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. 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 eighth 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 University of Richmond, James Madison University, the Richmond Ballet, VCU, Appomattox Regional Governors School, 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), the Virginia Dance Festival, and the state-wide dance invitational "Yes, Virginia-Dance!â€. 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, St. Catherine’s 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 and St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Virginia and has produced the Annual Richmond Choreographers Showcase for seven consecutive years.
MISSION:
Starr Foster/Dance Project, formed under the direction of Starrene Foster, is a gifted and powerful group of performers, as well as teachers and choreographers. The Project was created not only as a professional performing company, but a group that inspires, educates, and enlightens the general public, young and old, through performances, instructional workshops and lectures about dance.
Artistic Director Starrene Foster has received numerous awards and special recognitions for her teaching and choreography. In addition to her work with the Dance Project, Ms. Foster also teaches and creates new dance works for other artists and performing companies throughout the country. In addition to choreographing and organizing upcoming events for the Project, Starrene and her company of dancers have produced the Annual Richmond Choreographers Showcase for seven consecutive years and the launched The Neighborhood Project, a project dedicated to site specific works throughout the city of Richmond, in the Spring of 2007.
PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE
www.sfdproject.org
Art Direction and Photography by Doug Hayes
..
