Early life: Bashkim Braho was born in Tirana, the capital of Albania, on March 20, 1948. His talent was noticed at a very young age, and he would dance, encouraged by family members who had fun watching his playful moves. His sister would play the daire (similar to a tambourine), while Bashkim would dance in front of his relatives, getting the first taste of an enthusiastic audience. He completed “Kosova” grade school while dancing as a member of an amateur group. He continued his education at the Lycée Artistic “Jordan Misja.”. Dancing career: In 1962, Braho entered the prestigious School of Music and Dance in Tirana, Albania. While at school, he was a student of the famous Albanian dance instructor, Gezim Kaceli, who trained in Moscow for five years. Braho danced professionally in the Theater of Opera and Ballet in Tirana for 26 years. His extensive and successful artistic career includes international tours in sixteen countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia:

1970 Dijon Festival, France. EFDS was awarded the “Gold medal”.

1971 Dance tour in Kosova, where for the first time he dances as a soloist.

1974 Dance tour in China and Korea.

1976 Dance tour in Sweden and Norway.

1977 Dance tour in Greece.

1978 Dance tour in Greece.

1979 Dance tour in Turkey.

1980 Dance tour in France.

1981 Dance tour in Greece.

1982 Dance tour in Switzerland.

1983 Dance tour in Germany.

1985 Dance tour in Italy

1986 Dance tour in Italy

1987 Dance tour in Italy

1988 Dance tour in Italy

1989 Dance tour in Italy

Choreography: In 1989, Braho established and directed ‘Krahu i Shqiponjes’ (The Eagle’s Wing), a folk ensemble that achieved great success in Albania and abroad. This dance group conducted many performances displaying the ancient Albanian folklore in Croatia (1993), Turkey (1995), and finally Spain (1996), where they were awarded the “Medal of Honor” by Spain’s Art Council.

Across the Atlantic: Moving to Boston, Massachusetts, in 1995, not only did it not end his artistic career, but it gave it a fresh start. The move sparked the establishment of the Bashkimi Dance, which, under his leadership and administration, continues to perform dances from various regions of Albania. Among the many performances worth noting is the one given in honor of former US President Bill Clinton on June 9th, 2003. Another cherished achievement is participation in the annual Balkan Festival in Natick, MA, as well as the annual Albanian Festival in NY. Braho is an important name among the contributors to Albanian art around the world.