Japanese native Junichi Fukuda has received the Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Fellowship Award, the Boston Conservatory Alumni Commissioning Award, the Bates Dance Festival Emerging Choreographer residency, and the S&R Washington Award. His choreography has been presented at MASDANZA in Spain, Dance St. Louis' Spring to Dance Festival, DanceNow at Joe's Pub Festival, Bates Dance Festival, FIDCDMX in Mexico City, and at festivals all around New England. The Washington Post describes Junichi's work as a "tasteful proposal" and "a work of easeful harmony."

Junichi formed FUKUDANCE as a vehicle to continue his journey as a choreographer. Since its inception, the company has performed nationally and internationally, including in Spain, France, Mexico, and Japan. FUKUDANCE has received support from Boston Foundation, American Dance Abroad, Boston Cultural Council, Mass Cultural Council, and New England Foundation for the Arts, and it continues to thrive by presenting new works that are significant to the current society.

Born in Oakland, California’s Chinatown, Michael Lowe was encouraged at an early age to explore the discipline of classical ballet to augment his coordination and strength in athletics. With his first dance lesson, his love for music found a counterpart to his natural agility and he discovered his life’s path. A scholarship student at Alvin Ailey American Dance Center in New York, Lowe joined Oakland Ballet in 1974 and became a vital force in Oakland Ballet’s history as a dancer, choreographer and director.

During his decades-long career with Oakland Ballet, Lowe worked with choreographers including Agnes de Mille, John Butler, Eugene Loring, Leonide Massine, Frederic Franklin, Anna Sokolow, Betsy Erickson, Willam Christensen, Alonzo King and Ronn Guidi. He participated in company’s groundbreaking Americana and Diaghilev era reconstructions, and recreated the role of Beau Gosse for the premiere of Bronislava Nijinska’s Le Train Bleu.

During and after his performing career, Lowe revealed himself to be a gifted choreographer. Over the years he has created a number of striking ballets for Oakland Ballet including Bamboo for which he received the Isadora Duncan Dance Award for Best Choreography. As founding Artistic Director of Menlowe Ballet, Lowe choreographed numerous works for his own company and he serves as an integral teacher, coach and choreographer at Menlo Park Academy of Dance.

Hyung Ji Yu (Heidi) is an international choreographer, dancer, and instructor based in NYC. Originally from South Korea, she relocated to NYC to study at the Merce Cunningham School and continued her studies at SUNY Purchase. Her studies culminated in 2015 with an MFA in dance from NYU Tisch focusing on pedagogy and choreography. Heidi is an American Ballet Theatre Certified Teacher.

Heidi has taught and choreographed at Tufts University, Sacred Heart University, Ailey Camp at Johns Hopkins University, American Youth Dance Theater, and Broadway Dance Center. Heidi established As Arts NY Dance in 2013. She received a CUNY Dance Initiative Residency at The City College of New York. Her choreography has been shown throughout NYC, including the Bassin Performing Arts Center, Dixon Place, Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, Symphony Space, and Kaye Playhouse.