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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
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