VIRTUAL BENEFIT GALA
The Braswell Arts Center is a space for creativity, collaboration and innovation in all art forms. Since 2017, we are proud to offer dance classes and other artistic experiences for all ages, levels, and body types as well as create fresh initiatives for underprivileged children and development opportunities for emerging artists. Through arts education and exchange, the BAC strives to encourage collaboration, creation, networking and entrepreneurship within the local and international arts community.
Due to government restrictions in place to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the BAC has been closed for 6 of the last 12 months and — even when we've been able to open — operating with a limited capacity for another 5 months due to distancing restrictions. As you can imagine, the effects of these last 11 months have impacted us greatly. We are in a difficult position at the moment, however we remain positive!
In an effort to raise awareness about the current situation of the BAC, we welcome you to join us for the Braswell Arts Center Virtual Benefit Gala. Featuring an evening of high-quality dance performances from artists all around the world, the goal of this fundraiser event is to raise support for the BAC as well as to help us continue moving forward in our mission to #KeepBaselMoving.
To support the BAC and the artists, a donation of CHF 20 per person is appreciated, however please feel free to give more if you can! Please fill out the form to make your donation.
Alternatively, donations can also be made via PayPal (admin@braswellartscenter.com) or bank transfer:
Braswell Arts Center
IBAN: CH23 0023 3233 2014 9401 W
BIC: UBSWCHZH80A
Please be sure to put "Virtual Gala Donation" in the transfer note and send us an email so we know how to contact you.
On the day of the Gala, a Zoom link will be sent to you via email. If you're not able to join us for the livestream, the performance will be available for 24 hours after to be enjoyed at your convenience.
Please be sure to add admin@braswellartscenter.com as a contact with your email provider to ensure you receive our emails. We look forward to having you join us for this special evening and thank you in advance for supporting the BAC!
JERMAINE MAURICE SPIVEY
Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Jermaine Maurice Spivey is an educator, choreographer and an award winning performer working in the field of Dance since 2002. He has spent the bulk of his career traveling throughout the United States, Canada and Europe teaching workshops, performing and staging works by artists such as Crystal Pite, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Hofesh Shecter, William Forsythe and Swedish singer, songwriter and producer Robyn. His recent choreographic commission, Terms And Conditions (2019), was premiered by Rambert 2 at Sadler’s Wells in London, UK. Jermaine’s most recent commission, The Betweens(2020), was created with collaborator and partner Spenser Theberge and the dancers of LA Dance Project for a drive-in dance performance programmed and produced by LA Dance Project. Jermaine has also created and performed two evening length works with Spenser Theberge, Rather This Then (2017) and Position 3 (2018), the later co-created and performed with filmmaker John De Menil, with support and co-production from Navel LA and Cal Arts Dance. Photo Credits: Jermaine Maurice Spivey
SPENSER THEBERGE
Spenser Theberge is a performer and creator, working across the fields of choreography, dance, movement direction, text, costume design, pedagogy, and installation work. He is a graduate of The Juilliard School and a former company member with the Nederlands Dans Theater I & II and The Forsythe Company, as well as a guest artist with Kidd Pivot, the Goteborgs Operans Danskompani, the ARIAS Company, and RGWW. Spenser's creations have been commissioned and presented by LA Dance Project, The Broad Museum, MOCA Geffen, REDCAT, The Korzo Theater, Gothenburg Opera Dance Company, Place des Arts, The Juilliard School, and the Queer Biennial III in LA. Spenser's collaborations with partner Jermaine Spivey have been additionally supported by Hollins University, PACT Zollverein, Nuova Officina della Danza, and presented by The Korzo Theater, The Frankfurt LAB, Place des Arts, DISJECTA, Reed College, and NAVEL. As a movement director, Spenser has worked with artists ranging from Taylor Swift to Rami Malek, and he's designed costumes for Andrea Miller, The ARIAS Company, and Frances Chiaverini. He is also the text writer behind Alexander Ekman's award winning "Cacti". Spenser is on the dance faculty at California Institute of the Arts, a YoungArts award winner, a Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and a Princess Grace Award winner. Photo Credits: Jacob Jonas
BRYAN ARIAS
Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Bryan moved with his family to New York City at the age of nine. While growing up Bryan was exposed to many urban and social dance styles, receiving his formal dance training at La Guardia High School for the Performing Arts. As a dancer, Bryan went on to perform with Complexions Contemporary Ballet, The Netherlands Dance Theater (NDT), and Crystal Pite’s company Kidd Pivot. He has originated roles in and performed in works by notable choreographers including Jirí Kylián, Ohad Naharin and Crystal Pite. As a choreographer, Bryan is the recipient of the 2017 Princess Grace Choreography Fellowship Award, the 2019 Jacobs Pillow Fellowship Award, and the 2020 prestigious German Der Faust Award in choreography. Bryan's workhas been performed around the world with companies such as the Paul Taylor Company, Netherlands Dance Theater, Ballet Theater Basel, Tanz Lucerne Theater, Hessisches Staatsballet, and the Bolshoi Ballet. Photo Credits: Joao Canziani
BOBBI JENE SMITH
Bobbi Jene Smith is from Ames, Iowa. She is an alumnus of the Juilliard School, North Carolina School of the Arts, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. From 2005-2014 she was a member of the Batsheva Dance Company under the artistic direction of Ohad Naharin. She has worked and collaborated with a variety of artists around the world including Ohad Naharin, Sharon Eyal, Celia Rowlson-Hall, Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More and Martha Clarke. She is a certified Gaga teacher and has taught the repertory of Ohad Naharin in schools and universities around the U.S. since 2005. She is in constant process with her three most recent works, A Study on Effort, Harrowing, and Arrowed.
CLYDE EMMANUEL ARCHER
Clyde Emmanuel Archer was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Barbados W.I. before returning to New York City where he began his training with Eliot Feld’s BalletTech school (Feld Ballet / The New Ballet School) Later, he attended the Professional Performing Arts School, while simultaneously training at The Ailey School. Clyde then studied at The Juilliard School, and receive his BFA in dance under the direction of Benjamin Harkarvy. In 1997, Clyde received a level 1 Arts award from the Arts Recognition and Talent Search foundation and a presidential scholar award. In 2000 he received the Princess Grace Award and was invited by Eliot Feld as a guest artist with BalletTech. Clyde’s has worked with Compañía Nacional de Danza with Nacho Duato, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Gothenburg Opera Ballet, Cullberg Ballet, The Royal Swedish Ballet where he performed works by Mats Ek, and Sasha Waltz and Guest, and is currently working with Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar ́s L-E-V Dance Company.
JULIAN NICOSIA
Julian NICOSIA is a choreographer and dancer. Born in Saint-Etienne France in 1989. Julian studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon from 2006 to 2010. As a dancer he began his career at the Ballet de l’Opéra de Lyon in 2010 under the artistic direction of Yorgos Loukos. During five years in the company, Julian performed in and created works for the most notables Choreographer including William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Mats EK, Trisha Brown, Ohad Naharin, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Maguy Marin among others. In 2015, he began to dance for the choreographer Jacopo Godani in Frankfurt am Main. Two years later, he began as his choreographic assistant as well as to re-set his pieces in prestigious company. As a choreographer, Julian created "How long is now" for the Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company in 2018. Julian was also invited to film his work "LESLI " at the Fondation BEYELER in Basel, Switzerland in 2019. For his season 2020/2021 Julian will create multiples work around the world: a new "pas de deux" for Maria Kochetkova and Sebastian Kloborg, a new "pas de deux" for Ines Mcintosh and Jack Gasztowtt, a new creation for the Ensemble chorégraphique de Paris (CNSMDP) and a new creation in Mexico full evening. His work will be performed in France, Belgium, Mexico and Switzerland. Photo Credits: Dominik Mentoz
COREY SCOTT GILBERT
Born in Washington DC, Corey Scott-Gilbert began his dance training at the Baltimore School for the Arts and continued at the Juilliard School. After graduating he was invited to the Lyon Opéra Ballet, to then become a member of Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet in 2007. He won the Princess Grace Award in 2009. He was made a member of the Cirque du Soleil in 2010 and appeared with the “Iris” programme as part of the Academy Awards in 2012 . He returned to Europe in 2013 to work as a freelance artist. He is currently collaborating with Sascha Waltz, Richard Siegal and Eszter Salamon.
RACHELLE SCOTT AND DAYNE FLORENCE
Rachelle Scott is French/American and grew up in New York City. She received her dance training from The Alvin Ailey School and Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and the Performing Arts. At the end of her high school studies, she received the Young ARTS/New York Regional Award in Dance and the Eiger Scholarship Award. Rachelle then went to attend The Juilliard School, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. After graduating from University, Rachelle became a member of the Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet in New York City, a soloist dancer with Nürnberg Ballett Staatstheater in Germany, and is a current member of Basel Theater in Switzerland. Throughout her dance career, she has danced works by Hofesh Shechter, Sharon Eyal, Alexander Ekman, Ohad Naharin, Cyrstal Pite, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Andonis Foniadakis, Jiří Kylián, among others. Rachelle is a recipient of the Princess Grace Award and Bavarian Arts Prize.
Dayne Florence is Australian, and was born in the city of Sydney. He began his dance education with the Mcdonald College of Performing Arts, and furthered his training with the Ballettschule Theater Basel. Whilst studying in Basel, he had his first professional experience as an apprentice with the Ballet du Rhin in Mulhouse, France. Once he completed his education in Basel, Dayne became a member of the NRW Junior Ballett Dortmund under the directorship of Xin Peng Wang, a soloist artist with Ballet Nürnberg with Goyo Montero, and is now a member of Ballet Basel. Over the years, Dayne has performed works by Jacopo Godani, Marco Geocke, Itzik Galili, Heinz Spoerli, Goyo Montero, Xin Peng Wang, among other choreographers.
RILEY WATTS
Riley is a dance artist and producer in Portland, Maine. He works with dance improvisation, video art, sculpture, music, and live installations centered around states of consciousness through the body in motion. Riley has been an artist-in-residence at SPACE, Bates Dance Festival, Hewnoaks Artist Colony, and the Ellis Beauregard Foundation in Rockland, Maine. Riley is a passionate arts advocate and producer in his home state of Maine since returning from Europe in 2016. He is the co-creator of Portland Dance Month, an initiative to highlight the Fall season of dance & performance in Maine. Riley continues to travel widely to perform in the work of choreographer William Forsythe, currently with A Quiet Evening of Dance.
OLIVIA ANCONA
Olivia Ancona was born in San Francisco, however grew up in Berkeley, London, and predominately Portland, Oregon. After training at the Juilliard School, she joined the Batsheva Ensemble (2010-2012) under the direction of Ohad Naharin and returned to the main company in 2015.Olivia was a founding member of Sharon Eyal’s LEV, and has worked with Mats EK, Johan Inger, Wim Vandekeybus in the Royal Swedish Ballet, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (Eastman), Luca Veggetti, Örjan Andersson, Bryan Arias, and Oona Doherty. She was a guest with the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch and Goteborg Danskompani. In the fall of 2016 Olivia danced, acted, and coached in the film, Suspiria.Throughout the past decade Olivia has taught gaga, improvisation, and research/repertoire workshops for over thirty-five institutions internationally. She also sets Sharon Eyal’s works on companies within Europe. Most recently she joined Alan Lucien Øyen’s, Winter Guests for the productions of ‘Story, story, die’ 2019 and current creation ‘Rivers’ 2021. Olivia is based in Berlin.
ARMANDO BRASWELL
Armando Braswell is a professional dancer and teacher from New York City. After graduating from LaGuardia High School dance department Armando obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance from The Juilliard School in 2006. Armando danced with Ballett Theater Munich, Gauthier Dance Stuttgart and just recently completed his final season as a soloist with Ballett Theater Basel. Aside from his dancing career, Armando has established himself as a guest teacher in high demand, teaching amateurs and professionals worldwide, and has also choreographed for many stages throughout Europe as well as for television. In addition to his artistic activities, Armando is also active in the journalistic field. His popular arts blog, "Interview En L'air", has become widely known in the international dance scene and earned him a place at "Dance For You Magazine” as a permanent correspondent. In 2015, Armando began to build an arts community in Basel where dancers of all levels and all body types could train in a supportive and professional environment. This idea has since expanded and in 2017, he and his wife Lisa founded the “Braswell Arts Center” – a space for innovation and collaboration in all art forms located in Basel, Switzerland. www.armandobraswell.com
RODERICK GEORGE
Roderick George was born in Houston,Texas, where he began his studies and classical training at Ben Stevenson’s Houston Ballet Academy. Roderick continued to develop his skill by exploring other techniques at The Alvin Ailey School, Miami City Ballet, and LINES Professional Program all the while developing a collaboration of the techniques at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, TX. After his general studies Roderick left his hometown and assimilated in New York City, where he began his undergraduate studies at SUNY Purchase College in 2003. Before starting his professional career, he was a bronze winner of the Youth American Grand Prix in New York City in 2005 and was elected as a Presidential Scholar of the Arts in 2003, where he performed for the US President at the Kennedy Center. Roderick joined Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet in 2005, which was very early on in his career engraving the beginning of his footprints in the dance world. Roderick explored more of New York as he danced with Sidra Bell Dance NY, Forces of Nature and the Kevin Wynn Collection, until he decided to move abroad to Switzerland where Roderick joined the Basel Ballet/ Theater Basel in 2007 and later to guest with the Goteborg Operan DansKompani. Roderick joined The Forsythe Company in Frankfurt, Germany. Where he learnt and shared his greatest moments with William Forsythe. His career has embraced the collaborations of his work and other great choreographers such as Peeping Tom, Jorma Elo, Jerome Bel, Jacopo Godani, William Forsythe, Johan Inger, Jiří Kylian, Sharon Eyal, Ohan Naharin, Benoit Swan-Pouffer, Richard Wherlock, Tino Seghal and many others. Roderick has found much media attention namely, via his performance at the Swiss MTV Music Awards for DJ Antoine and Hercules & Love Affair music video, "Do You Feel the Same?"
KYRA JEAN GREEN
Kyra Jean Green is an American artist born abroad in France, raised in Florida, and currently residing in Montreal, Canada. She obtained her BFA in dance from The Juilliard School in 2006. The following year in 2007 she was a winner of the Hubbard Street II choreographic competition and was also commissioned by the Kennedy Center to present an evening of her work. She has since presented work internationally. In 2019 Kyra created new works in Germany for Choreolab made in Ulm and in Seattle Washington for Whim W’him’s choreographic shindig. Later that year she also presented her company at Prisma Dance Festival in Panama. She was the winner of Prix Coup de Coeur du Public at Festival Quartiers Danses in September 2016, 2018, and 2020. After ten years of working as a dancer in 2017, Kyra decided it was time to create her own company which she named Trip The Light Fantastic. The company involves dancers, visual artists, and filmmakers based in the Montreal community. The company made its debut at the Festival Quartiers Danses in Montreal Canada and has since performed in Panama, Denmark, New York, and Portugal. You can find more info about Kyra and her company at www.TripTheLightFantastic.me Photo Credits: Hunish Parmar
DOMINIC SANTIA
Originally from Michigan, USA, Dominic received his B.F.A from The Juilliard School in 2006. After his studies he joined La La La Human Steps (2006-09) under the direction of Edouard Lock for the production "Amjad". He then spent some time as a guest with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal before joining Nederlands Dans Theater in December of 2009. At NDT he had the opportunity to work with Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, Jiri Kylian, Sol Leo and Paul Lightfoot as well as several other choreographers. Following his time at NDT, he joined Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar, and toured internationally as a member of their company L-E-V, and is now working as a freelance artist.
HARUMI TERAYAMA
Harumi was born in Osaka, Japan, and is currently based in Berlin. She received BFA from The Juilliard School, and worked with many artists and companies such as Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, GöteborgsOperans Danskompani, and Staatsballett Berlin. She is a certified GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® trainer since 2015. Parallel to her dancer career, she developed an interest for film editing, and one of her works, “Replaced Vision” has been selected and screened for various international film festivals, and she is one of the editors for Dance Masterclass, an online dance educational platform featuring Daniil Simkin, Polina Semionova, Iana Salenko and other internationally known dancers. www.harumiterayama.com
JUBAL BATTISTI
Jubal Battisti is a Berlin-based, US-born photographer and dancer. He is a graduate of The Juilliard School and the New York Institute of Photography. Since moving to Berlin in 2014, Jubal has created still and moving imagery for dance-makers Andreas Heise, Sergiu Matis, Moritz Ostruschnjak, Sebastian Mattias, Josep Caballero García, Marquet Lee, and Roderick George. He has also collaborated with companies such as CORPUS, Dance On Ensemble, Kollektiv 52°07, Skånes Dansteater, Jø Stromgren Kompani, Of Curious Nature, and Staatsballett Berlin. www.jubalbattisti.com
ANDREA TORTOSA VIDAL
Andrea Tortosa Vidal was born in 1986 in Alicante, Spain and received her education at the Estudio de Danza María de Ávila. During her studies she won prizes in Zaragoza (2001, 2003), Torrelavega (2002) and Castellón (2004). She was able to continue her training for one year at NDT 2. Her professional career began at the Basel Ballet from where she moved to the Italian Aterballetto in 2008. She resumed her work at Theater Basel in 2012 and has been dancing in Richard Wherlock’s company ever since. She has created various choreographic works, such as ‹Calzini Diversi› (2010), ‹1x4=1› (2011), ‹Generazione Persa› (2012), ‹Playground› (2015), ‹Being Frank Pedersen› (2017) ‹Untitled› (2016), ‹Nachtklang Experimental› (2018), ‹Studies for one Disklavier piano II› (2018). She regularly gives lessons in classical and modern dance and was nominated Dancer of the Year in 2016. She has worked with choreographers such as Jiří Kylián, Mauro Bigonzetti, Johan Inger, Hofesh Shechter, Alexander Ekman, Angeline Preljocaj, Bryan Arias, Itzik Galili, Stijn Celis, Jiří Pokorný and Richard Wherlock. In 2020 she will lead the education project ‹Suite de Danses Expérimentales›, which will take place together with the Basel Chamber Orchestra and the Fachmaturitätsschule Basel.
MAX ZACHRISSON
The swede Max Zachrisson is a professional ballet dancer currently dancing for the Ballet of Theater Basel. Apart from his dance career Max is also active as a freelance filmmaker and music composer. Max was born in Gothenburg, Sweden and started his professional training at the age of 11 at the Swedish Ballet School in Göteborg. After taking a break from dancing to study music, he finished his education at the Royal Swedish Ballet School as a classical ballet dancer. He started his professional dance career in Theater Dortmund and after 8 years of working for Ballet Staatstheater Nürnberg he joined Ballet Basel in 2016. Since his first piece for Staatstheater Nürnberg in 2013, Max is also active as a choreographer and has done several pieces for stage and for film. As a dancer Max has been awarded with the Bavarian Cultural Prize 2013, the Wolfram von Essenbach Cultural Prize 2016 and nominated for the german theatre prize “der Faust” 2016. Max is the founder of Max Zachrisson Productions which makes short films and trailers for artists and companies, including the blog “INSIDE BALLET THEATER BASEL”. As a film maker, Max has won the dance film competition “Movies by Movers” and was awarded with the “Best of festival award” at the Third Coast Dance Film Festival. Both for his short film “Alone? In the theatre!” from 2013. Photo Credits: Max Zachrisson
IHSAN RUSTEM
FLOCK: FLORIAN LOCHNER and ALICE KLOCK
JON OLE OLSTAD
Jon Ole Olstad started dancing at the age of 16 and took his first ballet class when auditioning for a high school dance department. He quickly realized dancing was his big passion and that he would do anything to make his dream of becoming a professional dancer come true. Later he was accepted into the National Academy of the Arts in Oslo, and graduated with a bachelor degree in 2009. After college he was hired for the tour project “Kamuyot”, a collaboration between the Swedish Riksteatern and Batsheva Dance Company led by artistic director Ohad Naharin. During this time he participated in daily ‘gaga’ class, the training form used in Batsheva Dance Company, and developed a great love and respect for this work. In 2010 Jon Ole formed the choreographic duo “Ruth n ´Walter” together with Caroline Skjoershammer. Their first duet “Epilogue” got invited to the Cross Connection Choreography Competition and in 2012 they created “Dear, its time to turn the lights off”, which was performed in different festivals and venues. In 2013, Jon Ole was hired by Nederlands Dans Theater 1, led by artistic director Paul Lightfoot. He has worked with choreographers such as Paul Lighfoot and Sol Leon, Johan Inger, Hofesh Shechter, Marco Goecke, Alexander Ekman, Jiri Kylian, Mehdi Walerski and Crystal Pite. In 2015 he was awarded 1. Prize in the prestigious competition, International Solo- Tanz Festival in Stuttgart. With his solo “and we already knew the names”, he was awarded the first “Prize in Dance” and the first “Prize in Choreography. He started teaching in 2009 and has a huge passion for sharing his knowledge and the love of dance. He has taught at numerous colleges and studios across Norway, as well as in Los Angeles and New York City. His teaching credits include Alonzo King LINES Ballet Training Program in San Fransisco, New York University/Tisch, The National Academy Of The Arts in Oslo, Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles, Movement Lifestyle and Opificio Movimento in Rome.
CARLOS BLANCO
Carlos Blanco, born in 1989 in Pinar del Río Cuba, began in 2001 his dance studies at the Provincial Art School, Raúl Sánchez García and later in 2004, he went on to study at the prestigious National School of Art. In 2007 he was part of the cast of the Corpus Spíritu, Alma Company, directed by Tangin Fong Matos. In 2009 he became part of the world famous Danza Contemporánea de Cuba, under the direction of Miguel Iglesias and later reached the category of Principal Dancer where he performed works by some of the most renowned choreographers of today. In 2013 he presented „Deslinde“, choreography of his authorship with Lisvet Barcia. In 2015 he joined Acosta Danza, led by world famous Cuban ballet dancer Carlos Acosta. He obtained the Male Performance Award from the UNEAC and the Ramiro Guerra Award Interpretation Award in 2017. Carlos Luis has performed all over the word in some of the most iconic festivals, Galas and opera houses. He worked for new roles as such as for principal parts by contemporary choreographers of our time, a.o. Rafael Bonachela, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Kenneth Kvamstrom, Jan Linkens, Itsik Galili, Tangin Fong Matos, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Goyo Montero, Carlos Acosta, Saburo Teshigawara, Juliano Núñez, Miguel Altunaga, Marianela Boan, Maria Rovira, Jorge Crecis and Pontus Lidberg. Since season 2020/2021, he is a member of Ballet Nuremberg.
SHAMEL PITTS
2020 Guggenheim Fellow Shamel Pitts is a performance artist, choreographer, conceptual artist, dancer, spoken word artist, and teacher. Born in Brooklyn New York, Shamel began his dance training at LaGuardia High School for Music & Art and the Performing Arts and, simultaneously, at The Ailey School. He is 2003 YoungArts Finalist and a first prize (level 1) winner of the YoungArts competition. Shamel then went on to receive his BFA in Dance from The Juilliard School and was awarded the Martha Hill Award for excellence in dance. He began his dance career in Mikhail Baryshnikov’s Hell’s Kitchen Dance and BJM_Danse Montreal. Shamel danced with Batsheva Dance Company for 7 years, under the artistic direction of Ohad Naharin and is a certified teacher of Gaga movement language. Shamel has created a triptych of award winning multidisciplinary performance art works known as his “BLACK series” which has been performed and toured extensively to many festivals around the world since 2016. He is an adjunct at The Juilliard School and has been an artist in residence at Harvard University. Shamel is the choreographer of the play “Help” by acclaimed poet and playwright Claudia Rankine, directed by Taibi Magar, and commissioned at The Shed in New York. He is the recipient of a 2018 Princess Grace Award in Choreography and a 2019 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship Award winner in Choreography. Shamel is the artistic director/founder of TRIBE , a New York based multidisciplinary arts collective. TRIBE is a 92Y Harkness Dance Center’s Artist In Residence for the 2020-2021 season. For more information, visit www.shamelpitts.com or www.itsatribe.org.
ALBA CARBONELL
From Valencia, Spain, Alba began her dance career at the age of 17 with Teatres de la Generalitat Valenciana dance company. In 2007, she joined the Compañia Nacional de Danza 2 under the leadership of Nacho Duato, and after, she was a soloist with the Ballet Theater Basel.In 2012, Alba began her choreographic career with a work titled ”Bipolar Skin”. The work was awarded second prize at the Certamen Internacional de Coreografía Burgos & New York, and won the Audience Choice Award at the 5th Copenhagen International Choreography Competition. She has been nominated for a 21st. PREMIOS MAX de las artes escénicas (21st. MAX Awards in Spain), and received second prize at Synodales - Concours Chorégraphique Contemporain for her choreography "The Breathing Room". In 2019 she won the Gold Medal and received the best choreography award at the 5th Beijing Ballet and Choreography Competition for her work "Remember me, like this”, and a choreography award at the Oltner Tanztage, NEW IDEAS II for her work "Before You Land”. Alba has creating original work for Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, Opèra National du Rhin (France) and ZhDK in Zürich. With upcoming commissions for SFDanceworks in San Fransisco (USA), Austinmer Dance Theatre (Australia). Alba is the co-founder, director and choreographer of Snorkel Rabbit Company. Photo Credits: Jubal Battisi
NORBERT DE LA CRUZ III
Born in Bayombong Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines and raised in Los Angeles, CA Norbert De La Cruz III is a freelance dance artist. He received his BFA in dance from the Juilliard School and his MFA in dance from Hollins University. As a pre-professional, he was honored the Music Center's 17th annual Spotlight Award, the Emerging Young Artist Award, Youth America Grand Prix 2nd place in non-classical, and represented the Juilliard School at Kodak Theatre’s first annual Dizzy Feet Foundation Gala in Hollywood, CA. Professionally, Norbert has performed as a soloist with the Metropolitan Opera's production of Aida, Aszure Barton & Artists in Germany & Austria , Balletto Teatro di Torino (Italy), Sydney Skybetter & Associates, Santa Clarita Ballet, Lustig Dance Theatre, Boca Tuya, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Norbert's choreographic career was further mentored by esteemed Aspen Santa Fe Ballet (ASFB) Directors, Tom Mossbrucker and Jean-Philippe Malaty. His early career was recognized through the support of the Jerome Robbins Foundation’s NEW Essential Works Grant (2012), commissioning his first large-scale ballet, “Square None” (2012) with ASFB. He was then a finalist of Hubbard Street’s National Choreographic Competition (2013), a Princess Grace Foundation-USA Award under the choreography fellowship (2012), Alvin Ailey New Directions Choreography Lab (2013), finalist for the Joffrey Academy of Dance’s 2014 Winning Works and a recipient for the 2015 National Choreographic Initiative in Irvine, CA. He was selected for the 2017 and 2018 Spring Sessions at the New York Choreographic Institute, an affiliate of New York City Ballet, where he created his “Lunar” and "Traces" ballet alongside Juilliard composer and esteemed collaborator, Nathan Prillaman. Additional honorable mentions include the Asian Arts Alliance Jadin Wong Award, McCallum Theatre Choreography Festival Award, and was featured in Dance Magazines Top 25 to watch. He has since been commissioned to create for companies such as Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Hubbard Street 2, Joffrey Academy of Dance, James Sewell Ballet, Tulsa Ballet II, Barak Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, Ballet Florida, Peridance, Golden State Ballet, Attack Theatre, Ballet X, and Periapsis Music & Dance. De La Cruz has instructed and created works for such schools as The Juilliard School, SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance, Ailey Fordham University, Princeton University, University of Richmond, Hollins University, Marymount Manhattan College, Columbia University, Cal State University of Long Beach, Hartford University, Grier Private School and Golden State Ballet. He is in constant search of inspiration; seeking for more valuable collaborations and human connections.
BRUNO RACO
Classical Pianist, Composer, Arranger and Music Teacher. Classical pianist and accompanist since 1999 in Italy and abroad. At present I work as: Ballet Pianist at the Basel Theater, Music Theory Teacher at HWS Huber Widemann Schule, Freelance Composer, Pianist for competitions like "Prix de Lausanne", "Beijing International Ballet Competition" and ballet workshops
JAVIER RODRIGUEZ COBOS
Javier Rodríguez Cobos began his dance education at Real Conservatorio Professional de Danza de Madrid to then start his career as a profesional dancer in Compañia Nacional de Danza, Madrid, under the direction of Nacho Duato. He continued his path in Ballet de L’Opera National du Rhin in Mulhouse, follow by two years at Introdans in Arnhem. Since 2008 Javier is part of the ensemble of Ballett Theater Basel. During this time he has enriched his movement and creative work with a big variety of choreographers such as Ohad Naharin, Jirí Kylián, Hofesh Schechter, Sharon Eyal, Alexander Ekman, Johan Inger, Angelin Preljoçaj, Bryan Arias and Richard Wherlock. Javier has a great interest for choreography, he has created several short pieces at Theater Basel for the program Dance Lab, as well as choreographed and performed in the theatre play ‹Das Ende von Eddy› in 2017. He was commissioned to create pieces for Landesmuseum Zürich and Kunstmuseum Basel. Since 2015 he is part of the Verein Loop Tanz where he often presents his work at Neuetsheater Dornach.
FRANK FANNAR PEDERSEN
Frank Fannar Pedersen began his dance education at The National Ballet School of Iceland. Before graduating in 2008 he was a guest student at The Finnish National Opera Ballet School in Helsinki in 2006. He started his professional career with an apprenticeship in Iceland Dance Company before moving to Barcelona in Spain to dance for IT Dansa. In 2011 he was hired as a solo dancer for Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, directed by Stephan Thoss. Since 2014 he´s employed by Ballet Theater Basel under the direction of Richard Wherlock. Pedersen has performed work by choreographers such as Jiři Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Johan Inger, Hofesh Shechter, Alexander Ekman, Sharon Eyal, Stijn Celis, Ed Wubbe, Bryan Arias, Stephan Thoss and Richard Wherlock, among others. He was nominated as Hoffnungsträger des Jahres 2015 by the Jahrbuch Tanz. Pedersen´s choreographic career commenced in 2012, and consists of commissioned work for National Theater Mannheim, Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, Iceland Dance Company, Ballet Theater Basel as well as participation in Hannover Choreographic Competition, Tanzplatform Bern, Nordic Cool in Washington and Salisbury International Arts Festival in the UK.
BAC DRINK SUGGESTIONS
Here are a few drink suggestions we have carefully selected to enhance your BAC Virtual Gala experience. We chose to use simple recipes with ingredients you can find around your home. Gather the ingredients, mix the beverage and enjoy!
BAC is a small and young business and like all small businesses, we have been hit hard by the Coronavirus pandemic.
We are in a difficult and precarious position, however we remain positive! Any donations made will go directly to supporting the future of BAC and is deeply appreciated!
To make a donation, please click on the button below. If you have any trouble submitting your donation form, please let us know.
Donations can also be made via PayPal (admin@braswellartscenter.com) or bank transfer:
Braswell Arts Center
IBAN: CH23 0023 3233 2014 9401 W
BIC: UBSWCHZH80A
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a very tough time for the world. The past year has been full of uncertainty and restrictions and -- ironically in such a pandemic-- it has been difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle when “stay at home” orders of quarantine have left our routines to stay active no longer consistent. The minds and bodies of the Basel community have been under an extraordinary amount of stress and, as we know, movement plays a big role in mental and physical health recovery. When this pandemic is past us, it is time to change this story.
#KeepBaselMoving is an initiative aimed to revive the struggling dance and fitness industry through an organized and united effort to inspire and educate the Basel public. Through various movement workshops, performances, lectures, installations, creative advertisements and community events, we plan to not only to get children and adults moving again, but also introduce them to arts and culture and -- most importantly -- give them tools and resources to create fun and healthy habits for the future.
#KeepBaselMoving is not only a “post COVID stimulus” but also a way to inspire the people of Basel while promoting community and teamwork among Basel businesses. We see this as an opportunity to promote a positive message about movement and it's impact on health as well as bring attention to the diversity of the offerings in Basel and the importance of the Basel movement community. Through the support of corporate sponsors, we can create and nurture a high-quality lasting platform, open to all ages and all body types.
BAC IN THE NEWS
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VIRTUAL BENEFIT GALA
The Braswell Arts Center is a space for creativity, collaboration and innovation in all art forms. Since 2017, we are proud to offer dance classes and other artistic experiences for all ages, levels, and body types as well as create fresh initiatives for underprivileged children and development opportunities for emerging artists. Through arts education and exchange, the BAC strives to encourage collaboration, creation, networking and entrepreneurship within the local and international arts community.
Due to government restrictions in place to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the BAC has been closed for 6 of the last 12 months and — even when we've been able to open — operating with a limited capacity for another 5 months due to distancing restrictions. As you can imagine, the effects of these last 11 months have impacted us greatly. We are in a difficult position at the moment, however we remain positive!
In an effort to raise awareness about the current situation of the BAC, we welcome you to join us for the Braswell Arts Center Virtual Benefit Gala. Featuring an evening of high-quality dance performances from artists all around the world, the goal of this fundraiser event is to raise support for the BAC as well as to help us continue moving forward in our mission to #KeepBaselMoving.
To support the BAC and the artists, a donation of CHF 20 per person is appreciated, however please feel free to give more if you can! Please fill out the form to make your donation.
Alternatively, donations can also be made via PayPal (admin@braswellartscenter.com) or bank transfer:
Braswell Arts Center
IBAN: CH23 0023 3233 2014 9401 W
BIC: UBSWCHZH80A
Please be sure to put "Virtual Gala Donation" in the transfer note and send us an email so we know how to contact you.
On the day of the Gala, a Zoom link will be sent to you via email. If you're not able to join us for the livestream, the performance will be available for 24 hours after to be enjoyed at your convenience.
Please be sure to add admin@braswellartscenter.com as a contact with your email provider to ensure you receive our emails. We look forward to having you join us for this special evening and thank you in advance for supporting the BAC!
JERMAINE MAURICE SPIVEY
Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Jermaine Maurice Spivey is an educator, choreographer and an award winning performer working in the field of Dance since 2002. He has spent the bulk of his career traveling throughout the United States, Canada and Europe teaching workshops, performing and staging works by artists such as Crystal Pite, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Hofesh Shecter, William Forsythe and Swedish singer, songwriter and producer Robyn. His recent choreographic commission, Terms And Conditions (2019), was premiered by Rambert 2 at Sadler’s Wells in London, UK. Jermaine’s most recent commission, The Betweens(2020), was created with collaborator and partner Spenser Theberge and the dancers of LA Dance Project for a drive-in dance performance programmed and produced by LA Dance Project. Jermaine has also created and performed two evening length works with Spenser Theberge, Rather This Then (2017) and Position 3 (2018), the later co-created and performed with filmmaker John De Menil, with support and co-production from Navel LA and Cal Arts Dance. Photo Credits: Jermaine Maurice Spivey
SPENSER THEBERGE
Spenser Theberge is a performer and creator, working across the fields of choreography, dance, movement direction, text, costume design, pedagogy, and installation work. He is a graduate of The Juilliard School and a former company member with the Nederlands Dans Theater I & II and The Forsythe Company, as well as a guest artist with Kidd Pivot, the Goteborgs Operans Danskompani, the ARIAS Company, and RGWW. Spenser's creations have been commissioned and presented by LA Dance Project, The Broad Museum, MOCA Geffen, REDCAT, The Korzo Theater, Gothenburg Opera Dance Company, Place des Arts, The Juilliard School, and the Queer Biennial III in LA. Spenser's collaborations with partner Jermaine Spivey have been additionally supported by Hollins University, PACT Zollverein, Nuova Officina della Danza, and presented by The Korzo Theater, The Frankfurt LAB, Place des Arts, DISJECTA, Reed College, and NAVEL. As a movement director, Spenser has worked with artists ranging from Taylor Swift to Rami Malek, and he's designed costumes for Andrea Miller, The ARIAS Company, and Frances Chiaverini. He is also the text writer behind Alexander Ekman's award winning "Cacti". Spenser is on the dance faculty at California Institute of the Arts, a YoungArts award winner, a Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and a Princess Grace Award winner. Photo Credits: Jacob Jonas
BRYAN ARIAS
Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Bryan moved with his family to New York City at the age of nine. While growing up Bryan was exposed to many urban and social dance styles, receiving his formal dance training at La Guardia High School for the Performing Arts. As a dancer, Bryan went on to perform with Complexions Contemporary Ballet, The Netherlands Dance Theater (NDT), and Crystal Pite’s company Kidd Pivot. He has originated roles in and performed in works by notable choreographers including Jirí Kylián, Ohad Naharin and Crystal Pite. As a choreographer, Bryan is the recipient of the 2017 Princess Grace Choreography Fellowship Award, the 2019 Jacobs Pillow Fellowship Award, and the 2020 prestigious German Der Faust Award in choreography. Bryan's workhas been performed around the world with companies such as the Paul Taylor Company, Netherlands Dance Theater, Ballet Theater Basel, Tanz Lucerne Theater, Hessisches Staatsballet, and the Bolshoi Ballet. Photo Credits: Joao Canziani
BOBBI JENE SMITH
Bobbi Jene Smith is from Ames, Iowa. She is an alumnus of the Juilliard School, North Carolina School of the Arts, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. From 2005-2014 she was a member of the Batsheva Dance Company under the artistic direction of Ohad Naharin. She has worked and collaborated with a variety of artists around the world including Ohad Naharin, Sharon Eyal, Celia Rowlson-Hall, Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More and Martha Clarke. She is a certified Gaga teacher and has taught the repertory of Ohad Naharin in schools and universities around the U.S. since 2005. She is in constant process with her three most recent works, A Study on Effort, Harrowing, and Arrowed.
CLYDE EMMANUEL ARCHER
Clyde Emmanuel Archer was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Barbados W.I. before returning to New York City where he began his training with Eliot Feld’s BalletTech school (Feld Ballet / The New Ballet School) Later, he attended the Professional Performing Arts School, while simultaneously training at The Ailey School. Clyde then studied at The Juilliard School, and receive his BFA in dance under the direction of Benjamin Harkarvy. In 1997, Clyde received a level 1 Arts award from the Arts Recognition and Talent Search foundation and a presidential scholar award. In 2000 he received the Princess Grace Award and was invited by Eliot Feld as a guest artist with BalletTech. Clyde’s has worked with Compañía Nacional de Danza with Nacho Duato, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Gothenburg Opera Ballet, Cullberg Ballet, The Royal Swedish Ballet where he performed works by Mats Ek, and Sasha Waltz and Guest, and is currently working with Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar ́s L-E-V Dance Company.
JULIAN NICOSIA
Julian NICOSIA is a choreographer and dancer. Born in Saint-Etienne France in 1989. Julian studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon from 2006 to 2010. As a dancer he began his career at the Ballet de l’Opéra de Lyon in 2010 under the artistic direction of Yorgos Loukos. During five years in the company, Julian performed in and created works for the most notables Choreographer including William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Mats EK, Trisha Brown, Ohad Naharin, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Maguy Marin among others. In 2015, he began to dance for the choreographer Jacopo Godani in Frankfurt am Main. Two years later, he began as his choreographic assistant as well as to re-set his pieces in prestigious company. As a choreographer, Julian created "How long is now" for the Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company in 2018. Julian was also invited to film his work "LESLI " at the Fondation BEYELER in Basel, Switzerland in 2019. For his season 2020/2021 Julian will create multiples work around the world: a new "pas de deux" for Maria Kochetkova and Sebastian Kloborg, a new "pas de deux" for Ines Mcintosh and Jack Gasztowtt, a new creation for the Ensemble chorégraphique de Paris (CNSMDP) and a new creation in Mexico full evening. His work will be performed in France, Belgium, Mexico and Switzerland. Photo Credits: Dominik Mentoz
COREY SCOTT GILBERT
Born in Washington DC, Corey Scott-Gilbert began his dance training at the Baltimore School for the Arts and continued at the Juilliard School. After graduating he was invited to the Lyon Opéra Ballet, to then become a member of Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet in 2007. He won the Princess Grace Award in 2009. He was made a member of the Cirque du Soleil in 2010 and appeared with the “Iris” programme as part of the Academy Awards in 2012 . He returned to Europe in 2013 to work as a freelance artist. He is currently collaborating with Sascha Waltz, Richard Siegal and Eszter Salamon.
RACHELLE SCOTT AND DAYNE FLORENCE
Rachelle Scott is French/American and grew up in New York City. She received her dance training from The Alvin Ailey School and Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and the Performing Arts. At the end of her high school studies, she received the Young ARTS/New York Regional Award in Dance and the Eiger Scholarship Award. Rachelle then went to attend The Juilliard School, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. After graduating from University, Rachelle became a member of the Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet in New York City, a soloist dancer with Nürnberg Ballett Staatstheater in Germany, and is a current member of Basel Theater in Switzerland. Throughout her dance career, she has danced works by Hofesh Shechter, Sharon Eyal, Alexander Ekman, Ohad Naharin, Cyrstal Pite, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Andonis Foniadakis, Jiří Kylián, among others. Rachelle is a recipient of the Princess Grace Award and Bavarian Arts Prize.
Dayne Florence is Australian, and was born in the city of Sydney. He began his dance education with the Mcdonald College of Performing Arts, and furthered his training with the Ballettschule Theater Basel. Whilst studying in Basel, he had his first professional experience as an apprentice with the Ballet du Rhin in Mulhouse, France. Once he completed his education in Basel, Dayne became a member of the NRW Junior Ballett Dortmund under the directorship of Xin Peng Wang, a soloist artist with Ballet Nürnberg with Goyo Montero, and is now a member of Ballet Basel. Over the years, Dayne has performed works by Jacopo Godani, Marco Geocke, Itzik Galili, Heinz Spoerli, Goyo Montero, Xin Peng Wang, among other choreographers.
RILEY WATTS
Riley is a dance artist and producer in Portland, Maine. He works with dance improvisation, video art, sculpture, music, and live installations centered around states of consciousness through the body in motion. Riley has been an artist-in-residence at SPACE, Bates Dance Festival, Hewnoaks Artist Colony, and the Ellis Beauregard Foundation in Rockland, Maine. Riley is a passionate arts advocate and producer in his home state of Maine since returning from Europe in 2016. He is the co-creator of Portland Dance Month, an initiative to highlight the Fall season of dance & performance in Maine. Riley continues to travel widely to perform in the work of choreographer William Forsythe, currently with A Quiet Evening of Dance.
OLIVIA ANCONA
Olivia Ancona was born in San Francisco, however grew up in Berkeley, London, and predominately Portland, Oregon. After training at the Juilliard School, she joined the Batsheva Ensemble (2010-2012) under the direction of Ohad Naharin and returned to the main company in 2015.Olivia was a founding member of Sharon Eyal’s LEV, and has worked with Mats EK, Johan Inger, Wim Vandekeybus in the Royal Swedish Ballet, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (Eastman), Luca Veggetti, Örjan Andersson, Bryan Arias, and Oona Doherty. She was a guest with the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch and Goteborg Danskompani. In the fall of 2016 Olivia danced, acted, and coached in the film, Suspiria.Throughout the past decade Olivia has taught gaga, improvisation, and research/repertoire workshops for over thirty-five institutions internationally. She also sets Sharon Eyal’s works on companies within Europe. Most recently she joined Alan Lucien Øyen’s, Winter Guests for the productions of ‘Story, story, die’ 2019 and current creation ‘Rivers’ 2021. Olivia is based in Berlin.
ARMANDO BRASWELL
Armando Braswell is a professional dancer and teacher from New York City. After graduating from LaGuardia High School dance department Armando obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance from The Juilliard School in 2006. Armando danced with Ballett Theater Munich, Gauthier Dance Stuttgart and just recently completed his final season as a soloist with Ballett Theater Basel. Aside from his dancing career, Armando has established himself as a guest teacher in high demand, teaching amateurs and professionals worldwide, and has also choreographed for many stages throughout Europe as well as for television. In addition to his artistic activities, Armando is also active in the journalistic field. His popular arts blog, "Interview En L'air", has become widely known in the international dance scene and earned him a place at "Dance For You Magazine” as a permanent correspondent. In 2015, Armando began to build an arts community in Basel where dancers of all levels and all body types could train in a supportive and professional environment. This idea has since expanded and in 2017, he and his wife Lisa founded the “Braswell Arts Center” – a space for innovation and collaboration in all art forms located in Basel, Switzerland. www.armandobraswell.com
RODERICK GEORGE
Roderick George was born in Houston,Texas, where he began his studies and classical training at Ben Stevenson’s Houston Ballet Academy. Roderick continued to develop his skill by exploring other techniques at The Alvin Ailey School, Miami City Ballet, and LINES Professional Program all the while developing a collaboration of the techniques at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, TX. After his general studies Roderick left his hometown and assimilated in New York City, where he began his undergraduate studies at SUNY Purchase College in 2003. Before starting his professional career, he was a bronze winner of the Youth American Grand Prix in New York City in 2005 and was elected as a Presidential Scholar of the Arts in 2003, where he performed for the US President at the Kennedy Center. Roderick joined Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet in 2005, which was very early on in his career engraving the beginning of his footprints in the dance world. Roderick explored more of New York as he danced with Sidra Bell Dance NY, Forces of Nature and the Kevin Wynn Collection, until he decided to move abroad to Switzerland where Roderick joined the Basel Ballet/ Theater Basel in 2007 and later to guest with the Goteborg Operan DansKompani. Roderick joined The Forsythe Company in Frankfurt, Germany. Where he learnt and shared his greatest moments with William Forsythe. His career has embraced the collaborations of his work and other great choreographers such as Peeping Tom, Jorma Elo, Jerome Bel, Jacopo Godani, William Forsythe, Johan Inger, Jiří Kylian, Sharon Eyal, Ohan Naharin, Benoit Swan-Pouffer, Richard Wherlock, Tino Seghal and many others. Roderick has found much media attention namely, via his performance at the Swiss MTV Music Awards for DJ Antoine and Hercules & Love Affair music video, "Do You Feel the Same?"
KYRA JEAN GREEN
Kyra Jean Green is an American artist born abroad in France, raised in Florida, and currently residing in Montreal, Canada. She obtained her BFA in dance from The Juilliard School in 2006. The following year in 2007 she was a winner of the Hubbard Street II choreographic competition and was also commissioned by the Kennedy Center to present an evening of her work. She has since presented work internationally. In 2019 Kyra created new works in Germany for Choreolab made in Ulm and in Seattle Washington for Whim W’him’s choreographic shindig. Later that year she also presented her company at Prisma Dance Festival in Panama. She was the winner of Prix Coup de Coeur du Public at Festival Quartiers Danses in September 2016, 2018, and 2020. After ten years of working as a dancer in 2017, Kyra decided it was time to create her own company which she named Trip The Light Fantastic. The company involves dancers, visual artists, and filmmakers based in the Montreal community. The company made its debut at the Festival Quartiers Danses in Montreal Canada and has since performed in Panama, Denmark, New York, and Portugal. You can find more info about Kyra and her company at www.TripTheLightFantastic.me Photo Credits: Hunish Parmar
DOMINIC SANTIA
Originally from Michigan, USA, Dominic received his B.F.A from The Juilliard School in 2006. After his studies he joined La La La Human Steps (2006-09) under the direction of Edouard Lock for the production "Amjad". He then spent some time as a guest with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal before joining Nederlands Dans Theater in December of 2009. At NDT he had the opportunity to work with Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, Jiri Kylian, Sol Leo and Paul Lightfoot as well as several other choreographers. Following his time at NDT, he joined Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar, and toured internationally as a member of their company L-E-V, and is now working as a freelance artist.
HARUMI TERAYAMA
Harumi was born in Osaka, Japan, and is currently based in Berlin. She received BFA from The Juilliard School, and worked with many artists and companies such as Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, GöteborgsOperans Danskompani, and Staatsballett Berlin. She is a certified GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® trainer since 2015. Parallel to her dancer career, she developed an interest for film editing, and one of her works, “Replaced Vision” has been selected and screened for various international film festivals, and she is one of the editors for Dance Masterclass, an online dance educational platform featuring Daniil Simkin, Polina Semionova, Iana Salenko and other internationally known dancers. www.harumiterayama.com
JUBAL BATTISTI
Jubal Battisti is a Berlin-based, US-born photographer and dancer. He is a graduate of The Juilliard School and the New York Institute of Photography. Since moving to Berlin in 2014, Jubal has created still and moving imagery for dance-makers Andreas Heise, Sergiu Matis, Moritz Ostruschnjak, Sebastian Mattias, Josep Caballero García, Marquet Lee, and Roderick George. He has also collaborated with companies such as CORPUS, Dance On Ensemble, Kollektiv 52°07, Skånes Dansteater, Jø Stromgren Kompani, Of Curious Nature, and Staatsballett Berlin. www.jubalbattisti.com
ANDREA TORTOSA VIDAL
Andrea Tortosa Vidal was born in 1986 in Alicante, Spain and received her education at the Estudio de Danza María de Ávila. During her studies she won prizes in Zaragoza (2001, 2003), Torrelavega (2002) and Castellón (2004). She was able to continue her training for one year at NDT 2. Her professional career began at the Basel Ballet from where she moved to the Italian Aterballetto in 2008. She resumed her work at Theater Basel in 2012 and has been dancing in Richard Wherlock’s company ever since. She has created various choreographic works, such as ‹Calzini Diversi› (2010), ‹1x4=1› (2011), ‹Generazione Persa› (2012), ‹Playground› (2015), ‹Being Frank Pedersen› (2017) ‹Untitled› (2016), ‹Nachtklang Experimental› (2018), ‹Studies for one Disklavier piano II› (2018). She regularly gives lessons in classical and modern dance and was nominated Dancer of the Year in 2016. She has worked with choreographers such as Jiří Kylián, Mauro Bigonzetti, Johan Inger, Hofesh Shechter, Alexander Ekman, Angeline Preljocaj, Bryan Arias, Itzik Galili, Stijn Celis, Jiří Pokorný and Richard Wherlock. In 2020 she will lead the education project ‹Suite de Danses Expérimentales›, which will take place together with the Basel Chamber Orchestra and the Fachmaturitätsschule Basel.
MAX ZACHRISSON
The swede Max Zachrisson is a professional ballet dancer currently dancing for the Ballet of Theater Basel. Apart from his dance career Max is also active as a freelance filmmaker and music composer. Max was born in Gothenburg, Sweden and started his professional training at the age of 11 at the Swedish Ballet School in Göteborg. After taking a break from dancing to study music, he finished his education at the Royal Swedish Ballet School as a classical ballet dancer. He started his professional dance career in Theater Dortmund and after 8 years of working for Ballet Staatstheater Nürnberg he joined Ballet Basel in 2016. Since his first piece for Staatstheater Nürnberg in 2013, Max is also active as a choreographer and has done several pieces for stage and for film. As a dancer Max has been awarded with the Bavarian Cultural Prize 2013, the Wolfram von Essenbach Cultural Prize 2016 and nominated for the german theatre prize “der Faust” 2016. Max is the founder of Max Zachrisson Productions which makes short films and trailers for artists and companies, including the blog “INSIDE BALLET THEATER BASEL”. As a film maker, Max has won the dance film competition “Movies by Movers” and was awarded with the “Best of festival award” at the Third Coast Dance Film Festival. Both for his short film “Alone? In the theatre!” from 2013. Photo Credits: Max Zachrisson
IHSAN RUSTEM
FLOCK: FLORIAN LOCHNER and ALICE KLOCK
JON OLE OLSTAD
Jon Ole Olstad started dancing at the age of 16 and took his first ballet class when auditioning for a high school dance department. He quickly realized dancing was his big passion and that he would do anything to make his dream of becoming a professional dancer come true. Later he was accepted into the National Academy of the Arts in Oslo, and graduated with a bachelor degree in 2009. After college he was hired for the tour project “Kamuyot”, a collaboration between the Swedish Riksteatern and Batsheva Dance Company led by artistic director Ohad Naharin. During this time he participated in daily ‘gaga’ class, the training form used in Batsheva Dance Company, and developed a great love and respect for this work. In 2010 Jon Ole formed the choreographic duo “Ruth n ´Walter” together with Caroline Skjoershammer. Their first duet “Epilogue” got invited to the Cross Connection Choreography Competition and in 2012 they created “Dear, its time to turn the lights off”, which was performed in different festivals and venues. In 2013, Jon Ole was hired by Nederlands Dans Theater 1, led by artistic director Paul Lightfoot. He has worked with choreographers such as Paul Lighfoot and Sol Leon, Johan Inger, Hofesh Shechter, Marco Goecke, Alexander Ekman, Jiri Kylian, Mehdi Walerski and Crystal Pite. In 2015 he was awarded 1. Prize in the prestigious competition, International Solo- Tanz Festival in Stuttgart. With his solo “and we already knew the names”, he was awarded the first “Prize in Dance” and the first “Prize in Choreography. He started teaching in 2009 and has a huge passion for sharing his knowledge and the love of dance. He has taught at numerous colleges and studios across Norway, as well as in Los Angeles and New York City. His teaching credits include Alonzo King LINES Ballet Training Program in San Fransisco, New York University/Tisch, The National Academy Of The Arts in Oslo, Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles, Movement Lifestyle and Opificio Movimento in Rome.
CARLOS BLANCO
Carlos Blanco, born in 1989 in Pinar del Río Cuba, began in 2001 his dance studies at the Provincial Art School, Raúl Sánchez García and later in 2004, he went on to study at the prestigious National School of Art. In 2007 he was part of the cast of the Corpus Spíritu, Alma Company, directed by Tangin Fong Matos. In 2009 he became part of the world famous Danza Contemporánea de Cuba, under the direction of Miguel Iglesias and later reached the category of Principal Dancer where he performed works by some of the most renowned choreographers of today. In 2013 he presented „Deslinde“, choreography of his authorship with Lisvet Barcia. In 2015 he joined Acosta Danza, led by world famous Cuban ballet dancer Carlos Acosta. He obtained the Male Performance Award from the UNEAC and the Ramiro Guerra Award Interpretation Award in 2017. Carlos Luis has performed all over the word in some of the most iconic festivals, Galas and opera houses. He worked for new roles as such as for principal parts by contemporary choreographers of our time, a.o. Rafael Bonachela, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Kenneth Kvamstrom, Jan Linkens, Itsik Galili, Tangin Fong Matos, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Goyo Montero, Carlos Acosta, Saburo Teshigawara, Juliano Núñez, Miguel Altunaga, Marianela Boan, Maria Rovira, Jorge Crecis and Pontus Lidberg. Since season 2020/2021, he is a member of Ballet Nuremberg.
SHAMEL PITTS
2020 Guggenheim Fellow Shamel Pitts is a performance artist, choreographer, conceptual artist, dancer, spoken word artist, and teacher. Born in Brooklyn New York, Shamel began his dance training at LaGuardia High School for Music & Art and the Performing Arts and, simultaneously, at The Ailey School. He is 2003 YoungArts Finalist and a first prize (level 1) winner of the YoungArts competition. Shamel then went on to receive his BFA in Dance from The Juilliard School and was awarded the Martha Hill Award for excellence in dance. He began his dance career in Mikhail Baryshnikov’s Hell’s Kitchen Dance and BJM_Danse Montreal. Shamel danced with Batsheva Dance Company for 7 years, under the artistic direction of Ohad Naharin and is a certified teacher of Gaga movement language. Shamel has created a triptych of award winning multidisciplinary performance art works known as his “BLACK series” which has been performed and toured extensively to many festivals around the world since 2016. He is an adjunct at The Juilliard School and has been an artist in residence at Harvard University. Shamel is the choreographer of the play “Help” by acclaimed poet and playwright Claudia Rankine, directed by Taibi Magar, and commissioned at The Shed in New York. He is the recipient of a 2018 Princess Grace Award in Choreography and a 2019 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship Award winner in Choreography. Shamel is the artistic director/founder of TRIBE , a New York based multidisciplinary arts collective. TRIBE is a 92Y Harkness Dance Center’s Artist In Residence for the 2020-2021 season. For more information, visit www.shamelpitts.com or www.itsatribe.org.
ALBA CARBONELL
From Valencia, Spain, Alba began her dance career at the age of 17 with Teatres de la Generalitat Valenciana dance company. In 2007, she joined the Compañia Nacional de Danza 2 under the leadership of Nacho Duato, and after, she was a soloist with the Ballet Theater Basel.In 2012, Alba began her choreographic career with a work titled ”Bipolar Skin”. The work was awarded second prize at the Certamen Internacional de Coreografía Burgos & New York, and won the Audience Choice Award at the 5th Copenhagen International Choreography Competition. She has been nominated for a 21st. PREMIOS MAX de las artes escénicas (21st. MAX Awards in Spain), and received second prize at Synodales - Concours Chorégraphique Contemporain for her choreography "The Breathing Room". In 2019 she won the Gold Medal and received the best choreography award at the 5th Beijing Ballet and Choreography Competition for her work "Remember me, like this”, and a choreography award at the Oltner Tanztage, NEW IDEAS II for her work "Before You Land”. Alba has creating original work for Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, Opèra National du Rhin (France) and ZhDK in Zürich. With upcoming commissions for SFDanceworks in San Fransisco (USA), Austinmer Dance Theatre (Australia). Alba is the co-founder, director and choreographer of Snorkel Rabbit Company. Photo Credits: Jubal Battisi
NORBERT DE LA CRUZ III
Born in Bayombong Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines and raised in Los Angeles, CA Norbert De La Cruz III is a freelance dance artist. He received his BFA in dance from the Juilliard School and his MFA in dance from Hollins University. As a pre-professional, he was honored the Music Center's 17th annual Spotlight Award, the Emerging Young Artist Award, Youth America Grand Prix 2nd place in non-classical, and represented the Juilliard School at Kodak Theatre’s first annual Dizzy Feet Foundation Gala in Hollywood, CA. Professionally, Norbert has performed as a soloist with the Metropolitan Opera's production of Aida, Aszure Barton & Artists in Germany & Austria , Balletto Teatro di Torino (Italy), Sydney Skybetter & Associates, Santa Clarita Ballet, Lustig Dance Theatre, Boca Tuya, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Norbert's choreographic career was further mentored by esteemed Aspen Santa Fe Ballet (ASFB) Directors, Tom Mossbrucker and Jean-Philippe Malaty. His early career was recognized through the support of the Jerome Robbins Foundation’s NEW Essential Works Grant (2012), commissioning his first large-scale ballet, “Square None” (2012) with ASFB. He was then a finalist of Hubbard Street’s National Choreographic Competition (2013), a Princess Grace Foundation-USA Award under the choreography fellowship (2012), Alvin Ailey New Directions Choreography Lab (2013), finalist for the Joffrey Academy of Dance’s 2014 Winning Works and a recipient for the 2015 National Choreographic Initiative in Irvine, CA. He was selected for the 2017 and 2018 Spring Sessions at the New York Choreographic Institute, an affiliate of New York City Ballet, where he created his “Lunar” and "Traces" ballet alongside Juilliard composer and esteemed collaborator, Nathan Prillaman. Additional honorable mentions include the Asian Arts Alliance Jadin Wong Award, McCallum Theatre Choreography Festival Award, and was featured in Dance Magazines Top 25 to watch. He has since been commissioned to create for companies such as Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Hubbard Street 2, Joffrey Academy of Dance, James Sewell Ballet, Tulsa Ballet II, Barak Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, Ballet Florida, Peridance, Golden State Ballet, Attack Theatre, Ballet X, and Periapsis Music & Dance. De La Cruz has instructed and created works for such schools as The Juilliard School, SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance, Ailey Fordham University, Princeton University, University of Richmond, Hollins University, Marymount Manhattan College, Columbia University, Cal State University of Long Beach, Hartford University, Grier Private School and Golden State Ballet. He is in constant search of inspiration; seeking for more valuable collaborations and human connections.
BRUNO RACO
Classical Pianist, Composer, Arranger and Music Teacher. Classical pianist and accompanist since 1999 in Italy and abroad. At present I work as: Ballet Pianist at the Basel Theater, Music Theory Teacher at HWS Huber Widemann Schule, Freelance Composer, Pianist for competitions like "Prix de Lausanne", "Beijing International Ballet Competition" and ballet workshops
JAVIER RODRIGUEZ COBOS
Javier Rodríguez Cobos began his dance education at Real Conservatorio Professional de Danza de Madrid to then start his career as a profesional dancer in Compañia Nacional de Danza, Madrid, under the direction of Nacho Duato. He continued his path in Ballet de L’Opera National du Rhin in Mulhouse, follow by two years at Introdans in Arnhem. Since 2008 Javier is part of the ensemble of Ballett Theater Basel. During this time he has enriched his movement and creative work with a big variety of choreographers such as Ohad Naharin, Jirí Kylián, Hofesh Schechter, Sharon Eyal, Alexander Ekman, Johan Inger, Angelin Preljoçaj, Bryan Arias and Richard Wherlock. Javier has a great interest for choreography, he has created several short pieces at Theater Basel for the program Dance Lab, as well as choreographed and performed in the theatre play ‹Das Ende von Eddy› in 2017. He was commissioned to create pieces for Landesmuseum Zürich and Kunstmuseum Basel. Since 2015 he is part of the Verein Loop Tanz where he often presents his work at Neuetsheater Dornach.
FRANK FANNAR PEDERSEN
Frank Fannar Pedersen began his dance education at The National Ballet School of Iceland. Before graduating in 2008 he was a guest student at The Finnish National Opera Ballet School in Helsinki in 2006. He started his professional career with an apprenticeship in Iceland Dance Company before moving to Barcelona in Spain to dance for IT Dansa. In 2011 he was hired as a solo dancer for Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, directed by Stephan Thoss. Since 2014 he´s employed by Ballet Theater Basel under the direction of Richard Wherlock. Pedersen has performed work by choreographers such as Jiři Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Johan Inger, Hofesh Shechter, Alexander Ekman, Sharon Eyal, Stijn Celis, Ed Wubbe, Bryan Arias, Stephan Thoss and Richard Wherlock, among others. He was nominated as Hoffnungsträger des Jahres 2015 by the Jahrbuch Tanz. Pedersen´s choreographic career commenced in 2012, and consists of commissioned work for National Theater Mannheim, Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, Iceland Dance Company, Ballet Theater Basel as well as participation in Hannover Choreographic Competition, Tanzplatform Bern, Nordic Cool in Washington and Salisbury International Arts Festival in the UK.
BAC DRINK SUGGESTIONS
Here are a few drink suggestions we have carefully selected to enhance your BAC Virtual Gala experience. We chose to use simple recipes with ingredients you can find around your home. Gather the ingredients, mix the beverage and enjoy!
BAC is a small and young business and like all small businesses, we have been hit hard by the Coronavirus pandemic.
We are in a difficult and precarious position, however we remain positive! Any donations made will go directly to supporting the future of BAC and is deeply appreciated!
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Braswell Arts Center
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The COVID-19 pandemic has been a very tough time for the world. The past year has been full of uncertainty and restrictions and -- ironically in such a pandemic-- it has been difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle when “stay at home” orders of quarantine have left our routines to stay active no longer consistent. The minds and bodies of the Basel community have been under an extraordinary amount of stress and, as we know, movement plays a big role in mental and physical health recovery. When this pandemic is past us, it is time to change this story.
#KeepBaselMoving is an initiative aimed to revive the struggling dance and fitness industry through an organized and united effort to inspire and educate the Basel public. Through various movement workshops, performances, lectures, installations, creative advertisements and community events, we plan to not only to get children and adults moving again, but also introduce them to arts and culture and -- most importantly -- give them tools and resources to create fun and healthy habits for the future.
#KeepBaselMoving is not only a “post COVID stimulus” but also a way to inspire the people of Basel while promoting community and teamwork among Basel businesses. We see this as an opportunity to promote a positive message about movement and it's impact on health as well as bring attention to the diversity of the offerings in Basel and the importance of the Basel movement community. Through the support of corporate sponsors, we can create and nurture a high-quality lasting platform, open to all ages and all body types.
BAC IN THE NEWS
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