Nora Kimball was born in Brooklyn, New York, where she began her dance training before developing an international career across some of the most influential companies in Europe and the United States. She went on to work with Eliot Feld Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, American Ballet Theatre, Karole Armitage Ballet and Ballett Frankfurt, establishing herself as a highly versatile artist working across multiple dance traditions.

In 1981, she joined Nederlands Dans Theater. Throughout her performing career, she worked within both classical and contemporary contexts, developing close artistic collaborations with leading figures such as William Forsythe and Peter Sellars.

Her collaboration with Peter Sellars led her into the operatic world, where she performed in productions including The Seven Deadly Sins, Biblical Pieces, El Niño and Only the Sound Remains. In these works, she contributed not only as a performer but also through choreographic input, positioning her at the intersection of dance, theatre and music and expanding her artistic practice beyond the traditional stage.

Her career has taken her to major international venues and festivals, working across disciplines and performance contexts. Alongside her stage work, she has been active in film and photography, collaborating as a muse and model for Issey Miyake and appearing in a range of visual projects.

In parallel, she has developed a strong commitment to education and artistic development. As a teacher and coach, she has taught ballet technique, repertoire and Floor-Barre internationally, including at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts, supporting both professional dancers and wider communities through movement-based practice.