Armando captured in mid-air by Ida Zenna.

My second interview will bring you to the wonderful world of Armando Braswell, current member of Gauthier Dance, in Stuttgart, Germany. This man made me laugh throughout college. I always enjoyed being around him because he was full of animated and positive energy. Armando’s outlook on life is an optimistic one. He’s a person who encourages his friends to do their best and an artist who inspires audiences by his passionate dancing.

I know for sure that this friend of mine will go very far in reaching his dreams.

Q&A with Armando:

How did you first get started in dance?

When I was in Junior High School, all of the students were forced to participate in a “talent” program. When it came time to choose our talent we had to list our choices on a special sheet. I chose Industrial Arts as my first choice, and dance as my second. I had absolutely no interest in dance at that time, but I knew all of the girls would pick dance and almost everybody got their first choice anyway, so I thought why not take the risk? Well, as it turned out, the bully of the school picked dance as his first choice for that same reason. I remember seeing the dance teachers huddled in a little group whispering to each other. When it came time to announce the list of dancers - I was on it. You should have seen my face! It wasn’t easy being a male dancer in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, but I had to pass the class in order to graduate…so here I am.

Looking back on it, I realize now what a life-changing decision that was. Dance opened up doors for me that lead me to places I only dreamed of. It brought me out of the ghetto and onto the stage. It was definitely fate working at it’s best.

How was your experience at Juilliard?

When I began to answer this question, I realized it would have to be a two-part answer, as my opinion and appreciation of my time at Juilliard has changed greatly from when I was actually attending the school to now. While I was there, I remember being completely caught up in…you know…just regular life. It was a very fast-paced and intense four years. I was always so busy acting crazy with friends on the plaza; I don’t think I ever truly thought about the magnitude of where I was. It had been a dream of mine to go to Juilliard, and I think I just wanted to experience it to the fullest. I wanted to get everything out of it that I could. And while I definitely think I could have applied myself a bit more, luckily I sort of subconsciously soaked in the information I was given by the incredible staff and am able to apply that now in my professional career.

Now, two years and many auditions and tours later, I realize just how much Juilliard has to offer someone. When you are constantly surrounded by so many wonderful and driven artists, you have no choice but to improve. Meeting so many different people from all over the world who come together to train their craft in such an intense way, was definitely an experience of a lifetime. Upon graduating, I felt so well-prepared for a professional career because of the nurturing and training I received at Juilliard. The school really transformed me into an artist.

To sum it all up, Juilliard was and always will be a time in my life that I look back on with great nostalgia. Not only did I learn so much about how to dance, but teachers like Alphonse Poulin and Lawrence Rhodes prepared me for LIFE as a dancer as well. I owe the school (quite literally actually…those student loans add up!) more than I can ever begin to repay. I am very proud to be a Juilliard graduate.

High school sweethearts, Mr. & Mrs. Armando Braswell at their wedding. (Photo by Michael Hart)

Do you have any idols that you look up to?

I look up to my wife, Lisa who for NINE years has put up with me on a daily basis. A tough job for any person.

I wouldn’t say that I have idols necessarily, but I do have people whose opinion I value and respect tremendously. When I look at the dancers of yesterday and today, I have a great respect for what they have done and what they are doing now. However, my goals are my own and I try not to compare myself to anyone. My mentors, Michelle Benash and Alphonse Poulin and have been major influences in my life. They have guided me as I made decisions throughout my professional career as well as my personal life. They have always been a huge support system for me.

I look up to anyone who looks at life with a positive attitude, despite the challenges they may face. I admire those who have started something from nothing. And I respect anyone who refuses to be told what is possible in their lives. The sky is the limit!

What prompted your career in Europe?

I have always been attracted to a more “European” style of dance. The first time I saw a ballet by Jirí Kylián, I knew right away that I wanted to move like that. The combination of ballet technique with modern fluidity spoke to me in a way I hadn’t experienced before.

I also feel Europe has a lot more to offer me at the moment, both artistically as well as quality of life. Perhaps one day I will consider moving back to New York, but the only way I would feel good about moving back was if I could maintain the standard of living I currently have here in Germany, and that is not possible at the moment. As a dancer in NYC, The rent is high and the pay is low.

How is it like living and working abroad?

Working in Europe, especially Germany, is fantastic for so many reasons. Artists are really taken care of and appreciated in a way I haven’t experienced in New York. We receive a year-round salary, full health benefits, paid vacation, and two pension plans (one very specific plan aimed to aide artists into making a comfortable transition into another career, should they decide or need to). Very few companies offer that type of security in America, and the ones that do are mostly classical. Also, I appreciate the fact that people appreciate me. It’s nice not to hear “What else do you do?” when I tell people I am a dancer. I feel respected here, appreciated…even idolized. A dancer’s career is so short as it is; it’s nice to feel you’re having the type of career you have worked so hard for.

Living here was tough at first. It is a very different culture and maybe not the “ideal” setting for a loud-mouthed boy from Brooklyn. I just had to stay open and things changed. Let’s just say, I’ve become a much more patient man since I moved here in 2006. Sometimes I find myself a bit frustrated when I’m waiting in line for 30 minutes just to speak to someone at the electronics store (only to find out they know nothing about electronics!), but it’s just one of those things you get used to once you live here. I do feel Europeans could perhaps benefit a bit from the very American “Time is Money” way of thinking, but hey, I’m not trying to save the world!

Also, I find traveling around Europe made living here easier as well. Countries are so close to each other here…you can find yourself in a completely different culture in just a few hours. When I need to get away I just hop on a train to Paris, Munich, or Amsterdam. It’s great! When I go home to New York for vacation, I am SO happy to get out of Europe, but I’m SO ready to come back to Stuttgart after 6 weeks. I guess everything is good in moderation, and you just have to be conscious of what your limits are and when you need a change of pace.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by music, paintings, pictures, new experiences, and traveling to new places. Most importantly, I am inspired by seeing others reach their goals. It gives me a sense of hope and meaning. I can’t help but mention that the success of President-Elect Barack Obama has filled me with a level of inspiration and hope that I have never experienced before. Today I truly feel that anything is possible.

Any special projects, plans, or travel in the near future?

Just recently I was asked to present a piece I choreographed earlier this year, at the Tanzwelten Festival 2009 event in Braunschweig, Germany this coming March. I’m very excited as choreographing is something I am becoming increasingly interested in. I haven’t been creating for very long, but I entered the International Competition for Choreographers in Hannover at the beginning of the year and was completely shocked to have made it to the final round with my piece, “In Passage”. So, I will be presenting that duet to an audience in Braunschweig and am thrilled to have the opportunity to show my work and receive some feedback.

As far as the immediate future, I will be traveling to Russia next week to perform in a gala which should be a great experience as I have never been to Russia before, and I’m just busy in the studio creating many different pieces for many different choreographic competitions I plan to enter in this next year. Choreographing really challenges me, as an artist, to explore dance in a way I can’t do as just a dancer. I’m learning to work with people in a different way, as well as put a bit of pressure on myself to constantly look for inspiration in things. I find it to be a great challenge to look for ways to improve or build on something. It’s a way of making something from nothing, which is a challenge in itself.

And, in a shameless effort to plug my work, please feel free to visit my website at www.armandobraswell.com for the latest information on what’s going on in the exciting and always-up-to-something world of Armando Braswell.

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