Meet your neighbor: Starr Kendrick

Published 3:04 pm Friday, June 3, 2011

Starr Kendrick smiled as she looked at her cell phone.

She’d just been talking about the family atmosphere enjoyed by habitués of Starrz Performing Arts Centre in Pell City, which she’s operated for the past 12 years.

“This is a text message from one of my 10-year-old students about playing with her dog in the pool.  That’s how close we are here, and I love that. It’s not just a business for us.”

While waiting for afternoon dance classes to start, Kendrick discussed her background in dance and performance, her students’ upcoming activities, and what she calls her three seconds of fame.

About Starrz:  The local performing arts center boasts the 2010 Grand Prix World Champions dancers, a designation claimed last year in Barcelona.  “When we won the World Club and had to buy an airline ticket just for the cup so we could bring it back home, it knew I’d accomplished my goals.  Now I’m ready for bigger and better.”  Besides the Grand Prix World title, Starrz dancers have earned more than 350 other accolades at regional and state competitions.

Coming up this summer:  The center will host a series of camps focusing on such styles of dance as ballet, jazz, cheer, hip-hop and ballroom. Its annual revue, themed “Gone Country” this year, is set for June 9 and 10 at Pell City’s Center for Education and Performing Arts.

The beginnings of the business:  She started Starrz with capital she secured using a business plan she wrote for a 10th grade school project.  “We started out in a tiny little room downtown across from the courthouse.  I had about 34 students my first year.  We’ve come so far since then, to the point of having 115 active students and a state-of-the-art facility.  God has really blessed us.”

Why she enjoys her work:  “Parents here really go out of the way to get excellent dance training for their children.  I’m humbled by that.  I have a deep passion for performing arts, and I couldn’t ask for more than for that to be my job.  I don’t take that for granted.”

Her background:  An award-winning choreographer who attended college on cheerleading, dance, and gymnastics scholarships, Kendrick has trained in the United State and Europe and is certified to teach jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical, hip-hop, baton, musical theater, cheerleading, tumbling, strength training and pageant participation.  “When I was younger, I always wanted to be on Star Search, but I never was.”  When another television opportunity came along later, she jumped at it.

So You Think You Can Dance:  She and fellow dance instructor Alyssa Duke drove from Pell City to Memphis for their audition.  “We got there at midnight and camped out in line in the freezing cold for 26 hours.  It was the most insane thing I’ve ever done.”  They advanced to the second level of auditions.

The competition:  “They were either hilarious or absolutely phenomenal.  I was the oldest person there.  I would definitely recommend the experience for younger people who want audition experience, but it was way too exhausting for me at my age.  But at least I don’t have the regret of not having done it when I had the chance.  So I had my three seconds of fame on TV, and it was the most exciting experience I’ve ever been through.  I still have it on DVR.”