“Nelida’s dance touches a deep yearning for that sense of belonging, of knowing the earth I stand on is solid and shared” (Neila Wyman, gesalt therapist)
Raised in the Peruvian Andes, Nélida has been an ambassador of traditional Peruvian culture in the USA for more than two decades, as both a dancer and cultural producer. She is also a financial advisor for women-owned micro-enterprise businesses.
Neli grew up dancing in her hometown of Llamellín. After migrating to Lima as a teenager, she studied at the famed José María Arguedas school of dance, and later performed with several top Peruvian folkloric groups.
In 1989 she moved to the USA, and in 1991 co-founded Ballet Folkloric Peru. Based in the Peruvian hub of Paterson, NJ. Ballet continues perform throughout the country, and also runs a dance school for children and adults.
In December, 2000, Nelida fulfilled a lifetime dream by hosting the Fiesta Patronal in her Llamellín birthplace—a journey documented in “Soy Andina.”
Neli also launched a career as a solo artist in 2001, when she began performing her one-woman show “Para Danzar a la Vida”, an autobiographic dance piece chronicling her journey as an immigrant.
As a producer, Neli has introduced American audiences to some of the greatest living Peruvian artists. For La Casita at Lincoln Center, she coordinated performances by musicians Manuelcha Prado and Carlos Hayre. She co-produced “Fiesta Andina” for the Westchester Arts Council, and served on the Peruvian program committee for the Traditional Center for Music & Dance in New York City.
Since the release of “Soy Andina,” Neli has divided her time between New York and Peru, where she is leading efforts to build a hometown cultural center in Lima. And of course she still dances!
Contact: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=577949887
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