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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 Style Weekly in The Fall of 2007. 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 tenth year as an adjunct faculty member. Recently reviewed as  "Richmond's leading, most original choreographers", Starrene has received grants from the Virginia Council for the Arts, three full scholarships from the American Dance Festival, and many commissions that include Norfolk Governors School for the Arts, University of Richmond, James Madison University, the Richmond Ballet, VCU, as well as commissions from many 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 Charlottesville Festival of Contemporary Dance and Improvisation, the American Dance Festival (NC), The Philadelphia Fringe Festival (PA), Old Dominion University’s Choreographers’ Showcase, 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!” Starrene has taught master classes nationally which include classes at Dance Fremont (Seattle, WA), Old Dominion University, Goucher College; the Regional High School Dance Festival, Dance Masters of America, the Mid-Atlantic American College Dance Festival, Appomattox Regional Governors School, the Virginia State Governors School, St. Annes Belfield School, Richmond Dance Center, Jet City Improv (WA), and JMU to name a few. As a dancer, Starrene has performed works by Mark Taylor, Mark Haim, Chris Burnside, Barbara Grubel, Doug Varone, Sharon Kinney, 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, Appomattox Governors School and St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Virginia.

Jordan Livermon, 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. In addition to numerous student performances, Jordan has had the privilege to study with guest artists such as David Dorfman, Gerri Houlihan, Bebe Miller, Gus Solomons, and many others throughout her VCU career. She enjoyed working with numerous choreographers, including Paule Turner (VCU’s Gala Performance) and faculty member, Scott Putman (2003 VCU Student/Faculty Concert, 2003 American College Dance Festival.) 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. Following graduation in the spring of 2003, Jordan taught ballet, pointe, and modern for a year at Regency Dance Academy. In July 2004, Jordan traveled to Los Angeles, CA with Scott Putman’s company, Cerulean Dance Theatre, where she taught and performed during a two-week residency at California Institute of the Arts. 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, 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. As a member of this company, she danced competitively and received several first place awards for her performance in group and solo works and also received an award for Best Emotional Execution for her heartfelt work as a soloist. 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. While a student at VCU, 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 as well as the department of Dance and Choreographyʼs phenomenal faculty members. She also was featured in works by faculty members Jill Brammer-Ware and Dr. James Frazier and numerous student works. Melaney enthusiastically joined the Starr Foster Dance Project in May 2008.

Kathleen Brady, originally from Washington DC, , has trained with faculty from The Center Dance Company, The Washington Ballet, the Juilliard School, and the Joffrey Ballet. Ms. Brady has also had the pleasure to work with a wealth of talented choreographers which include Linda Kent, Dennis Price and Susan Cooper. In addition to her dance training, Ms Brady received her Bachelors in Art degrees in both Anthropology and Russian from the University of Virginia. This is her first year with Starr Foster Dance Project.

Tony Eugene Colden Jr. - 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.

Denise Purvis 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. This is Denise’s first season with Starr Foster Dance Project.

Eve Pollard, a Richmond native, graduated from Radford University in 2008 with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree concentrating in modern dance. While at Radford, she had the opportunity to to perform works by danah bella, Peggy Hunt and Inessa Plekhanova. In 2007, her work “the antique“ was presented at the Mid Atlantic American College Dance Festival. From 2005 to 2007, Ms. Pollard was an apprentice with danahbella DanceWorks. This is her first season with the Starr Foster Dance Project.

Jessi White, was born in Dalhart TX, where she began dancing at the age of 9. Jessi was awarded scholarships to attend the Lorrain Cranford Summer Dance Workshop in Arkansas in 1996-1997. From 2001-2003 She attended the University of Oklahoma where she performed works by Austin Hartel, Denise Vale and guest choreographer Brian Brookes with the Modern Reparatory Dance Theatre. Jessi has also had the privilege of performing at the Kansas Dance Festival and in many student works. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in German from Arkansas Tech University.

    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.