BBT is proud to support the work of emerging choreographers through its Artist-in-Residence program, which provides free studio space and community engagement to two artists each Season as they develop new work for premieres in the Bay Area.

BBT's 2019-20 Season Artist-in-Residence choreographers are Sharp & Fine (Megan and Shannon Kurashige) and Chuck Wilt (UNA Productions).

Join the BBT community at our studios on Saturday, March 14th at 7:00pm for an intimate performance featuring excerpts of the new works created by these exceptional artists during their 2019-20 residencies at BBT. There will be a brief moderated discussion with the artists, led by BBT Artistic Director Robert Dekkers, following this complimentary performance.

Sharp & Fine

Sharp & Fine is a San Francisco based contemporary dance company founded in 2011 by sisters Megan Kurashige and Shannon Kurashige. We create performance work that brings together physically exacting choreography, structured improvisation, emotionally nuanced text, and live music to explore the power of storytelling within the context of dance. Our choreography is informed by the technical complexity of ballet, the human intensity of contemporary forms, and a deeply collaborative process. We are always interested in thrilling and courageous choices of imagination.

Chuck Wilt

Raised in San Francisco CA, Chuck Wilt is the Artistic Director of UNA, and holds a BFA in dance from NYU Tisch. In 2013, Chuck founded his bi-coastal dance company UNA Productions, working in NYC and California.

UNA has been co-presented by ODC Theater and presented by Fusion International (Kaga, Tokyo), Spectrum Dance Festival, Movement Research/Judson Church, 92nd St. Y’s Dig Dance and FAN, Jacob's Pillow Inside/Out, Springboard Danse Montreal, 14th St. Y, Dumbo Dance Festival, Tisch Summer Dance Festival, CPR and more.

Wilt has been a selected mentee of KT Nelson’s RoundAntennae and Doug Varone’s DEVICES. He has created work for LITVAKdance Company, been an emerging choreographer at Springboard Danse, set senior solo repertory at SUNY Purchase and Ailey Fordham, set repertory for the senior class of 2019 & 2020 at Ailey Fordham, set repertory for the ODC Youth Company, been on faculty for Tisch Summer High School Program, has taught at the Lines Ballet Training Program as well as internationally. In 2017 Chuck was a selected choreographic fellow for the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation NDCL, and in 2018 he was selected as a Dance Initiative Artist In Residence (CO), a recipient of the Rainin Opportunity Fund and an Artist in Residence at the 92nd St. Y (NYC).

Recently, Wilt was an Artist in Residence of Fusion International (Japan), and for 2019/2020 an Artist in Residence at Brooklyn College through the CUNY Dance Initiative. In 2020, Wilt/UNA will be an Artist in Residence at Berkeley Ballet Theater, Wilt will create a new work for Berkeley Ballet Theater/Post Ballet to premiere at YBCA and will create a work for the LINES Professional Training Program.

Photo Credit (Right to Left): RJ Muna (Megan and Shannon Kurashige), Scott Shaw (UNA)