Teachers
Open
Training
Basel
Alice Bertschy
started dancing in Geneva at the Académie de danse de Genève and then at Dance Area before attending the English National Ballet School in London. she then worked for three seasons with the Polish National Ballet in Warsaw. Following that she took a break to work as a volunteer with horses. She then came to Basel/Alsace and worked with Maria Guerrero. She also works as a massage therapist, Pilates instructor and freelance dance teacher.
Trying to bring ballet back into a more intuitive sense of movement, the class focuses highly on musicality, body awareness, intentions and emotions. While still training pure advanced ballet technique, through imagery, physical and emotional cues, everyone will be shown how to improve their own experience with their individual aspirations and present physical abilities. Returning to the source: Ballet is dance and dance is expression, so ballet technique too can become a catalyst to lightness, joy and freedom within!
Credits Photo: Anne Manko
Andrea
Tortosa
Vidal
was born in Alicante, Spain, and received her training at the María de Ávila Dance Studio. During her training, she won awards in Zaragoza, Torrelavega, and Castellón. She was able to continue her training for a year at NDT 2 in The Hague. Her professional career began in 2004 with Ballett Basel, from where she moved to the Italian company Aterballetto in 2008. In 2012, she returned to Ballett Basel and was named Dancer of the Year in 2016 by the NZZ. She has worked with choreographers such as Richard Wherlock, Jiří Kylián, Hofesh Shechter, Johan Inger, Saburo Teshigawara, Alexander Ekman, Mauro Bigonzetti, Fabrice Mazliah, Angeline Preljocaj, Frank Fannard Pedersen, Itzik Galili, Stijn Celis, Jorma Elo, Stephan Thoss, Jiří Pokorný and Jérôme Bel, among others. Since the beginning of her career, Andrea has felt a deep curiosity and a fervent desire to find her own physical language. This has led her to explore, alongside her work as a dancer, the world of choreography and the creation of numerous works, both solo and in collaboration with artists from various fields. She also regularly teaches classical and modern dance and has led several educational projects in Basel.
With 25 years of daily ballet experience, I am thrilled to guide dancers through the elegance and discipline of this timeless art form. In the classes, you'll find a supportive and encouraging environment toward discovering your own grace and strength and expand it in time and space. Let's embrace the artistry of ballet together, celebrating progress and positivity in every session. Whether you're here to refine your technique or to keep fit, I look forward to dancing with you!
Credits Photo: Matthias Willi
Azusa
Nishimura
is from Hiroshima, Japan. Her repertoire ranges from classical ballet to contemporary dance. She began her professional career in Europe in 2000. Since then she has been living in Zürich and works throughout Switzerland as a dancer, teacher and choreography assistant. Collaborating with artists from other fields as well, she has performed in operas, dance films, theater performances, music videos, commercial events and photo shoots.
Azusa’s ballet classes are for everybody, regardless whether they have a background in classic ballet or contemporary dance. She focuses on the individual bodies of the students and believes that each and every one of us is different. Her barre exercises are fairly simple and designed to help students to pay attention to their body and activate their own resources to be able to maximize their potential when we move on to the centre exercises.
Credits Photo: Woland.photo
Caelyn
Knight
was born in Cape Town, South Africa. She studied dance at the UCT Ballet School and then at the Princess Grace Academy in Monte Carlo. After a brief experience with a youth company (Europadanse), she became a member of the Lyon Opera Ballet. She danced the title roles in "Giselle" by Mats Ek, in „Cendrillon“ by Maguy Marin and in 'Romeo and Juliet' by Angelin Prejlocaj. She has performed in pieces by William Forsythe, Pina Bausch, Jiri Kylián, Mats Ek, Peeping Tom, Ohad Naharin, Marcos Morau, Merce Cunningham, Trisha Brown, Emanuel Gat, Pierre Droulers, Nacho Duato and Lucinda Childs, Angelin Prejlocaj, Benjamin Millepied, Johan Inger, Boris Charmatz, Rachid Ouramdane, Jérôme Bel, Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, Maguy Marin and Fabrice Mazliah. Caelyn has a French teacher's diploma. She has been teaching and coaching in companies such as Lyon Opera Ballet and Theater Ballet Basel, and with students of the National Conservatory of Lyon (Conservatoire National Supérieur de Danse). She started freelancing at the end of 2023. Since then she has been part of various projects including as a guest dancer at the Theater Basel.
Credits Photo:
My goal is to share the sheer joy of dancing while transmitting awareness on how to achieve this: through discipline, but without unnecessary strain. Effort should be useful and efficient as opposed to damaging to the body. The placement of the skeleton is very important in order to achieve this, as well as understanding where relaxation can help to achieve range of movement. Internal musicality is also very important as it leads to muscle intelligence and increased nuance. I strive to transmit the absolute pleasure that I have been lucky enough to experience throughout my career in this incredible art form.
Diego
Benito
Guttiérrez
was born in Madrid, Spain. After completing his dance training at the conservatory there, he worked in dance companies in Spain, France and the Netherlands. In 2009 he moved to Switzerland and danced at Ballett Theater Basel for 14 years, as well as doing various projects in the free scene. In 2016 he was Contemporary Coach at the renowned Prix de Lausanne and since 2022 he is artistic director of the project "UKBB Tanzt" at the Children's Hospital in Basel. He has a masters degree in cultural management from the University of Basel and is currently working as a Manager at Pro Ballet School.
After having worked for 20 years as a professional dancer, I have learned how important it is to have a good time in the studio and finish the class with a good feeling. For me as a teacher, it is essential to continually work on ballet technique and mix it with freedom of movement and different dynamics. Two of the main focuses of my class are combining ballet with qualities usually found in contemporary dance and becoming one with the music.
Credits Photo: David Lagerqvist
Fernando
Carrión
Caballero
was born in Madrid and is now based in Basel. He began his professional career in Victor Ullate's Dance Company in Madrid, and moved to France to join Lyon Opera Ballet in 2003. In Lyon he was able to explore different styles such as dance-theatre, post-modern, conceptual, etc, and work with choreographers like Sasha Waltz, Ohad Naharin, Trisha Brown, Ralph Lemon, Merce Cunningham, Maguy Marin, Jerome Bel, William Forsythe, Rachid Ouramdane, Jiri Kylian and Mats Ek among others. He also obtained the official teaching diploma in France and Spain. In 2010 he joined Compañia Nacional de Danza, as a guest principal soloist. In 2012 he started freelancing as a dancer, choreographer, assistant choreographer and teacher. He has taught for diverse companies such as Lyon Opera Ballet, Angelin Preljocaj, Wayne McGregor's company, Deutsche Oper Ballet, and has led workshops in France and Spain. He was a guest dancer for a Jiri Kylian program at the Norwegian National Ballet and participated in different projects. He choreographed the animated dance film “Sonata”, which was broadcast by Arte. He received awards for "22h21m", a piece performed in countries including France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany and Norway. He was rehearsal director for Ballet Basel under the direction of Richard Werlock and Adolphe Binder. He has assisted with choreographies of Jiri kylian, Sharon Eyal, Marcos Morau, Edward Clug, Bobbi Jene Smith, Andonis Foniadakis, Hofesh Shechter, Saburo Teshigawara and La Ribot among others.
My aim in ballet class is to obtain a result by using visualization: through using imaginary elements, rather than prioritizing the posture or the form of classical dance. Nowadays, dancers are exposed to different styles, so the purpose is to encompass all their needs in order to make them work with fluidity and awareness of how to use their weight. I also like to insist on putting the right energy in the right place, therefore, allowing them to avoid unnecessary tension. Musicality in class is an essential tool for giving the right nuances and freedom. It helps to give a vast choice of textures and qualities to their movement.
Oliver
Daehler
was trained as a dancer at the Royal Ballet School in London. He danced with the Royal Ballet London, the Royal Ballet of Flanders in Antwerp and from 1994 to 1999 for the Bern Ballett under the direction of Martin Schläpfer. In the same theater he worked for three years as a ballet master and choreographer. Oliver has created more than 30 choreographies (commissions including the Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater Schwerin, the Stadttheater Bern and the Lucerne Festival). These include full-length ballets as well as site-specific performances. In 2001 he won a scholarship from the Canton of Bern which enabled him to complete a six-month advanced training course in Modern, Contemporary Dance and Ballett in New York (et al. with David Howard, Zvi Gotheiner, Risa Steinberg, Alan Danielson and Steve Paxton). Oliver is a Certified teacher of RAD and completed the NDS Tanzkultur at the University of Bern in 2007. In 2008 he attended Ohad Naharin's Gaga-Intensive course in Tel Aviv. From 2009 to 2011 Oliver worked as a ballet master and choreographer in residence at the Tanz Luzerner Theater. Since the season 2011/2012 he works as a freelance choreographer, dance teacher and coach.
Oliver’s ballet class focuses on correct body placement, fluidity in breath and movement qualities as well as musicality. Enjoy dancing with “minimum effort and a maximum result”. www.danceproductions.ch
Credits Photo: Julia Szemerédy
Stefanie
Fischer
Credits Photo: Ian Wahlen
Due to her Vaganova education, Stefanie's ballet class is based on the Russian technique. It is also strongly influenced by her many years of dancing in different places. The class is built with a clear structure and supports the pleasure of moving and dancing. Musicality and challenging combinations are important components in the class. They help to create a playful and positive atmosphere.
is a dance teacher, assistant and rehearsal director, and has a master’s degree at the ZHdK, University of Arts Zürich, in teaching and coaching professional dancers. She received her diploma in dance from Tanz Akademie Zürich in 2006. During her education she won the Migros Tanz Studien Preis three years in a row. After graduating, she danced with Ballet Kiel in Germany, performed as a freelance dancer in various productions across Europe and co-founded the dance collectives Bufo Makmal and the ConFusionArt Collective. From 2015 to 2020 she was a solo dancer and training leader at Tanzkompanie Theater St.Gallen. As a guest she regularly teaches ballet at the Bachelor Contemporary Dance in Zürich and occasionally ballet and contemporary in theatre companies across Switzerland and Austria. She has worked as a rehearsal director for SNOW Productions in Basel and at Theater Münster.
