{"id":1499,"date":"2021-04-20T15:54:04","date_gmt":"2018-05-03T15:25:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/braswellartscenter.com\/about-2\/"},"modified":"2026-01-12T22:24:30","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T21:24:30","slug":"team","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/braswellartscenter.com\/de\/team\/","title":{"rendered":"Team"},"content":{"rendered":"

ARMANDO BRASWELL<\/h2>\n

Armando Braswell, a professional dancer and educator hailing from New York City, has made a significant impact in the world of dance. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance from The Juilliard School in 2006, after which he performed with esteemed companies such as Ballett Theater Munich, Gauthier Dance Stuttgart, and Ballett Theater Basel.<\/p>\n

In addition to his successful dance career, Armando has built a reputation as a highly sought-after teacher, instructing at some of the world’s most prestigious schools and competitions. His teaching engagements include Tanzakademie Z\u00fcrich, School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theater School, Royal Swedish Ballet School, The Ailey School, and the Prix de Lausanne.<\/p>\n

Beyond his artistic pursuits, Armando is actively involved in journalism and the freelance dance scene. His widely recognized arts blog, Interview En L’air, has garnered international attention in the dance community, leading to his role as a permanent correspondent for Dance For You Magazine. Armando has cultivated an extensive artistic network in Switzerland and internationally, contributing to projects with renowned institutions such as Art Basel, Fondation Beyeler, Kunstmuseum Basel, Steps Tanz Festival, Tanzfest Basel, Museum of Natural History Basel, Forum W\u00fcrth Arlesheim, and the Basellandschaftliche Kantonalbank.<\/p>\n

Armando’s experience in leadership through various independent arts initiatives culminated in his role as a member of the 2020 Jury of the Prix de Lausanne. He is also the founder and current director of the Dance Basel Festival and, alongside his wife Lisa, has been leading the Braswell Arts Center since its founding in 2015.<\/p>\n

LISA BRASWELL<\/h2>\n

Lisa Braswell is a cultural manager from New York City. She is a graduate of LaGuardia High School for Music and Art and the Performing Arts and continued her studies at Purchase University and Hunter College. Before moving to Switzerland in 2012, Lisa worked in New York and Germany in administrative, managerial, and educational roles, gaining broad international experience in the arts and business.<\/p>\n

In 2015, she completed the Business Course for Female Founders at the Crescenda Start-up Center in Basel. She is currently enrolled at the University of Basel and is expected to complete the Master of Advanced Studies in Cultural Management in November 2026.<\/p>\n

Together with her husband, Armando Braswell, Lisa co-founded what later became the Braswell Arts Center in 2015. Her work focuses on leading and developing a sustainable and inclusive cultural organization, with an emphasis on community building. In creating well-structured and inspiring spaces where people of all ages and backgrounds can come together, Lisa hopes to inspire the community to grow and connect through movement and art.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\"BAC_Portraits-10-3\"\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Armando Braswell<\/h3>K\u00fcnstlerischer Direktor\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Lisa\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Lisa Braswell<\/h3>Administrative Direktorin\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Fabio\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Fabio Francisco Freire<\/h3>PercussionistFabio Francisco Freire is a Brazilian-Swiss musician, composer, and percussionist based in Basel. He combines Afro-Brazilian rhythms with European musical influences in his work with the Ignis Quartet. As a longtime Basel resident, he leads percussion and rhythm courses (e.g. “Barracuda Brasileira” at Musik-Akademie Basel) and releases recordings that fuse deep cultural roots with contemporary sound.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Barbara\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Barbara Handschin<\/h3>Rehabilitation & Prevention DirectorBarbara Handschin is a psychologist and Pilates instructor based in Basel. She holds a licentiate in clinical and neuropsychology from the University of Bern, and trained in Pilates in New York and Boston. She founded Pilates Braswell at the Braswell Arts Center and combines her expertise to teach rehabilitation, prenatal\/postpartum, and therapeutic Pilates. She is also a co-initiator of the caba center, integrating psychological coaching and movement for health and healing.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Maria\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Maria Bugova<\/h3>PianistMaria Bugova is a Slovak pianist and long-standing ballet accompanist based in Basel. After graduating from the Bratislava Conservatory, she spent 25 years as a ballet r\u00e9p\u00e9titeur in Slovakia before moving to Switzerland in 1996. She served as ballet accompanist for Ballet Basel for 18 years and, since 2015, has been the accompanist at the Braswell Arts Center. Her collaborations span celebrated choreographers such as Ji\u0159\u00ed Kyli\u00e1n and Johan Inger.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"regula\"\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Regula Hohl Trillini\u00a0<\/h3>Pianistin\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Temp-960x1200\"\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Nathalie Guth<\/h3>Ballet \/ PointeNathalie Guth is a Swiss ballet teacher whose foundation lies in classical technique and expressive movement. She began her training at the Ballettschule f\u00fcr das Opernhaus Z\u00fcrich and graduated from the Hamburg Ballet’s school in 2003. She danced for ten years with the Stuttgart Ballet before becoming a soloist with Ballet am Rhein in D\u00fcsseldorf. Since returning to Z\u00fcrich in 2017, she has taught at various schools, offering dynamic and body-aware training that emphasizes musicality and expression.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"braswell\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Janine Walliman<\/h3>Kids & Teen Ballet\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Temp-960x1200\"\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Carlos Kerr<\/h3>Gyrokinesis \/ Career PreparationCarlos Kerr Jr. is a Belizean-American dancer, choreographer, and creative director based in Basel. Trained at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School and The Ailey\/Fordham BFA program, he also holds a Master’s Certificate in Dance Science from the University of Bern. He has performed with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, RUBBERBAND, Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company, the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, and Ballett Basel. His choreographic works have been presented internationally, including at Tanzwerks Z\u00fcrich, Mandalain Ballet Biarritz, and Das Tanzfest Schweiz. Alongside his stage career, he teaches at the Braswell Arts Center, sharing an interdisciplinary approach to movement.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"yael\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Yael Fankhauser<\/h3>Beginner PointeYael Fankhauser was born in Basel, Switzerland, and has been dancing for over 16 years. After extensive classical ballet training, she joined the Pre-Professional Program at the Braswell Arts Center to expand her dance vocabulary. There, she has worked with international dancers, teachers, and choreographers. Passionate and dedicated, Yael continues to deepen her artistry with the goal of improving her teaching.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Jenny\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Jenny Clough<\/h3>Strength Training\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"giuseppe\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Giuseppe Bencivenga<\/h3>Kids & Teen Jazz \/ Hip-HopGiuseppe Bencivenga is an Italian dancer and teacher trained at MAS in Milan. He has performed with companies including White Dance Theatre in Warsaw, Dart and Gangaray in Budapest, Valencia Dancing Forward, and WDTanztheater in Cologne, appearing in productions such as Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Turandot, and Requiem. Alongside his stage work, he teaches modern and urban dance in Basel and regularly leads workshops and open classes at festivals including Tanzfest.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"tomohiro\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Tomohiro Iino<\/h3>Pianist \/ PercussionistTomo Iino is a versatile pianist and percussionist active in contemporary music and performance. He studied at the Musashino University in Japan and now collaborates internationally, performing with ensembles across Europe, including Chamber Academy Basel. His repertoire spans solo works, theater music, and premieres with leading composers, bringing a deep sensitivity to rhythm, texture, and musical expression.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"copy\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Julian Nikosia<\/h3>Ballet \/ Contemporary \/ ImprovisationJulian Nicosia is a French dancer and choreographer who trained at the Conservatoire National Sup\u00e9rieur de Musique et Danse de Lyon and danced with the Lyon Opera Ballet and Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company. He later became Ballet Master and has choreographed for institutions such as Op\u00e9ra National de Paris and Finnish National Ballet. His work reflects a fusion of technical mastery and choreographic vision rooted in both tradition and experimentation.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"davide\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Davide Pillera<\/h3>Lyrical JazzDavide Pillera is an Italian dancer and teacher based in Basel. Trained at the National Dance Conservatory in Lyon, he has performed in productions including Rom\u00e9o et Juliette at the Zurich Opera House and El Barberillo de Lavapi\u00e9s in Basel. Alongside his stage work, he teaches jazz, hip-hop, and modern dance at SE Studio Basel and the Braswell Arts Center, and regularly leads workshops in contemporary dance.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Temp-960x1200-2\"\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Kate Menghrani<\/h3>YogaKate Menghrani is a yoga teacher based in Basel whose classes center on Vinyasa flow, restoration, and community connection. Teaching since 2004, she is trained in areas including healthy-back yoga, menopause yoga, and restorative practices. Alongside her open classes, she leads women’s circles and community events, creating spaces that blend mindfulness, movement, and support.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"screenshot\"\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Lorena Phan<\/h3>Lyrical JazzLorena Phan is a Swiss dancer whose work bridges contemporary, urban, and commercial styles. From 2012 to 2021 she earned top placements in national and international competitions, including World of Dance Switzerland and the Swiss Jazz Dance Competition. She has performed in productions such as the Christmas Tattoo Basel, Theater Basel, and with artists including Stefanie Heinzmann and DJ Bobo. Alongside her stage career, she teaches Lyrical Jazz at the Braswell Arts Center, encouraging students to explore individuality and authenticity through movement.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"alix\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Alix Dugr\u00e9<\/h3>Kids Ballet \/ Creative Movement\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"daniel\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Daniel Mulligan<\/h3>Ballet \/ ContemporaryDaniel Mulligan is a British dancer and teacher, trained at the Royal Ballet School. He began his career with Junior Ballett Z\u00fcrich before joining the main company, and has performed leading roles in works by William Forsythe, Ji\u0159\u00ed Kyli\u00e1n, Crystal Pite, Edward Clug, and Christian Spuck. In 2022, he received the Professional Dancers’ Postgraduate Teaching Certificate with Distinction from the Royal Academy of Dance. Alongside his performing career, he has taught for companies including Grand Th\u00e9\u00e2tre de Gen\u00e8ve, Ballet du Rhin, and Bern Ballett, and often works as an assistant and r\u00e9p\u00e9titeur for Christian Spuck’s productions.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"salome\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Salome Zibung<\/h3>Pre-Teen Hip Hop\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"max\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Max Zachrisson<\/h3>BalletMax Zachrisson is a Swedish dancer, choreographer, composer, and filmmaker. Trained at the Royal Swedish Ballet School, he began his career at Theater Dortmund, spent eight years with Ballet Staatstheater N\u00fcrnberg, and has been a member of Ballet Basel since 2016. He has performed works by leading choreographers including Mats Ek, Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, and William Forsythe. A recipient of the Bavarian Cultural Prize and the Wolfram von Eschenbach Cultural Prize, he also develops independent projects through Max Zachrisson Productions, blending dance, film, and music.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"marina\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Marina Garrigo\u0301s<\/h3>Ballet \/ NutritionMarina is a Spanish dancer trained at the Institut del Teatre in Barcelona and the Central School of Ballet in London. She began her career with New English Contemporary Ballet before joining Ballet Staatstheater N\u00fcrnberg, where she danced for eight years. Since 2016 she has been a member of Ballet Theater Basel, performing works by choreographers including Mats Ek, Ji\u0159\u00ed Kyli\u00e1n, William Forsythe, and Ohad Naharin. Alongside her stage career, she is studying Dance Movement Therapy in Switzerland.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"img\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Emily Pease<\/h3>YogaEmily Pease is a Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher and 500-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. Trained with Next Generation Yoga (USA), Rainbow Kids Yoga (Australia), and in the Unnata\u00ae Aerial Yoga method, she teaches both children and adults. Her playful classes weave together poses, stories, breath, and games to nurture well-being, confidence, and family connection, while her Vinyasa classes, workshops, and teacher trainings highlight her joyful and mindful approach to yoga.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"fernando\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Fernando Carri\u00f3n Caballero<\/h3>Contemporary \/ BalletFernando Carri\u00f3n Caballero trained at the V\u00edctor Ullate School in Madrid and at the National Dance Academies of The Hague and Madrid. He performed internationally as a soloist with Compa\u00f1\u00eda Nacional de Danza and the Lyon Opera Ballet, collaborating with internationally renowned choreographers. He has taught at institutions including the Conservatoire National Sup\u00e9rieur Musique et Danse de Lyon and has an extensive freelance teaching career across Europe. From 2022 to 2025, he served as Ballet Master at Ballet Basel and in 2026 he joins the Braswell Arts Center Team. Saturdays for Contemporary and Advanced Ballet.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"carla\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Carla Wieden Dobon<\/h3>Beginner BalletCarla Wieden Dobon was a professional ballet dancer with over 15 years of experience as a soloist at institutions such as Ballett Salzburg, Ballett Mainz, and Oper Halle. Alongside her artistic career, she pursued further education in cultural and theater management, completing a a Bachelor’s degree in Ballet Pedagogy (CSDMA, 2021) and Master’s degree in Cultural Management (UOC, 2023). She is currently working as Production Manager and Direction assistant at Ballet Basel.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"dmitry\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Dmitry Khamzin<\/h3>Ballet \/ ContemporaryDmitry Khamzin is a choreographer, filmmaker, and former soloist with the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre in Moscow. Trained at the Perm State Choreography School, he has danced with companies including Aalto Ballet Essen and performed at the Zurich Opera House. His work spans over 20 original creations, blending classical and contemporary movement with a distinctive cinematic vision.\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"2\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Brigitte Pirovano<\/h3>Front Desk\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"smaller\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Marion Maurer<\/h3>Verwaltung\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"smaller\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t

Kalsang Lhap\u00f6npa<\/h3>Verwaltung","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ARMANDO BRASWELL Armando Braswell, a professional dancer and educator hailing from New York City, has made a significant impact in the world of dance. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance from The Juilliard School in 2006, after which he performed with esteemed companies such as Ballett Theater Munich, Gauthier Dance Stuttgart, […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":null,"stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":null,"header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":null,"astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"iawp_total_views":5080,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1499","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/braswellartscenter.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/braswellartscenter.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/braswellartscenter.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/braswellartscenter.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/braswellartscenter.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1499"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/braswellartscenter.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1499\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4079,"href":"https:\/\/braswellartscenter.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1499\/revisions\/4079"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/braswellartscenter.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}