Bashaun Williams is a freelance dancer artist & Choreographer based in the Salt Lake City area. HE started his formal dance training at the age of 16 in Texas with Ballet Lubbock under Yvonne Racz-Key, Artistic Director. As a Junior and Senior, he was captain of his Varsity Basketball team and a member of Ballet Lubbock’s pre- professional Company. After graduating in 2007, Bashaun moved to Salt Lake City to attended the University of Utah on both academic and artistic merit scholarships in the department of ballet. While at the U, he danced Principal and Soloist roles in the department’s resident company and graduate with honors in 2011. 

Upon graduation, Bashaun joined Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company in Salt Lake City. He danced with the Company for a decade! During this time, he has had the privilege of touring throughout the United States, Africa, France, Japan, Mongolia and South Korea as a performer and educator. While with RW, he also has had the pleasure of working with renowned choreographers such as Stevan Novakovich, Edward Truitt, Val Caniparoli, Rick Tija, Johannes Weiland, Bill T. Jones, Charlotte Boye-Christensen, Joanna Kotze, Netta Yerushalmy, Doug Varone, Yin Yue, Raja Feather Kelly, Charles O. Anderson and Daniel Charon, among others. Bashaun is forever grateful for the opportunity to perform, choreograph and collaborate within the wonderful community of Salt Lake City.

Follow Bashaun on Instagram @BWill4Realz 

EXCHANGE #10
In conversation with Bashaun Williams (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Recorded on October 18, 2021

This is an edited version of Joanna and Bashaun’s hour and a half conversation and includes topics such as: deciding on a future of dance or basketball, his decade long career in Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company and moving beyond company life, staying active during COVID, remaining optimistic, and balancing dance/work/home life as a new dad.

*To turn closed captioning on or off, click on the CC icon in the bottom right corner of the video.

Below is the raw movement exchange relayed from Sarah Beth Oppenheim to Bashaun. You will see Sarah doing her original movement and then you will see both of them doing Sarah’s movement, which Bashaun learned. Bashaun will add onto this and that movement will be passed onto Nic Lincoln in Minneapolis, MN.

Below is the raw movement exchange relayed from Bashaun Williams and Nic LIncoln. You will see Bashaun doing his original movement and then you will see both of them doing Bashaun’s movement, which Nic learned. Nic will add onto this and that movement will be passed onto Alexandra James in Portland, ME.

Photos by (left to right): @shelby_photo, @muthercate, @muthercate, @_the.art.muse._

This project is commissioned in part by the American Dance Festival (ADF).

Logo design by Chris Cherry