Norma Restier-Smith

Norma, born in Rio de Janiero,  began dancing at age 5. There at age 8 she joined the  “Teatro Municipal”, school for the development of professional dancers, and studied under the Russian master teacher Tatiana Leskowa and Consuelo Rios.

Norma’s career progressed with her acceptance as an apprentice at age 16 and later at 18 joined the Corp de Ballet of Rio where she performed Les Sylphides, Coppelia and Swan Lake.   Her international experience began at age 19 with an invitation from the Stuttgart Ballet to join their company. With the Stuggart Ballet she traveled worldwide. Following the tragic loss of John Cranko in 1973, returning from US tour she moved to Munich where she joined the Munich Ballet company.  With both companies she danced solo works and leading roles.

Some of the major directors’ works in which she has performed in are:

John Cranko;  Fragment (leading role specially choreographed for her),  Brouillards, Jeu de Cartes, Onegin, Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, Opus One, Concerto for Flute and Harp (leading role), Initials R.B.M.E., Swan Lake, Nutcracker and others.

David Sutherland;  Handel Well Synthesized

Jiri Kylian;  Paradox Novelle Society

George Balanchine;  one of Serenade’s leading roles and Symphony in C leading role in the third movement

Peter Wright;  Sleeping Beauty and Giselle

John Neumeir;  Nutcracker  (leading role)

Hans Van Mane;  Ajakaboembie

Jean-Pierre Bonnefus;  Haydn Concerto (leading role)

She had the fortune to share the stage with Margot Fonteyn, Rudolph Nureyev, Carla Fracci, Paolo Bortoluzzi, Natalia Makarowa, Ghislaine Thesmar, Noelle Pontois, Michael Denard,  Mikhail Baryshnikov, Anthony Dowell, Martine Van Hamel, Eva Evidokimowa, Marcia Haydee, Richard Cragun and others.

Although she left her career in 1980 to raise a family, she has remained continuously active in dance as a ballet instructor and choreographer for various Bergen County New Jersey dance schools, notably Joan Wolf’s School of Ballet,  Classic Ballet School, Art of Motion, Dance Extensions, Wyckoff School of Dance and Classic School of Ballet in Pearl River, NY.

She has been a staff member, teacher and choreographer at the Hathaway Academy of Ballet home to the Collin County Ballet Theatre in Texas from 2009 to 2012.

Norma has taught master class at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ and in spring 2012 taught the Dallas audition class for the summer program for the Pittsburgh Ballet. 

Since returning from Dallas in 2012 she has taught at Art of Motion in Ridgewood, Classic Ballet School in Closter and Dance Art Creative Center in Teaneck.  Since April 2019, she has taught at Heart of Motion in Ridgewood.