Norman Hall was originally trained in visual arts, but searching for more, morphed into performing arts. Moving from arts educator he started professionally as a choreographer and dancer with Australian Dance Theatre in Adelaide, before working with the Queensland Ballet and then forming a small independent dance collective  for several years.  Called Busybodies, it aimed at “curiosity” : exploring the combination of dance and other artforms, and was supported by the University of Sydney’s Theatre Workshop department.

The production 4 Generations in 1994, conceived and directed by Norman, was an important event in independent dance, combining the outstanding talents of iconic artists Elizabeth Cameron Dalman, Patrick Harding-Irtmer, Susan Barling and Gideon Obarzanek, and reflecting the lives of dancers.

Norman has always been involved in facilitating and showing new work of others, being responsible for initiating a national Dance Umbrella program for several years, and heading the artistic selection committee with Susan Barling  and Patrick Harding-Irmer, of  BODIES, an annual program of independent dance work from 1996-2001.

Norman always loved the work of Ken Unsworth, especially the iconic Suspended Stone Circle in the Art Gallery of NSW, and discussed the possibility of collaborative performance art. Thus in 1997 started the partnership between Unsworth and ADA with the SITE project on Lake George and the Choreographic Centre in Canberra.

This relationship, now Sydney-based, continues to this day.

Outside the professional dance scene Norman has been involved with dance education, especially the NSW Higher School Certificate Dance matriculation course, as well as serving on various Board of Studies syllabus committees over the years.

Norman also lectures at Wesley Institute’s tertiary course in Dance History and Composition.