Noralma Vera Arrata
Encyclopedia
Noralma Vera Arrata is a former Ecuadorian prima ballerina and choreographer.
Vera Arrata was born in Guayaquil
, Ecuador
where she grew up as the only daughter among three sons of the distinguished politician
and former Culture minister Alfredo Vera Vera and his wife, Baltita Arrata Macias.
She comes from a prominent intellectual
family
in the country. Her brother, Alfredo Vera Arrata
, is a former Education minister
and Minister of Interior of Ecuador
. Her uncle was the writer Pedro Jorge Vera
.
Noralma Vera married 1959 the painter Patricio Cueva Jaramillo
in Ecuador in order to departure with him to Cuba
. Her father-in-law was the politician Carlos Cueva Tamaríz
.
. February 21, 1957 she traveled to London due to a scholarship to perfectionate her dancing at The Royal Ballet. By then, Vera was already a prominent figure in her home country and her departure was well publicitied in the media. She danced 1958 in Paris
under Gzovsky and Jeanine Charrat. 1960 she went to Cuba
with her husband, where she worked with Alicia Alonso
until 1968 when she returned to her home country.
In 1968 she presented Affirmation, a Modern dance
Ballet with music by Carlos Cháves. Her interest for Modern dance took her to introduce the Graham Technic for Contemporary dance
in Ecuador, which she had learned 1972 at the Martha Gram Dance School in New York
.
The Ecuadorian National Ballet Company was created on 7 Juni 1976 in Quito
and Noralma Vera, by then Director of the National Dance Institute, was elected as part of the Directors Board. Vera founded 1978 her own ballet company and academy in her home city.
After retiring from active dancing, Vera worked as a diplomat
in Mexico
and Cuba.
Vera Arrata was born in Guayaquil
Guayaquil
Guayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port...
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
where she grew up as the only daughter among three sons of the distinguished politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and former Culture minister Alfredo Vera Vera and his wife, Baltita Arrata Macias.
She comes from a prominent intellectual
Intellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
in the country. Her brother, Alfredo Vera Arrata
Alfredo Vera Arrata
Alfredo Vera Arrata was the Minister of Interior of Ecuador from January 2011 to June 2011.Born to the politician and lawyer Alfredo Vera Vera and his wife, Baltita Arrata Macías, Alfredo Vera Arrata was born in Guayaquil as the second of four children...
, is a former Education minister
Education minister
An education minister is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters.-Country-related articles and lists:Minister of Education may refer to:...
and Minister of Interior of Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. Her uncle was the writer Pedro Jorge Vera
Pedro Jorge Vera
Pedro Jorge Vera was an Ecuadorian writer and Communist Party of Ecuador politician. He contributed to several newspapers and magazines of controversial character "La Calle", with the writer Alejandro Carrión, as well as "La Mañana". He remained throughout his life a close friend of Cuban...
.
Noralma Vera married 1959 the painter Patricio Cueva Jaramillo
Patricio Cueva Jaramillo
Patricio Cueva Jaramillo was a Latin American painter and journalist.Cueva was born in Cuenca. He was the second son of Carlos Cueva Tamaríz and his wife Rosa Esther Jaramillo Montesinos. Cueva's family was middle-class; nevertheless his father was a distinguished politician and professor at the...
in Ecuador in order to departure with him to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. Her father-in-law was the politician Carlos Cueva Tamaríz
Carlos Cueva Tamaríz
Carlos Cueva Tamariz was an Ecuadorian politician, lawyer and university professor.- Early life :Carlos Cueva was born on November 5, 1898 the first son of Agustín Cueva Muñoz and his wife Domitila Tamariz Larrea in Cuenca...
.
Education and career
She began to dance in 1945 in GuayaquilGuayaquil
Guayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port...
. February 21, 1957 she traveled to London due to a scholarship to perfectionate her dancing at The Royal Ballet. By then, Vera was already a prominent figure in her home country and her departure was well publicitied in the media. She danced 1958 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
under Gzovsky and Jeanine Charrat. 1960 she went to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
with her husband, where she worked with Alicia Alonso
Alicia Alonso
Alicia Alonso Martínez is the Cuban prima ballerina assoluta and choreographer. Her company became the Ballet de Cuba in 1955....
until 1968 when she returned to her home country.
In 1968 she presented Affirmation, a Modern dance
Modern dance
Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. Although the term Modern dance has also been applied to a category of 20th Century ballroom dances, Modern dance as a term usually refers to 20th century concert dance.-Intro:...
Ballet with music by Carlos Cháves. Her interest for Modern dance took her to introduce the Graham Technic for Contemporary dance
Contemporary dance
Contemporary dance is a genre of concert dance that employs compositional philosophy, rather than choreography, to guide unchoreographed movement...
in Ecuador, which she had learned 1972 at the Martha Gram Dance School in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
The Ecuadorian National Ballet Company was created on 7 Juni 1976 in Quito
Quito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
and Noralma Vera, by then Director of the National Dance Institute, was elected as part of the Directors Board. Vera founded 1978 her own ballet company and academy in her home city.
After retiring from active dancing, Vera worked as a diplomat
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Cuba.
Awards
- Distinción al Mérito Artístico (1955)
- Premio Latinoamericano de Ballet (1956)
- Reconocimiento al Mérito Artístico, Subsecretaria de Cultura (1994)