  We present preliminary results of a long-term study aimed at answering a
number of open questions on the evolution of starbursts in local galaxies. The
project employes mainly HST data from the ultraviolet to the red of the stellar
continuum and of the nebular emission from the galaxies. Here we concentrate on
NGC5253 and NGC5236 (M83), that form a dwarf--massive galaxy pair at about 4
Mpc distance. The recent star formation history of the centers of the two
galaxies is investigated in order to identify similarities and differences in
the evolution of their central starbursts.
