SPITTING IMAGE

A Collaboration of Dance & Photography

by Starr Foster Dance

A Reflection on a Dance Performance by Julinda D. Lewis

At: The Firehouse, 1609 West Broad St., Richmond, RVA 23220

Performances: April 3-6, 2025

Ticket Prices: $25 General Admission; $35 Arts Supporter; Datenight tickets 2 for $40

Info: (804) 304-1523 or starrfosterdance.org or firehousetheatre.org

Program & Casting:

All Choreography by Starrene Foster

Costumes designed and constructed by Starrene Foster, except as noted

Lighting designed by Gretta Daughtrey

Live Oak inspired by a photograph by Mike Harrell

Performed by Fran Beaumont, Shannon Comerford, Madison Ernsted, Angela Palmisano

Music by Tamar Halperin, Etienne Abelin, Tokek Kolczynski, Johann Sebastian Bach; Constellation 999:999 After BWV 99 & BWV 1018

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Saving Grace inspired by a photograph by Caroline Frye

Performed by Fran Beaumont and Madison Ernstes

Music by Adam Krieger, Andreas Scholl, Tamar Halperin; Nun sich der Tag Geendet hat and Carl Friedrich Abel, Paolo Pandolfo; Viola da Gamba Suite in D Minor: I. Arpeggiata

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Wisp inspired by a photograph by Becky Atkins

Performed by Adria Applebee (Thursday, Saturday), Alex Atkins, Roya Baker-Vahdani, Sarah Carrington, Lena Cohen, Ma-Siya Dycus, Sophie Smith 9friday, Sunday), Ella Holland, Molly Huey, Janelle Ragland

Music by Simon Goff; Elowen

Costumes designed and constructed by Johann Stegmeir

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Lies Lies Lies inspired by a photograph by PJ Sykes

Performed by Fran Beaumont, Shannon Comerford, Madison Ernstes, Molly Huey, Angela Palmisano

Original music composition by Daniel Deckelman

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Flight inspired by a photograph by Georgianne Stinnett

Performed by Molly Huey

Original music soundscape by Starrene Foster with Hour of the Witch composed by Scott Buckley

Costume constructed by Starrene Foster based off a design by Karl Green

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Run to You inspired by a photograph by Shannon Mills Guest

Performed by Shannon Comerford and Angela Palmisano

Music by Luca D’Alberto; Beautiful As a Memory

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Garnish inspired by a photograph by Allison Patel

Performed by Fran Beaumont, Shannon Comerford, Madison Ernstes, Molly Huey, Angela Palmisano, and guest artists Adia Applebee (Thursday, Saturday), Alex Atkins, Roya Baker-Vahdani, Sarah Carrington, Lena Cohen, Ma-Siya Dycus, Sophie Smith (Friday, Sunday), Ella Holland, Molly Huey, Janelle Ragland

Music by Adrián Berenguer; Reset

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The Starr Foster Dance (SFD) website informs us that the company is “committed to their mission to collaborate with all genres of artists in their quest to make the world richer with art.” For Spitting Image 2025, Foster embarked on a collaborative journey with her core company of 5 dancers, 9 guest dancers, and 7 photographers.

Foster notes in the program (always a stunningly beautiful publication in its own right) that the SFD Art Director, Douglas Hayes, is at least in part responsible for her love of photography. In 2018 (in the “time before”) the company produced the first Spitting Imageprogram at TheatreLab, The Basement, inviting photographers from the Richmond area to contribute images to the project. Spitting Image 2025 is the third iteration of this collaborative creation. (The second was in 2023, also at the Firehouse.)

The phrase “spitting image” usually refers to something that looks remarkably similar to another, such as a mother and daughter or father and son. But in the execution of these collaborative offerings the seven brief works are not intended to bring to life carbon copies of the still images, but rather each captures a moment, an essence, a fleeting fragment from the photograph and then builds on it, takes flight, elevates it, or even takes a quirky turn. The photographs were on view in the theater lobby, and are available to view on the SFD website, https://www.starrfosterdance.org/spittingimage2025, but due to copyright may not be reproduced here.

Mike Harrell’s black and white photograph depicts an aisle of tall trees whose tops meet and intertwine above the road. The Live Oak dancers’ white palazzo pants and lacy white tops mimic the lacy tree branches and at one point the lacy pattern is recreated on the floor in lights. Their movements are mysterious and weighted, a lift and drag suggests the strength, durability flexibility, and stability of trees, and the shapes fit together like puzzle pieces. Very mindful. Very demure.

Caroline Frye submitted a photo of a backyard clothesline with what appears to be a heavy rug hanging out to air or to dry. Fran Beaumont wears neatly tailored pants and a button-down shirt that reminded me of a schoolgirl’s uniform, while Madison Ernstes, lingering in the background, wore a dark shirtwaist dress. For me, Saving Grace created an image of a portal, a doorway, perhaps into the past. The atmosphere made me consider various meanings of the phrase, “saving grace.” It can mean a redeeming quality, but it could also, literally mean saving someone named Grace – or it could be a bit of both…

Becks Atkins photo of clouds inspired Wisp, one of my personal favorites. Dressed in short white or pale gray pants with asymmetrical tops, the dancers began in a single file line, facing the audience and ended in a cluster like delicate flower petals. The music and movement both seemed to have a delicate Asian flavor, simple, and beautiful.

The first half of the program closed with Lies Lies Lies, inspired by PJ Skyes’ angular, industrial offering – three views of a wall that holds the remains of a sign that once said “SUPPLIES.” Hmm, could this be a subtle statement about how things are not always what they seem to be – or an even more rare statement on the current political climate? Without reading more into it than intended, Foster’s choreography for this piece is urgent, driven, and percussive, and set to an original score that is equally urgent, driven, and percussive.  Altogether, Lies Lies Lies is quite a departure from other works on the program, aggressive, but not angry.

The second part of the program opened with a solo, Flight, performed by Molly Huey. Inspired by Georgianne Stinnett’s intimate close-up of a bee collecting pollen from the reproductive organs of a flower, Huey’s movement are big and remind me of the inner workings of a traditional timepiece. The original soundscape consists of a series of musical explosions with an underlying base of small ticks, like a fine watch – or a time bomb.

Run to You, another personal favorite is a tender duo, performed by Shannon Comerford and Angela Palmisano. Intriguing lighting creates shadow play that makes the two dancers appear to be four or six. Inspired by Shannon Mills Guest’s photograph of two women sitting side-by-side, one with long blond hair and one with long dark hair. Foster carries out the visual opposition with costuming: one dancer wears white ruffled fabric on top, the other on the bottom, while the shadows double and triple the relationships, building and extending the connection between the sisters, friends, or whatever you need the relationship to be.

The program closed on a humorous and quirky note with Garnish, a work for 13 dancers, each wearing a flower-patterned dress, each in a different pattern. Lined up across the stage, they grimace, give a side eye, and more in a cork that is casual, funny, and energetic. Garnish is inspired by Allison Patel’s photograph of a woman applying makeup. Eyes wide, lips pursed, the image fuels the dancers’ facial gymnastics and extends the movement through their entire bodies. Garnish is definitely the icing on the cake.

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Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County. When not writing about theater, she teaches dance history at VCU and low impact dance fitness classes to seasoned movers like herself and occasionally performs.

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Starr Foster Dance presents

CURIOUS INTENTIONS   

Artistic Director/Choreography by: Starrene Foster

Art Director: Doug Hayes

Lighting Designer: Greta Daughtrey

Music Director: Daniel Deckelman

Company Artists: Fran Beaumont, Shannon Comerford, Madison Ernstes, Molly Huey, Angela Palmisano

Guest Performers: Adria Applebee, Alex Atkins, Roya Baker-Vahdani, Sarah Carrington, Lena Cohen, Ma-Siya Dycus, Sophie Smith, Ella Holland, Janelle Ragland

Costumes Designed and Constructed by: Starrene Foster, with the exception of the costumes for “Wisp,” designed and constructed by Johann Stegmeir

Starr Foster Dance is a Resident Company of the Firehouse Theatre

Performance Schedule

SPITTING IMAGE PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Thursday, April 3rd 7:30PM Opening Night/Post Show Q&A
Friday, April 4th 7:30PM Champagne Night with Cast & Artistic Team
Saturday, April 5th 2:00PM
Saturday, April 5th 5:00PM Post Show Q&A  
Sunday, April 6th 2:00PM Closing night

Run Time

1 hour 20 minutes  plus one15-minute intermission