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, and Ballett Theater Basel.
In addition to his successful dance career, Armando has built a reputation as a highly sought-after teacher, instructing at some of the worldโs most prestigious schools and competitions. His teaching engagements include Tanzakademie Zรผrich, School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theater School, Royal Swedish Ballet School, Basel Ballet School, and the Prix de Lausanne.
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 Wรผrth Arlesheim, and the Basellandschaftliche Kantonalbank.
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 establishment in 2017.
LISA BRASWELL
Lisa Braswell is an ex-dancer from New York City. After graduating from LaGuardia High School Dance Department, Lisa attended Purchase University and Hunter College in New York. She carried her love of dance to her position as Office Manager of one of the most successful instructional dance video companies in the United States. Lisa has administrative experience on an international scale, working for companies in New York, Germany and Basel and in 2015, she successfully completed the Business Course for Female Founders at the Crescenda Founding Center located in Basel, Switzerland. Together with her husband Armando, the couple founded the popular Basel arts space called the Braswell Arts Center in 2017. This idea has since expanded to include the Braswell Arts Association in 2019--a not-for-profit arts association created to bridge the gap between the arts, artists and the community as well as provide opportunities for artistic development and education.