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Starrene Foster, Artistic Director of Starr Foster Dance Project, is the recipient of the 2006 Theresa Pollack Award for Artistic Excellence and was recently featured on the PBS broadcast Virginia 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 Award and is presently in her eleventh 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 and commercials and the musical Hair for the Department of Theatre at VCU. Ms. Foster's choreography has been presented at the The Philadelphia Fringe Festival (PA), The Jack Guidone Theatre (DC), Charlottesville Festival of Contemporary Dance and Improvisation, the American Dance Festival (NC), Old Dominion University Choreographers’ Showcase (VA), The Goose Route Dance Festival (WV), The National High School Dance Festival in Miami, the Demetrius Klein Dance Festival (FL), Festival of Choreography (NC) and the state-wide dance invitational "Yes, Virginia-Dance!” Ms. Foster also teaches master classes nationally, from Seattle to Virginia. As a dancer, Starrene has performed works by Mark Taylor, Mark Haim, Chris Burnside, Barbara Grubel, Doug Varone, Mark Dendy, Pewan Chow (Hong Kong), Raul Parro (Mexico), among many others. In addition to her faculty position at VCU, Starrene is currently on faculty at the Richmond Ballet, University of Richmond and St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Virginia.

 

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.

Melaney Cash (dancer), born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, began dancing at the age of 6. At 11, she joined the Richmond City Dance Troupe, where she studied modern, ballet, jazz, lyrical, and many other dance forms. Ms. Cash has had the opportunity to choreograph works that have been presented throughout the Richmond area and also enjoys teaching. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with University Honors from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2008 with a BFA in Dance and Choreography and a minor in Business Administration. Melaney had the privilege of studying intensely under renowned choreographers Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Daniel Gwirtzman, Robert Battle, Gerri Houlihan, Heidi Weiss, Maria Bauman, and Monica Bill Barnes. Melaney enthusiastically joined the Starr Foster Dance Project in 2008.

 

 

KathleenKathleen 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.

Tony Eugene Colden Jr. (dancer), originally from Portsmouth, Virginia, began his dance training at the age of five at the Gail Harts Dance Company where he studied ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, and African dance. He then attended the magnet dance program at Churchland High School. Tony received his BFA in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University where he worked with numerous guest artists such as Tania Issac, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Robert Battle, Heidi Weiss, as well as many faculty. He was a full scholarship recipient at the Deeply Rooted Dance Productions Chicago Summer Intensive, in which he also was an apprentice. Tony currently teaches dance for Henrico Center for the Arts program, and continues to further his education in Dance. He joined SFDP in the Spring of 2009.

Denise Purvis (dancer), currently directs the dance program for the Chesterfield County Specialty Center for the Arts at Thomas Dale High School in Chester, VA. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance and Performance/Choreography from the State University of New York at Brockport and her undergraduate degree in dance from Mary Washington University in Fredericksburg, VA. Her faculty positions have included the State University at Brockport from 2000-2004 and Hobart and William Smith Colleges, in Geneva, NY, from 2003-2004. In addition to her continuing studies and training with Bill Evans, she has been privileged to study under Eugene Roscoe, Sharon Kinney, Barbara Grubel, Bebe Miller, Mark Haim, Risa Steinberg, Nina Watt, and many other wonderful dancers and choreographers. An experienced performer, choreographer, and educator, Ms. Purvis’ works have premiered in Virginia, as well as New York. She has taught at reputable dance schools throughout Richmond, VA and Rochester, NY, choreographed several musicals for both amateur and professional theater and has performed professionally with various choreographers. Denise joined Starr Foster Dance Project in 2008.

Jessi White (dancer), was born in Dalhart TX, where she began dancing at the age of 9. Her training in modern dance began at the University of Oklahoma where she performed works by Austin Hartel, Denise Vale and Brian Brookes with the Modern Repertory Dance Theatre. Jessi has had the privilege of performing in many student and faculty works, as well as at the Kansas Dance Festival. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in German from Arkansas Tech University in 2005, and is currently finishing her Pre-Physical Therapy Post-Baccalaureate Health Science Certificate at Virginia Commonwealth University. Jessi joined SFDP in 2009.

 

    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.

 

Robin D. Jones (Lighting Designer) has had the pleasure of designing for Starr Foster's choreography since 1993. In her alternate lives, she lights art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and writes Young Adult fiction(all three titles available on your favorite book web-site!).

2005-06 Season.