Staff
Star Huger - Owner/Director
Starlet “Star” Huger
At a very young age, Star recognized the connection between expression and her own body, and she used that knowledge to translate her own emotions into body language. But above all else, Star has yielded her body, and her life to the one true God, Jesus Christ, who has transformed her dance into worship. Star readily acknowledges God as her choreographer and is determined to change the world through dance. In her own words,
“…Dancing builds faith and removes fear with confidence and endurance. There are no limitations to dancing. What’s deemed a disability can be revived as an ability to dance as long as you exude passion.”
Early on in life, Star Huger was inspired by the late Alvin Ailey, and thusly her choreography is infused with his personal style. Our Director has taken classes with Judith Jamison and Michael Thomas with Alvin Ailey through Alvin Ailey Extension program. The power, passion, commitment she esteem from Alvin Ailey company, she encourages each dancer to exemplify the same energy in all of their classes. Star Huger choreographs in a way which pushes her students to see past their own mindsets and uncover the strength that is inside of them, all while yielding to the influence of the Spirit of God. Star also has a passion for the deaf community, seeking to see deaf and hearing students to perform together.
As a woman of excellence, Starlet has been awarded many times over for her preeminence in dance and choreography. Starlet begin her career as an all-American cheerleader. Later, she became a student choreographer at Grossmont College in El Cajon, CA. Prior to opening DanzStar, LLC, she taught hip-hop at the Ultimate Arts Studio and Dancespace Studio for 5 five years in Hampton Roads. Starlet Huger also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, making her a well-rounded instructor and business owner. She has received her Dance Teacher University certificate Level I and II from Dance Teacher Web who partners with the University of Nevada to provide the most comprehensive teacher training in Summer 2021 and Summer 2022.
With all her technique and knowledge, she always remains humble, encourages others, and is relentless to make sure everyone reaches their full potential. She had a dream to travel to Times Square one day and not only is she traveling July 2023 to Times Square but our performance team with perform on the Broadway stage and in Times Square for Dance The World.
One thing to remember, her passion is to have a life changing impact on every student by making sure their emotional and mental state is healthy.
Mrs. Star believes and lives by Phillippians 4:13...I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. With no doubt, every student will be empowered while dancing at DanzStar studio.
Zoe Lynn - Ballet
Born into a military family Zoë danced across the country starting in Tampa, FL with Victoria School of Dance and the Straz Center at the Patel Conservatory Youth Ballet. Zoë then studied under Kyoko Arakaki, a Japanese certified instructor of the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) based in the UK. At Arakaki's Okinawa City Ballet School, Zoë starred as the main character in a production based on Leo Lionni's Swimmy, a well-love children's story in East Asia. She danced corps de ballet in Carnival of the Animals, Sleeping Beauty, Peter and the Wolf, and Coppelia. At the age of 9 and 10, Zoë passed two RAD exams graded by Ballet Masters from the UK while on the island of Okinawa.
She then transitioned to the Vaganova (Russian) method under Milou Ivanosky's Ballet Fantasque in Monterey, California. Here, she built most of her technique, stage experience and flexibility. Zoë starred in over 10 roles performing in 3 full seasons of The Nutcracker. Zoë's own style of teaching is heavily influenced by the Ivanovsky's mixture of Vaganova, French and Romantic Period style.
In Albany and Thomasville, Georgia Zoë focused on her stamina and control on pointe. Here she was conditioned with The South Georgia Ballet and performed with her small town company called Murphy's Dance Studio.
Since finishing with Murphy's Dance Studio, Zoë has been teaching private and group ballet lessons since the age of 15. She believes to teach one's passion is a blessing, but sharing God's love on and off the stage is the greatest gift. Currently, she studies Biophysical Sciences at Regent University.
Shelby Bates - Jazz I and contemporary
Born into West African culture, Shelby Bates embodies the ability to translate emotions into rhythmic body movements conbined with music and theatrical representations. Her diverse background and inspiration from multiple cultures allows her to dance purely for enjoyment. She is able to move deeper in creativity and style as an art enthusiast who sees life from multiple perspectives.
In high school, Shelby trained at the award winning Xpressinons Dance Center in Virginia and later gained ballet and contemporary/modern syles of dance as a student of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. While at ODU, she was an active member of the AfroSimba Dance Team as Co-coordinator and coordinator performing at campus and city wide events.
Shelby has participated in multiple competitions including performing at The Arts Community Alliance (TACA) in 2019 and winning first place at Team Fever's first annual dance competition at Univeristy of Virginia in 2020.
With an abundance of passion for dance, Shelby understands the power of self-expression through art and music. She inspires others to embrace their emotions and tap into their own creativity by fostering a safe environment.
Raymone George - Hip Hop and Competition Instructor
Reuel "Raymone" George was born in Bronx, New York and raised in Linden, Guyana. He has been dancing since the age of 14 years old. Raymone has dance professionally since 2012 in street styles such as Reggae, Dancehall, Hip Hop, and Contemporary, and Beginner Ballet as well. In November 2012, he received the Nickelodeon HALO Award for having a positive impact in the New York Community. In January of 2013, he received an award from Senator Kevin Parker and went on tour with Urban Block Party, an anti-bullying organization. He performed on Ernee Peppers Show, Just Talks Show, Highline Ballroom NYC, Broadways Theatre NYC, and American Theatre in Hampton Virgina. We are truly excited to have Raymone to be a part of our DanzStar Staff and Competition Team since February 2019 with all of his energy and passion for our youth.
Leani Thurton-Competition Instructor
Leani Thurton is an undergraduate at Old Dominion University who has trained in Hip Hop, Jazz, Contemporary, Ballet, and Tap since the age of 5. She is exceptionally passionate about tap dancing due to its unique style of making music with feet. Her favorite Tap inspiration is Savion Glover who she saw perform in person in 2019. Leani embraces dance as an outlet of expression for people, young and old, and works every day to fulfill the highest expression of herself as a human being and an artist.
In 2019, Leani received recognition as the Nationals Award Winner for Ballet Solo - Power of Dance at Churchland High School in Portsmouth, VA. In addition, she performed at the Power of Dance Proctor Theatre in Schenectady, NY, and won National Award Dancer for Opening show and Tap Duet Champions “Don’t Mean A Thing”. Since then, she has won 1st place overall and the Storyteller Judges Award:” Don’t Let Me Down” at the Contemporary Duet at Turn It Up Dance Challenge in Baltimore, MD. In 2022, she won a scholarship to attend a dance convention at the Sheer Elite Competition Workshop.
However, the highlight of her life was in 2022 when she was selected to create a Peony mural in the Vibe District of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront on Organic Montessori school on Mediterranean Ave.
Around DanzStar, Leani is known as a very sweet and quiet personality who loves God and people. She is a compassionate leader who will be teaching our competition team technique along with dance terminology and confidence to be there very best.
