer) is pleased to continue his collaboration with Starr Foster Dance Project, for whom he has previously designed Erratic Behavior, the 9th Annual Choreography Showcase, the Mid-Atlantic Dance Collaborative, and the 10 Year Anniversary Performances. He is the Lighting Designer/Dance Technical Director for the VCU Department of Dance and Choreography. Michael received his MFA in Theater Design from Brandeis University and his BA in Theater from the University of Richmond. As the Gilbert Hemsley Lighting Intern at Lincoln Center, he had the opportunity to work with the Lincoln Center Festival, New York City Opera, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and New York City Ballet. Michael has had the pleasure of designing for choreographers and companies including Charles O. Anderson, Monica Bill Barnes, Stefanie Batten Bland, Robert Battle, Duane Cyrus, Myra Daleng, Thang Dao, Linda Kent, Anne Van Gelder, Nicholas Villeneuve, Abraham.In.Motion, Amaranth Contemporary Dance, Camille A. Brown and Dancers, Ground Zero Dance, and the VON HOWARD PROJECT.  http://web.mac.com/mjarett/Portfolio/Welcome.html