Fran Beaumont
Fran Beaumont, originally from Richmond, Virginia began her training with the School of the Richmond Ballet. After graduating from Appomattox Regional Governor’s School, with a focus on dance, she continued her education in England at The Hammond School where she studied dance and choreography. In 2016, she graduated with a Level 6 Degree from Trinity College in Professional Dance and received her teaching certificate in Pilates. Fran has trained with Jasmine Grace, Starrene Foster, Jane Elliott, David Needham, Anthea Garratt, Alison Hughes, Tara Penick, Arnott Mader, Lee Johnston, Antonia Barron, and Christine Eccleston-Tuohy. She currently works as a stagehand with the Richmond Ballet and choreographs for Appomattox Governors School. Fran joined Starr Foster Dance in 2016.
ANGELA PALMISANO
ANGELA PALMISANO (Dancer), originally from Baltimore, Maryland, has been dancing since the age of two. She has had the pleasure of training at the prestigious George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Towson, Maryland for high school and also in the Department of Dance and Choreography at Virginia Commonwealth University. Angela is a certified Flexologist at StretchLab in Williamsburg, Virginia and joined SFD in 2014.
SHANNON COMERFORD
Shannon Comerford, who grew up in Amelia, VA, got her start dancing at Joy’s School of Dance. She continued her dance education at Radford University and graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance in 2015. While at Radford, she performed in many main stage productions, as well as at the New York Jazz Choreography Project and served as an apprentice for d a n a h b e l l a DanceWorks. Since graduating, Shannon has danced as a guest dancer for local RVA and DMV artists and was a company member with RVA Dance Collective for several years. Through her time with the company she worked with several notable choreographers including Eric Rivera, Miguel Perez, LaWanda Raines, Vicki Fink and Kelly Bartnik. In addition to performing Shannon has a huge passion for choreography and teaching. She loves creating and continuing to help nurture and cultivate other dancers’ journeys. Shannon joined SFD in 2022.
MOLLY HUEY
Molly Huey, originally from Pennsylvania, is a dance artist, videographer, and media artist, among other things. They perform, choreograph, teach, capture, create, and recreate often. Molly has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance, specializing in performance and choreography, and a Bachelor of Arts in communication, graduating from Slippery Rock University in 2019. A few highlights include performing on the Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out Stage with ACDA selected works, at the Joyce Theater in New York for the University Partner’s Showcase, the New Hazlett Theater in Pittsburgh for PearlArt’s 3600 Seconds of Solos, at Dixon Place in New York for WhiteWave’s SoloDuo Festival, at Schenley Park for Pittsburgh Ballet Theater’s Open Air series, in Brooklyn Bridge Park with Currents (take.6), and in Philadelphia for the Koresh Artist Showcase. They look forward to exploring more stages. Molly is the Media Specialist at Richmond Ballet and joined Starr Foster Dance in 2022.
MADISON ERNSTES
Madison Ernstes, born in China and raised in Richmond, Virginia, began her dance training at Dancers’ Studio and later danced competitively at Dance Destination. She continued her dance journey at the University of Richmond where she served as both a member of and company captain for the Department of Theatre and Dance’s company, University Dancers. She was also a member of the Department’s Electrics Crew. Additionally, she choreographed two original dance works that premiered in University Dancers’ Annual Concerts. After graduating with a BA in Dance and BS in Biology in 2020, Madison attended Radford University and received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in May 2023. She is currently working with Fox Rehabilitation in Richmond, VA. Madison joined SFD in 2023.
Mosca Mavrophilipos-Flint
Mosca Mavrophilipos-Flint graduated from VCU in 2006. There she studied Theater Education and Dance Performance and Choreography. In 2008, Mosca became a certified yoga instructor through Integral Yoga and taught at the University of Richmond, Yogaville and for educators in Henrico County. She has also taught Theater and English to secondary learners before stepping out of the field to focus on her family. Today she and her husband share three wonderful children and she has had the privilege to return to her passions as a dancer for Starr Foster Dance.
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GUEST PERFORMERS
Sara Burtner
Sara Burtner began her dance training in her hometown of Virginia Beach, VA and continued her studies at the Governor’s School for the Arts in Norfolk, VA with focus on ballet and modern. Notable experiences include performing as a soloist in Paquita and collaborating with choreographers Maurice Fraga and Sir Richard Alston CBE. Sara pursued her academic interests at the University of Virginia, majoring in kinesiology and minoring in dance. In college she choreographed for UVA Drama’s 2022 Fall and 2023 Spring Dance Concerts and produced a dance film that was featured in the 2022 ACDA Screendance Festival. In the summer of 2022, she interned with the Joffrey Ballet School’s Health and Wellness office in New York City. Before graduating in 2023, Sara was recognized as UVA Arts’ Distinguished Artist in dance for her contributions to the program. She has since moved to Richmond to begin her Doctorate in Physical Therapy at Virginia Commonwealth University. She plans to specialize in performing arts physical therapy, with a goal to graduate in 2026.
Danielle Cecile
Danielle Cecile grew up dancing. Attending Appomatox Regional Governor's school for dance she was given the opportunity to intern with MalayaWorks and Johnnie Cruise Mercer/TheREDproject. Attended a summer with the Joffery Ballet in NYC. While in undergrad she was a part of Virginia Tech's dance team: Fusion Dance Team, and previously was a guest with Starr Foster Dance 2018. Most recently Danielle was a part of RVA Dance Collective through Dogtown Dance Theater.
Hailey Clevenger
Hailey Clevenger (she/her), from Richmond, Va, graduated from James Madison University (JMU) in 2021 where she earned her BA in Dance and received her PreK-12 DanceArts License through the Dance Education Licensure track. While at JMU, Hailey had the privilege of touring and performing with the Virginia Repertory Dance Company (VRDC), JMU’s pre-professional performance company, from 2019-2021. She also worked with notable companies and choreographers including A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, Gregory Dolbashian, Ryan Corriston, Rubén Graciani, and Emily Cargill. During her senior year she was co-director for the Associate Dance Ensemble, was recognized as a Virgnia Teacher of Promise where she had the opportunity to learn from some of the top educators across the state, and received the Senior Outstanding Choreography Award. Upon graduation, Hailey spent her summer in Denver, Colorado working with the Colorado Ballet as their Community Engagement and Education intern. She has since danced professionally with Karar Dance Company for two seasons, co-produced a new work to be featured in the 2021 Richmond Dance Festival, and presented choreographic work at the Regional High School Dance Festival Gala Concert and Informal Showcase. Hailey is now a company dancer and executive member for Dogwood Dance Project and is in her fourth year as a dance teacher at the Center for the Arts in Henrico County Public Schools. Hailey cherishes finding community in dance and values the work she does in the Richmond area and is thrilled to be guest performing with Starr Foster Dance this season.
Ma-Siya Dycus
Ma-Siya Dycus, is originally from Portsmouth, Virginia where her passion for dance blossomed into a separate path. At the age of 3, she began training under a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader in Dallas, Texas while visiting her grandmother. She continued to dance competitively until the age of 14 at Maureen's School of Dance in Chesapeake, Virginia. In 2017, Ma-Siya auditioned for The Governor’s School for the Arts, in Norfolk, Virginia, and attended all four years during high school where she began intense training in both Horton and Graham techniques. She currently attends Virginia Commonwealth University as a senior studying Exercise Science on the Physical Therapy track while also obtaining two minors, Psychology and Dance & Choreography. She currently works at an in-patient rehabilitation hospital to aid stroke survivors and amputees in improving mobility. Ma-Siya plans to continue her education at VCU in 2025 to receive her Doctorate in Physical Therapy to work in rehabilitation therapy and with performing artists. Furthermore, she enjoys collaborating as a choreographer or performer in ballet contemporary and dedicates her time to promoting the expansion of black art in several communities.
Olivia Gotsch
Born and raised in Chicago, Olivia Gotsch began her training at Hyde Park School of Dance, spent summers at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, and studied anthropology and dance at Vassar College. Olivia has worked with choreographers including Desmond Richardson, Jennifer Archibald, Amy Hall Garner, Mike Tyus, Stephanie Martinez, Adam Weinert, Yoshito Sakuraba, and Kirven Douthit-Boyd. She currently performs with Conflux Dance Theater in under director Miguel Perez, and is thrilled to be back as a guest with Starr Foster Dance this Fall!
Janelle Ragland
Janelle Ragland (SFD Intern, Guest Performer) from Lynchburg Virginia, is a dancer and an International Social Justice Studies major, with a focus on Nonprofit Organization and Management, at Virginia Commonwealth University. She has immersed herself in the dance world for 16 years, training at LeeAnne Ashley Studio of Dance in Bedford, VA and with various companies across the East Coast in all genres of dance. Starr Foster Dance is excited to have her on their team as an intern for the 2023/2024 Season and a guest performer in Adjusting to the Dark.
Roya Baker-Vahdani
Roya Baker-Vahdani began her dance training at the age of 3 with Dance Fremont in Seattle, Washington under the direction of Artistic Directors Vivian Little and Mary Reardon, dancing for them until the age of 17. In 2018-2020 Roya trained under Artistic Director Megan Philipp at State Street Ballet Professional Training Program in Santa Barbara, California. In 2020 – 2021 she danced for Columbia Classical Ballet in Columbia, South Carolina under the direction of Radenko Pavlovich. Roya moved to Richmond, VA in 2021 to join Stavna Ballet where she danced under Artistic Director Shannon Hunter McConville for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons. Since leaving Stavna Ballet, Roya has been focusing on freelance dance and in 2024 was a guest dancer in Starr Foster Dance’s Curious Intentions Performance. In addition to freelancing Roya is working on completing her BA degree in Psychology.
